The times., 1898-08-02

whom they could not WHIP, ana lne Fdnh
and file are overjoyed at the prospect OF
surrender.
.'WeI. l must close with promise to
write again at first opportunity. We are
both well and unite in sending lots OF love
10 yourself and father. Your loving son,
NEWTON"
I'm Front of Santiago de Cuba,
July 10. 1898.
Dear Mother:
az take this opportunity to write you,
not only to let you know tha. we are weli
ard strong but also to say, 'hurrah for
the fall of Santiago We weren't in any
scrap. but the District of Columbia boys
were right to the front and ready for the
word.
1.-The news was officially announced to
us yesterday and strict orders were issued
to have no cheering. l suppose you heard
the news as soon as we did, and no DOUBT
you were overjoyed. This surrender Will
probably mean peace, or at least shorten
the war. There is a rumor today that fhe
Spaniards had retracted from their agree
ment but if they do-well, ! pity them.
OF course our boys will suffer some loss,
but we have the Dons completely sur
rounded by perfect line of rifle PITS and
numerous batteries of artillery. Our rifle
pits are located about four hundred yards
from the enemy. We can see them plainly
Dentnu IHeiT uDtdSlN 4 NY y
dressed in all kinds of uniforms, some
white and some blue, and resemble paja-
mas or Chinese garbs. They also wear
straw hats and in fact they are very
unmili.ary looking lot.
July II, 1898.
"aThree cheers for Old Gloryr That Is
just what we have given the dear cd flag.
Just a noon the Spanish flag was low
cred and our flag was raised over the
str will
read of the surrender and learn more Of
the ceremony but | will try to tell you
Of it as il appeared 20 me.
About o'clock the regiment was form
ed and marched out in front of our rifle
pits. and formed in line about three hun
dred yards from the Spanish breastworks,
which are just across a gully. From our
! position we could see the outskirts of the
! city and. could see the tops of the houses
in The valley beyond. Here and there
fioated the Red Gross flags from the
| housetops. and if one can judge anything
from them. the city must be one immense
hospital. However. 1 think it only Span
ish ruse 10 prevent the houses from being
fired upon.
I'VE could see the troops, preceded by a
large number of horsemen. marching in
front of the long government buildings.
The long line of Spanish troops seemed to
be dressed for the most part in blue and
gray. On either side one could look and
see long dark lines of blue skirting the
hilltops, which completely surround the
city.
Jus at Y o'clock a salute of twenty
one guns was fired, the bands played the
Star SDang1ed Banner and Old Glory
was raised for the first time over Santi-
ago. Just as the last note of music died
away. Col. Harries cried, are you ready p
The boys cheered as they never cheered
before. Cheer after cheer rang out. hats
were tossed in the air. and pandemonium
reigned throughout the hills. Each regi-
ment seemed 10 try TO outcheer the other.
and had any of the Dons previously enter
tanned an idea of winning the battle, they
must then have changed their minds. One
I had only TO look at that line of men. wild
with patriotic ardor. TO see how hopeless
it was to withstand their attack
For three days there has been a con-
slant stream of people. refugees from the
city, returning TO Santiago. In the dis
! tance they look like a stream of ants
winding in and out the hills These refu-
gees must have suffered very much for
! food, as they would give fabulous prices
| for meat and tack. One of our boys was
! paid ten-dollar gold piece for a dozen
| biscuit. and a great many of the women
/ gave them jeweiry for few mouthfuIs
! of crackers. 1t seems a pity that they
/ SnOuiu SuHeTr Dul the army mas scarcely
enough for itself and can't give food to
others.
1.-The camp is full of rumors aboutsour
next move, but il looks like are here
! TO stay for a short while at least We
/ have moved our camp to high ground and
! ] infer we will camp here until the Span
iards are sent home. We are now being
better fed. getting hardtack. coffee,
canned beef. salt horse, potatoes and on
! ions Some companies were sent back to
the camp from which we started on the
forced march to bring up our packs, or
rolls, and have just returned, and many
| of us realize now, if we didn't before,
that there was a great mistake made in
/ leaving our packs behind, as many of the
packs have been looted of nearly all
/ their contents. and some of the boys got
! nothing at all and haven't anything but
their clothes on their backs and rubber
! blanket l lost everything, but, luckily,
Sheridan's roll came through all right
! and it contained enough for both. Some
| are pretty fairly fixed. and best of all
! our medicine box is o. X.
Il have bought regulation shirt for
! 81, cut price and consider this lucky
/ strike as money IS almost useless here.
+ The boys should not be compelled to pay
! for what they have lost as it was left
/ behind under orders but ! am afraid they
! will Who the looters were the victims
/ would like to know.
I cigarettes are almost worth their
weight in gold here. One dollar pack Is
/ the common price paid. Cuba may be the
I land of tobacco. but there is but little OF
! it in this end of the island and the to-
bacco users must certainly suffer. One
! of our boys was paid $25 for box OF