Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-08-04
NEWS REcEIpGD oUiETLr.
Our Troops Told Not to Cheer when In
formed OF santiago's Fail.

formed OF santiago's FAIL
Before Santiago de Cuba. July To-
The American soldiers encamped on
the hillsides that fall away from our
entrenchments have been waiting day
after day for the result of the COM
binsd truces and conferences between
Spain and the United States to be
made known. They learned yesterday
that Santiago had capitulated. This
news was sent alUng the line, to the
right aud left from Gen. Wheeler's
headquarters, by Col. John Jacob
Astor, and with it went instructions
that our boys were to make no demon
stratious of joy, in order that the feel.
ings of the SpaniarGs in the trenches,
a few hundred yards away, would not
be hurt by the echoing OF victorious
cheers So the news was received very
quietly. There was. however, some
cheering among tine crowded tents
when our men learned that the object
of three weeks fighting, hunger and
hardship had been attained.
During the afternoon men climbed
| to the trenches, TO look again at the
city they had taken but were NOT
allowed to enter, and some were glad
for peacs aud others called for more
fighting.
The strain of the watching and
waiting WEE removed. aud soldering
resolved itself into getting as COM
fortably fixed in camp as the mud
would permit.
At sunset yesterday, when the regi.
mental bands all along the line played
national airs, az is the camp custom, a
tired soldier boy, who hummed the
words Of "Star Spangled Banner" to
the bands time, chauted the victory
he had not been permitted to cheer.
The hardships of this campaign, let
alone the fighting that scattered tht
graves of comrades side by side with
splendidly sustained by our men. Now
that the heavy rams Of the fret Of this
week have ceased, conditions are better,
but rain clouds cover the aky every
day, and any hour may see knee-deeI
rivers sweeping through clumps O.
tents, and it may be next to impossible
! to start fires to cook food.
J Then food has been scarce; the roadi
! from here to Siboney have been almos
impossible during the rains, and at al
/ times they have been rough and heavy
When men put up with three pieces o
; hardtack and half cup of coffee |
3 day, the question of nutriment il
serious; and when unseasoned soldier
Z: go 70 hours without sleep, it can b
3 truly said they endure hardship. Blu
. they have borne it all with fine courag
o and good nature that was never lonl
: absent.
Q Poor Cuban women, footsore, starving
0 and weary, drag themselves along th
n muddy roads from Ell Caney, in
r search of fool, and our men and am
a balances pick them up and succo
: them. At Ell CRney the food is in
y sufficient. Weak women and childre
d get none. and starvation there 10 grow
q ing rapidly. A Cuban woman fror
d Ell Caney staggered into camp thi
: morning. She was pale and pinehed
It and the ragged silk dress that hal
!, covered her attenuated body spoke n
y more Of past luxury and refipemen
@ than did her features and her despai
N and utter exhaustion. She did not as
d for food, but for work. She washe
n clothes from the hospital tent for bal
d day in return for food, and sat dow
J. to ths welcome army fare with hand
n bleeding from the unaocustomed labo,
~ At dusk she turned YEARLY BAG
d toward Ell Caney, siy miles away, th
If richer by one meal.