The Newtown bee., 1898-10-21
Fairfield County.
WASHINGTON.


write. Well, we have moved again, that
is Company G. We are acting as an es-
cort to Gen Wilson. Our company was
chosen out of the whole regiment, and l
tell you what it was quite an honor, as
he is in command of all the volunteer
troops on the island. Several of the 9TH
er companies felt pretty sore about it,
as all of them expected that they would
get it before we would. We IT the
rest of the regiment in camp and went
about two miles farther up to where he
had his headquarters. All we have TO
do is to drill once in while. Well, [ |
went away from camp and was gone
nearly a week. How il. happened was
this way. The Acknowledgement sent |
word to our captain that he wanted a |
sergeant aud four privates, and Capt |
ROdman picked me out, and told me to
pick out four men, and then report to the
general. got my men and got every
thing that | would need, and reported to
the genera. He told me to go down to
the railroad station and wait there for
him. Well, when he came down we got
on the train and went to a place called
| Yauco, about 20 miles from Ponce. We
staid over night in the railroad station.
In the morning we started in carriages
for town called Sabana Grande, about
| 10 miles from Yauco. We reached there
about 10 o'clock, and went straight to
the court house. | posted three of my
men near the doors, and took the other
one and went up stairs. We went into
room where there were about 80 of the
townsmen. The general ordered us to
fix bayOnets and clear the place. We
hat no sooner got our bayonets out
when they all started for the stairs.
Well, the way they tumbled down those
stairs was q sight, and the two of US
right at their heels helping them along.
After we had got them all out, left my
men on guard and then l went back
up stairs again. ASH went in | found
out why we had come up. 1t seems that
the original mayor of the town had
been put out of office by the Spaniards
and they had put one Of their own kind
in his place. So we arrested the Span.
lard, and put the old mayor back in Of
fee. The acknowledgement then went
back to camp and left me in charge, and
told me to see that the mayor was nog
molested. Well, we .had.a fine time.
The mayor gave us house all to our.
selves and we had our meals at a hotel
We had all we wanted to eat and
drink for nothing. Everything went al
right until the afternoon of the fourth
day, when the lat Kentucky regiment
9 came through and stopped over night
Q They were a lawless set, and tried tt
mob the town. They would 90 into the
| stores and take anything that they want
8 ed. The mayor finally came to me anc
asked me stop them. L told my men t.
load up their guns and fix bavonets, ssanC
we started. We closed up every shoE
. and store there was in the town and turn
ed every soldier out into the street
Some of them were pretty fresh, but oul
loaded guns settled the question. AS i
was, we had to arrest three of them fol
being too fresh. Well, after that thu
townspeople couldn't do enough for us
We stsid there couple of days longer
when got orders to go back to camp
When the people found out that we wer,
going TO leave they were nearly hear
broken, and the mayor begged hard t.
have US stay, but / had got my orders 6,
had to go. Well, we started off in al
\ OK cart in the pouring rain, and had gou
g., about two miles when the cart got stucl
, in the mud. We went on and left tn
dryer to get out the best way he could
We marched eight miles through mut
and water, forded three rivers up to uu
waists, and finally reached Yauco abou
5 o'clock in the afternoon. That even
, irg l took a walk around the town, ant
happened to pass a house which had
French flag hung up in front of it. AS
was looking up at it, a man who wa
standing in the doorway asked me t,
| come in. l went in and sat down. [
was fine house and fitted up in Amer
lean style. His daughter came in ant
we had music and singing. finally go
up to 60, and he gave me his card. FL
was wealthy French merchant and hat
large business in the town. Well,
went back to the railroad and turned in
The next morning we started for Ponc
by rail and reached there by O'Clock
We then marched back to camp and re
ported to our captain. The boys wer,
all glad to see us back, as they didn'
know whether we were living or dead
By the way, have got one good thing
to bring home and that Is Spanish flag
= captured it in one of the houses tina
, we went through when we were afte
those Kentucky fellows. Well, L viii
close now, as it is nearly time for pa
rade.-[Ponce, Porto Rico, August 30
1898.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH NOTES.
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