Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-06-09
WAS WITH DEWEY.
Letter from "a Beding Boy Who Took
Part In the CeIebrated Battle at Manila
Bay Wounded in Left Arm.

|
of much interest to our readers, was
received by Mrs John Zeigler from
her brother, Melyen G. Hankins, who
four years ago worked for them on the
Weter farm After leaving here he
enlisted in the navy and went with
Dewey's fleet.
SHERIDAN'S POINT, !
RIVERSIDE PoIN Va, June !, 1898.
DEAR SISTER, just received your
very kind and more than welcome let
ter or letters yesterday and they
cheered me up wonderfully, also they
found me considerably on the improve.
| was out and across the river the other
day with the steward OF the hospital.
! Th ere is a summer resort over and
about half mile up the river and he
said little recreation would be good
! for me SO he took me over and it was
the first time had been anywhere
since have been here and / enjoyed it
hugely. 1t is called Riverview Park
and it is IA grand place. They have Il
fine dance hall and the steward intro
duced me To young lady from Wash
ington and tried to waltz, and did
little, but had to give it up for it hurt
my arm too bad enjoyed the sights
for they are grand. Lots of people
come down there from the capital and
the place is kept open day and night.
We can hear the music over here at
the battery plain nearly any time.
You wanted to know all about this
post and | will try and give you the
history of the place rs near as | can.
] is about Is miles south Of the capital
down the Potomac river and seven
miles south OF Alexandria, and two
and one-half miles north Of Mt. Vernon,
Washlngton's birthplace, and is on
one of the old plantations that used to
belong to the Washington family, and
is right across the river from Fort
Washington. You can find it on the
map. 1t is called Post Sheridan and
Is new fort under construction. 1t
will soon be finished and is going to be
fine place when completed. The for
tllications are just about done and are
mounted with three eight-inch rifle
guns OF the latest pattern called the
disappearing Barbet rifle cannon.
They weigh 30 tons each and carry
round shot OF six hundred pounds and
an armor piercing shot or slug that
weighs eight hundred pounds. When
completed they will have six rapid ire
guns, four called the Hotchkiss ma
chine guns and two called the Auto
matte rapid fire guns, aud four mortar
guns, two that throw shell that
weighs 600 pounds, and two 900 pound
shells The rifle guns are ranged for
twelve miles with accuracy. We have
seventy-tive artillerymen now and
when completed we will have 200 gun
ners (also equipped with small arms,
the new magazine rifles with steel
plated balls and smokeless powder
mixed with nitro-glycerine and will
carry accurately three miles and klll),
and battalion of infantry, and com
pany of cavalry, all together making
about $50 or, with reserve, 500 men
They talk of putting in large gun
called the Krupp. The gun weighs
% tons, the carriage $50 tons, and it
takes go pounds of powder for single
charge. 1t shoots fifteen miles and the
shot weighs 1000 pounds. They are
going to build brick quarters in the
rear Of the Notifications but at present
they are living in tents and it is just
plenty hot down here | can tell you.
The hospital is in two large tents but
| have the finest of care and the stew
ard and nurse are two OF the finest and
incest fellows | ever met and | could
not get better care at home, SO you
need give yourself no uneasiness as to
my care. would like to come home
eyer-so. much, and would, for my cap
tain said | could, but there is strong
talk Of sending Battery X to the Phil
ippines to garrison some works that
they are going TO establish there.
They have called out | of the first, NJ
Of the sixth and G. of the fourth, and
we got orders TO be ready to move on
short notice if we was called. f and
II have gone to Tampa and will prob
ably go TO Cuba. If my company is
called | want TO be here and go too for
| would like to go back and have it all
over again and | would like to see
more of the Philippines and get an
other chance at the Spaniards. II was
the greatest excitement Of my life.
was on the flagship Olympia and after
we had got down to business / looked
up in the shrouds to see what damage
an explosive ball had done that had
just passed through the main sheets,
and there stood Commodore Dewey
just as cool as though he was taking
part in Fourth OF July celebration
and when | yelled. "The Mainel the
Maine!'' he waived his cap and answer
ed back, 1.-THE Maine, and never say