Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-03

Porto Rico. There are no end OF rumors
promising each of these movements
My own experience had already convinced
me that the quiet, gentlemanly soldier al
ways made the best fighting material ond
this campaign has further strengthened
that view. The rough, staggering swash-
bucker from the slums finds more fault, is
harder to manage in every way, and is
harder to hold under fire than the man who
has pride and self-respect. This was fully
illustrated in the case of regiment which
was largely recruited from the Bowery in
New York, and which. when it went into
action on July l, made a most miserable
and cowardly funk The troops in rear
| charged over them and left them glued to
the ground in the rear. These men, as
they came through the states. terrorized
the people along the railroads and stole
everything that was portable within 100
| yards of the railroad track.
Makeshffts in Camp.
1t is most amusing to see some of the
makeshifts in camp. The table of the head
| quarters mess of the District regiment con-
| sists of long narrow board, upon which
| the frugal fare is spread. DR.. Pyles, who
| sits on my right, kindly shares his tea
spoon with me to stir our coffee, and the
| oiliy eating ulenSll we Sach possess Is a
| pocket knife. Col Harres is regarded with
! some envy as being the possessor of knife
| and fork Chaplain Dudley has an apology
| for a combination knife and fork which
works very poorly and frequently cuts his
| fingers when his aim is to saw through
| piece of fat bacon rind. Our drinking cups
| are made from empty tomato cans, and In
some cases care must be used to prevent
| the sharp, Jagged edges from cutting ones
| lips. Tin plates made of the tops of I'M
| soldered cans are regarded as something of
/ a luxury. This will all be improved, how
| ever, when the remainder of the supplies
come up from Siboney, if they ever do.
Though the regiment is within two miles
! of Santiago there are strict orders against
| going into the city on account of the fever
| The newspaper correspondents are the only
| ones allowed this desirable privilege as
| they are supposed to be immune and have
! to go in the city to file their stuff.
| The Spanish Prisoners.
Just across a pretty valley in front of the
| District camp is the celebrated San Juan
] hill, where our troops displayed so much
| gallantry in its capture from the Spanish.
and in the next valley beyond are encamp-
| ed about 1900 Spanish prisoners of war.
Decidedly cordial relations have sprung up
|
soldiers. They meet in groups and discuss
| incidents of the late fighting around Santi-
ago and exchange such articles as each may
| desire Of the other. The Spaniards profess
! high regard for the valor of the Ameri-
| cans and our boys certainly entertain more
| respect for them than they do for the Gu
| bans. In fact the conditions which pre-
| vailed in the beginning seem to have be-
| come exactly reversed. In the start the
/ Cuban was almost aootheosized and the
| Spaniard cont smned Now it is hard to find
I, anybody who has good word to say for
| the men whose liberties we are fighting for.
q! Indeed, some of the officers Of high rank
| frankly express the opinion that trouble
| with the Cubans is sure to follow the de-
parture Of the Spanish from Cuba.
| wide diversity of sentiment exists
| among the officers and men of the army as
to the country itself. AS rule the senti-
| ment is one of antipathy. Anybody is well
come to all my interest in Cuba" is the re-
mark most frequently heard, often coupled
| with anathemas on the climate, country
and people. Others, however look further
ahead than the discomforts of campaign
made in the rainy season under all the at
| tending disadvantages They point out the
| wonderful fertility of the soil, with its at
tendant rank vegetation, forced by the
heavy rainfall, and the singularly fine eli
| mate for a tropical country. So far COM
| fort goes the heat here is no mora oppres-
! siye than it is in the latitude of Washing
| ton during the same season. The nights are
delightfully."- cool, and during most of the
| day there is a fine breeze blowing.
All sorts Of tropical fruits grow in the
greatest profusion here, and to this is
largely due the fact that so many of the