The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-20
JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE.
Lady in This City Receives Letter
from Nephew at Santiago.

The following letter was received by
a ladv in this city whose nephew is a
member of the Second Massachusetts
volunteers and who took part in the
capture of FL Caney. He was not
wounded, but his clothing was cut by
bullets in a number of places. The
letter was written day or two before
the attack on the defences of Santiago
and says:
In camp three miles outside of Santiago.
jane 29, 1898.
Dear Auntie, Landed o. X. without
much trouble Shore was thoroughly
shelled by our vessels before entering.
At place of landing day before a skir-
msh occurred between Cubans and Span
iards. We have had some heavy march
ing. The country is very pretty but 1t
rains half the time. one place we camped
WAS at marsh end l thought land
crabs would carry me off. When we land
ed we were fed on cocoanuts. Cocoanut
trees are plenty Und we also eat man
groves and lines. Last two days our pro-
visions ran out and we We're about
starved.
Yesterday we got them-hard tack and
beans and sugar, and rejoicing is in the
camp today. 1t is hard work for me 20
cook my own meals but / am learning.
Besides it is all bacon. We are in the
enemy's country for sure At one place
we camped couple days ago we were
six hours behind an engagement between
| the cavalry and the Spanish. We lost
ten men. Saw them buried. The next
day we were four hours behind the en-
| gagement Teddy Roosevelt had with
| Spanish. His 500 men routed 1000 Span
iards. and Teddy lost nine men and about
| fifty wounded. Saw nine dead lying side
| by side and preparations for burial.
| .1t and u ic tod iutat aln lnI1o
side of us the night of the battle.
The first engagement Colored troops
| fought bravely. One instance, a negro
| found dead with his fingers around the
| throat of Spaniard and four more Span
! iards were laying near him. The Span
| iards are the biggest set of towards you
! ever saw. Thy shoot and run; no stand
| up fight. Then this country is so hilly
and mountainous, that We are when
marching, practically in a death trap
| nearly all the time.
1t is $50 a. m. and ] have had break
| fast. At $50 a mail will go out. We are
| going to attack Santiago in two or three
| days and are moving towards there very
| slowly. We expect it to be n bloody at
| fair Our larg, guns are with US and the
| enemy may show the white flag without
much trouble. but if not, well the fire.
works that go off about July 4 may
startle the natives. / suppose newspapers
|
closed find piece of Spanish flag which
was torn down at the place of landing,
Cuban were going to burn it but we
| motioned to them that we wanted it 20
| wipe our guns with. We clean our guns
| with rind of bacon
am feeling well, but wet weather tells
| on me. ! have to carry half of my tent
| and / carry little else. One change un-
| derclothes, extra pair of socks that s
| all. Most of the men have thrown away
| even that. Captain even threw away his
blanket to save weight Cubans are only
| half clothed. One has to watch their De-
| longings. They think anything one laws
down they can pick up. Time is about
up and | must close. Don't worry. The
big battle comes off i'm a day or so, if
go down why l go down, but a few of
my bullets are going to take effect II
possible to avenge the lives of those
| nineteen me1 have seen laid out so fa:.
1t is hard for me to write plainly. l am
| writing on stock Of my gun