The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-24
are troops A and c of New York, the
Philadelphia City Troop, Sheridan troop
and the Governors troop of Pennsylvania.
UNDER BLAZING sun.
Hard Life Of Men Waiting
On the Troopships OF
Montauk.

Correspondence of The Associated Press.I
WITH THE TRANSPORTS OFF
CAMP WIKOFF, MONTAUK POINT,
Aug 20 1s9S-It is weary waiting for the
American troops on the transports
anchored off Camp Wikoff. There is alb
solutely nothing to do on board, and the
men lounge about the decks, seeking
what scant shade can be found in the
lee of deck-houses or under awnings, and
longing for the orders that will free
them from irksome confinement. Again
and again the men discuss the happen
ings of the days before Santiago. Plans
are made for trips home whenever free
dom comes; pay day is spoken of--as
many of the men are without money-and
the everlasting subject of something good
to eat in the future fills all minds.
Fortunately the weather is cool. There
is a good breeze every day; and in the
evenings it is even chilly. Overcoats are
brought out and the warm corners behind
the steamers smokestacks are the spots
most sought after. The men are poorly
provided with clothing; and the prolonged
stay on the vessels has used up the sup
ply of clean linen that the officers had
carefully boarded.
Each day we receive several visits from
the Quarantine boats. They bring tele-
grams. orders and letters, newspapers oc-
casionally. and good news seldom When
we see a tug approach a transport near
by, and when the men on her break out
into cheers and shrill yells we know
regiment has been ordered ashore. AS the
lucky vessel swings down the line of her
sisters on her way to the landing the men
who see freedom ahead of them call ec-
rislvely to those who are still in prison,
but the calling is all on one side
Every tug that pulls out from shore
may bring us the good news we are wait
ing for, and wet bet on the destinations
of the putting little boats with the yellow
flags at their bows. for it is impossible to
tell where they are coming until they
are close to us.
Wives and aughtders, sons and friends
of men on the transports sometimes come
cut on these tugs and then there is call
ing from the soldier husband or father
on the transports to the visitor on the
tugs. There are greetings and in
quiries, tears that are choked back
and voices that are full and cannot
be controlled. Then the tug drifts by;
and the visitor, probably wife who has
followed a particular transport from
Hampton Roads to Montauk Point, STOP
ping on the way up the coast as news
came of a probable landing place, learns
that the soldier-husband knows no more
Of his own ultimate destination than She
is supposed to know herself.
It is said that the transports, or some
of them, arc ha11pd for RaSton In that
event there is consolation of knowing
that those on board them are fairly sure
of seeing the whole Atlantic seaboard.
Camp Wikoff looks sandy and hot from
where we are There appears to be no
shade and the new army tents are
dazzling white We are told on board
that when we finally get ashore we are
to be held at least five days before liberty
finally comes
When the order came this morning for
the hospital ship Olivette to proceed to
ions. A rather pompous looking infivid-
ual asked from the deck of the Dexter
what she wanted; and he was given a
short list of beef and potatoes. milk and
brandy. He promised that the provisions
would be on board in an hour, but after
six hours there were still no signs of
them. The Oliyette mas just enough coal
for the trip and her captain is very anx-
ious to be off, but an inexplicable delay
over a small order of provisions is keep
ing sick and perhaps dying men from the
comfortable hospitals in Boston that are
good enough to take in sick American sol
diers.