The evening times., 1898-09-13

James Howland, former clerk in the
War Department, who enlisted in the
army al the outbreak of the war and
! acted as orderly to Capt. Alger, son of
the Secretary of War, during the cam
paign and Porto Rico, has returned to
the city.
MIR Howland left this country with the
first expedition for Cuba and landed at
| Baquiri with the Rough Riders and the
Ninth and Tenth Regular Cavalry. Capt.
/ Aiger was attached to Gen. Skaters
staff as assistant adjutant general, but
he did not want 10 stay on the transport
with the remainder of the staff when they
arrived of. the landing place and receiv-
ed permission TO go ashore with the first
| landing party.
Rowland accompanied his commander
throughout the campaign. After the
first battle. in which the Rough Riders
received their baptism of fire, Capt Al
ger was sent to Siboney TO guide Gen.
| Duffield's brigade, consisting of the Thir-
ty-third and Thirty-fourth Michigan and
Ninth Massachusetts to the position they
were to occupy in the engagement which
was expected to take place.
Cant Aiger," said Howland. in speak
ing OF the trip, knew the road
well and that is the reason ne was sent
back We arrived II the place where the
| troops lay at J. O'Clock at night and i'm
! mediate:y started back to the front again.
Ry this time our men had the railroad,
running from Siboney TO Santiago, in
working order and we Were able TO ride
within three miles of the city. Cen Dut-
| fields brigade did not go To the place
where the Rough Riders and the regulars
who were in the fight at FL Caney were
: encamped. but went off in an easterly
! direction along the coast. The object
was 20 intercept the Spanish re-enforce-
/ .nents | believe. / reached the place
where they left the trains just as the last
/ section pulled in and got my first sight
Of blood there
LAS the men were getting off the train
a large shell came whistling over the hill
and exploded right in the middle OF the
track killing two men outright and
wounding several others After the fight
at San Juan / was kept constantly ON
the go bringing the mail and carrying
dispatches from the rear of the line To
the troops at the. front.
AT the surrender of Santiago we were
in the city, and saw the Impressive cere-
monies connected Herewith. Santiago
is one of the filthiest cities l ever saw,
and it and the surrounding country are
inhabited by the flthiest people l ever
saw They wear very little clothing and
never take a bass. The little children
run around entirely nude, and the wo-
men never think of such thing as Wear
ing shoes or stockings. They have no
education whatever, and lack all the
, elements of civilization and refinement
} In Santiago YOU will Hind many excel
lent people, but there are some tough
ones there also. A few small schools are
conducted in ;hc city by a set OF very
. high salaried officials, but in the country
4.
children can go TO get the first rudi-
ments OF an education.
''N5 attempt IS ma ie to keep the streets
Of Santiago clean; they are always fi.lad
, with the refuse that is thrown out from
The houses In most of the cities OF
American the streets are made higher il
tha cen.er tuan anywhere else. so thai
} the water and waste can run off into
the cutters, from which il is taken t
; the sewers. In Santiago the arrange
ments are just the opposite. the guttel
runs down jhc middle of the street, ant
has no outlet Everything is thrown in
D 10 this gutter, all the garbage and deaC
animals toge,he with the dirt that nat
urally collects in street where there i
! much travel, ana it is not cleared up til
= a heavy rain comes and washes il al
!. down TO the end of the street where i
/ lays ani ro.s. Gen. Wood was making
K ! improvements in the sanitary system
D when We left.
O Gen. Miles arrived at Santiago abou
= three days before the surrender. but die
not take part in the ceremonies. Capt
I Alger was attached to Gen. Miles staff
/ in the first place. and was left in Fiori
/ da when Gen. Miles was ordered to Wash
. ington; that is how he happened to go t
1 cuba with Gen. Shafter Therefore
1 when Gen. Miles left Santiago for Port,
1 Rico. the captain assumed his old plac
i on he staff OF the commanding general
1 Gen. Miles is one OF the finest soldiers il
the world. He takes care of his troop
l like they were children. We did not hav
1 use for r7Ore tilan one hospital in Port
II Rico. and there were only a few patient
1 in that.
i When we reached Ponce the first MAJ
A on shore was the General. He did not al
| low any of the troops to land till he ha,
/ gotten ashore and found a place wher
l The infantry and artillery could disem
/ bark. That is the kind of a soldier b
\ is, always looking after the comfort o
i his men, never thinking of himself.
: There was very little fighting in Port
Rico-only few skirmishes, that did no
amount to anything. The Fourth Obi
had little fight, but they soon dis
persed the enemy without loss Most O
the time the people of the towns cam
= out to meet US with bands, and escort
ed US TO the best places in the country
The climate in Porto Rico is as differ
n ent from that in Cuba as day is fror
IS night. In Porto Rico the atmosphere
N clearer and the air more bracing, an
\ while it is sometimes very hot, there
. never the humidity that prevails in Cuba
4 few of the troops twere i'll with ma
= larial fever when We first reached tn
: island, but ii did not amount to much
and ii was probably caused by the chang
: of climate.
, Capt. Alger was taken sick while 4
y Ponce, and We were ordered home II
;. was very i'll on the way to Fort Mon
: roe, and was brought home immediate
ly after the boat had landed. / did no
It get sick during the entire campaign, an
= was feeling very well till I reached thi
Il city; then / was taken with mild typ
l. of typhoid fever, and am just able to &c
O around"
l. Capt. Alger has been sent to Michiga
for his health, and Rowland says he wi
stay in the army till the Captain leaves.