Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-10-17
A PRIVATE LETTER
From Major James L. Wilson
but it will

BE read with interest by his many
friends here-fiis second trip to the
tropics-Is now Quaatermaster for
SIS. Mennewaka--Will be In Balti-
more soon-Many interesting souye-
Mrs from Cuba.
PoNoE, Porto Rico, October 2. Dear
Mrs, Pierce: was very much surpris-
ed yesterday to receive long letter
from Virginia written at Mountain
Lake. She had seen that steamer or
transport was soon to sail for New York
and was in time to catch it. This has
been quite an evenrful trip. On our ar
rival at Montauk Point, Aug. 20 wrote
at once to the commanding general and
hoped that my request to be reliev
ed after one trip to the tropics would be
considered but it seemed that he had too
many other things to occupy his time
and SO when the vessel reached Nav
York we were hurriedly fitted out and
rushed off to Porto Rico by wav ~
Charleston, s. c.. and Santiago. and
now that so much of the trip is over I
am heartily glad | made the trip arain
with addition of this beautiful land hs a
stopping place While in Santiago /
took occasion to ride over the battle
ground especially TO San Juan Hill and
all the ground covered by our troops in
reaching it. 1t is sad enough to 20 over
the field and see the newly made
graves marked by head stones of bos}a
freshly painted. | was struck with tue
number of unknown graves. This
should never have been. Our govern
ment issued small metal tags to troops
with names and number Of company
and regiment, for the very purpose Of
Identification. | rode out TO the ground
where Grimes battery was located and
took pictures (kodac) OF the ground. 1t
is distressing TO see the misery in which
the Cnbans Teconeentrados) are living.
Siboney is one of the small towns that
Gent Shafter destroyed on account Of
Infection We saw three families oc-
cupying an old fort near the place |
speak of location of Grimes battery
who were in utter restitution. They
had lived in Siboney One of the chill
dren was sick. It was pitiful sight to
see the little thing. The doctor, one OF
our party, examined it, and said Ii was
suffering from malarial fever, caused
from want of nourishing food. They
had no bed, slept on the dirt floor on
pile of rags, cooked on fire in the mid
die OF the room, yet seemed happy and
content. / took a picture of the crowd.
and the little girl disappeared for few
minutes and came out again with
clean calico dress on. I took another
of her and the rest of the little ones, and
gave each coin. / brought several SOU
venirs from the battlefield. Before
leaving Santiago / got the use of the
launch from the depot quartermaster
and visited the wreck Of the Almarante
0quendo, and secured some valuable
relics. A small negro boy on board Of
the launch in scratching in the ashes.
(the vessel after being run ashore was
blown up or her magazine was and all
the wood work on board was consumed)
found three five dollar gold pieces, and
one silver piece. / bought three OF
them: they are black from the effects OF
fire. | picked up the skull OF one man
near the engine room. | have no doubt
but that all the dead and wounded were
left to burn. There were several ami
mails on board, as the carcasses darkiy
consumed are still there. The fire IS
still burning in the coal bunkers. cot
brass oil box from the treasurer Of one
OF the II inch guns on the forward tur-
ret. The fire did not reach the turrets.
nave nolue louI pictures OF mOTf0 CdS-
tie and scenes around about Santiago. /
don think | am quite as much in love
withPorto Rico as | thought, though the
people here are far ahead the Cubans.
The fertility OF the soil is wonderful.
Bananas and cocoa nuts in the greatest
abundance. I send you a miniature
water cooler used both here and in
Cuba, but purchased in Ponce. | en-
close some Spanish cartridges, Mauser
and the large ones, the enfield, suppos-
ed to be explosive, but not so, the ball
strips on impact, and makes an ugly,
dangerous, inhuman wound The little
silver piece is for Olive, and is such ais
is used by the good Catholics Of Santa
go, as gifts to their patron saints. They
are in large quantities and hung about
the bust Of the saints. At intervals the
priest removes them and make room for
further contributions
| hope to get back to Baltimore after
this trip. We have had such an exper-
fence that / had intended telling YOU
about 1t, but have taken up too much
OF your time. With love to Olive,
Sincerely, j. l.. WILSON