Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-23
JOHNSON is COMING HOME.
Member of Company a sends Message to
His Mother.

Member of Company 4 sends n Message &c
His Mother.
Mrs II. E johnson, of 1928 Third
avenue, today received the following
from her son, who is 4 member OF
Company, a and who was among those
reported i'll and sent from Porto Rico
to America:
Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, n. Y,
Aug. 23.-I am in the best of health
and will be home in a week.
HOWARD JOHNSON.
Mrs. johnson was worried as to the
condition of her son and the above is
reply to query she sent.
Gen. Miles, in command of the
Porto Rican expedition, of which the
Rock Island soldier boys form a part,
left Ponce last night with his staff on
the steamer Aranas for the United
States. According to the dispatches
from Ponce, the 9th Illinois and 9th
Massachusetts regiments are without
shoes evidence of the mis-
magement of the war department,
which has been responsible for the
death of many brave soul in the
past few months, failing to furnish
proper medicine to the Wounded and
sick. and food to the exhausted and
footsore fighters.
Lewis Guldenzopf has received the
following letter from Private ANel
Erickson, of Company A:
Ponce, Porto Rico, Aug. 81
thought l would write you few
lines to let You know that L am still
alive and well, and in some respects
having Il good time. The only in
toxicating drinks to be had here are
runs and wines. | ran the guard
line this morning and went to town
and took in the sights. Quite Il num-
Der of the natives can talk the Ameri
can language Every soldier who goes
to town now without pass is arrested.
l nearly got it myself. One of the
Massachusetts boys came to me this
morning and was going to arrest me.
but | gave him little spell and it
was all right. He told me to sneak,
and of course l did as fast as l could.
l visited a print shop here, and it was
better than lots of the shops in the
states. Eight typos are employed
on cases, and you ought to see them
stick type; they are daisies. l set Il
stick full for them in English, and
you ought to see them gap at me and
ask me all kinds OF questions, but of
course | could not underst and them.
The reporter for the paper could talk
American. / had Il long conversation
with him about printing. | told him
all about the Miehle press, emboss-
ing, etc. Well, l will stop for about
three hours, as we have to go out to
hunt some Spaniards, and then l will
try and write some more.
Three and one half hours gone, and
now / will tell you about a little en-
gagement we had in the mountains
There were about one hundred Span
iards out two miles from camp.
We killed 81 and brought the rest
into camp and put them in prison.
Not one of our men was wounded. i
forgot to tell you about our first land
ing in Porto Rico. On our long
march to Ponce (31 miles) we drilled six
miles the first day, the second l l miles,
the third II miles. 1t was terrible.
You ought to see the fellows fall out
The third day l fell out. There were
only about five in each company who
stuck it out. | filled my haversack
with sugar and my canteen with mo-
lasses at distillery. The natives live
on fried green bananas. They were
nearly starved out by the Spaniards
and it is believed they could not have
survived much longer. We have not
received any mail for month.
Harry Coyne, John Carse and sew
eral other members of the company,
understand, are to be sent home on
account of sore feet.
There is talk of our being sent home
to fight Germany. Has Germany de-
clared war against America?
AXEL Erickson.
Myron Jordan, in letter to the
Moline epublican-Journal, says the
mill has been grinding
a fine grist lately at Ponce. He
writes: Whether the 9th Illinois
officers will next receive the attention
Of the board is not yet known, but it
is a possibility that ourofficers are dis
cussing. Col. Kittilsen says that he
would not be surprised if our officers
were to he summoned and an attempt
made to read them out of the service,
not so many Illinois men
struggled as did those of Massachus-
setts. Those of the stragglers who
could not offer n competent defense |
have been fined or reduced To the |
ranks. Corporal Veley, of Company
F, who after his arrest tore OFF his |
stripes, was fined months pay and |
-educed to private He was new
lppointee, but promised well as nom
officer, being brave aud |
Industrious as a soldier and pos |
'essing the independents spirit of
rue American. His successor has |
lot yet been nominated by Capt. Glen
lenin.'
8 II Hamnfnn has received a cnrnv J