New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-10
BURDENS CAST AWAY.
EVERY OUNCE OF UNNECESSARY
WEIGHT DISCARDED BY SOLDIERS.
CUBAN cr,PrDrTY IN SEEING on ARMY GARMENTS
AND BI.ANKETs-THE RATIONs IN CUBA.

AND BI.ANKETs-THE RATIONs IN CUBA.
From a staN Correspondent; Of The Tribune)
Slboney, Santiago De Cuba June 24.-There Is
almost a complete reversion of the usual ideas
about property in the United States Army here.
Instead OF being fearful OF thieves. a mans
chief idea is to get rid Of many OF his be-
longings as possible. With the exception OF
few absolutely essential articles. everything has
n negative value. The more a man can throw
away the happier he is. He is richest who
possesses least. The terrible marches under the
terrible Cuban sun are responsible for TINS
Every pound. yes. every ounce Of baggage Is
WEAKNESS. and the roads passed by troops
are lined with articles that have been shed by
the way. OF course, every man who came here
knew that the climate was hot and that IL
would be advisable to bring little along as
possible He got down. therefore. to what ne
considered bed rock. Only small part brought
COATS Extra underwear socks and shirts WERE
OF course Indispensable or seemed so In Tampa
All the medical advice given that II was
dangerous 10 wear wet garments. especially next
the skin So extra underwear was the rule.
Then there were woollen and rubber blankets.
shelter tents knapsacks. canteens. cups. and,
OF course, above all. guns and ammunition
This was the shape in which they were dis
embarked at Altares Cove, near the town or
Raiquiri Then began the march toward san
tlago de Cuba. This was begun in the early
morning or late afternoon, so the conditions
were as agreeable as possible Some or the
regiments camped for the night three or four
miles out 50 the accoutrements were not uhduly
burdensome 1t is surprising how cool the carry
morning is here one is often awakened about
3 o'clock by the cold, unless warmly covered
on the march some regiments nave soundeu
reveilla nj o'clock so as TO be on the march
an hour later For a time walking is not es-
pecially uncomfortable, but this period is priel.
Then as the sun mounts toward the Zehith 'he
trouble begins. The atmosphere IS not nuiniu'
hut the heat is terrific. Most OF the roads are
sho1v as m, forests are thick either side.
The road from Atares Cove 10 Sioohey Is HUE
moro than a mule path although 1t was pos
sible to draw the light dynamite gun along H.
Hut this very narrowness kept off the suns rays
a good mart Of the way. In stretches the rodu
was through open land. and then the heat was
ptiless. -,
From Rai1uirt TO Siboney is eight or nine
,uos This was usually made in one afternoon
and ono morning march. The regiments VINO
arrived to-day had experience with uoplcaI
etorn last night The usual accounts or the
rainv season say that the showers are chieHy
IN the middle OF the morning or the middle OF
tho afternoon. But this one was about
o'clock. 1t lasted little more than an hour' out
for a time was deluge. The soldiers VINO were
skilled in camping suffered little. Each TWO
united to make a shelter tent with the strips OF
canvas that they carried This made an A
ebo,ad tent about three feet high and wide
enough for two men to lie under. In some cases
one end was closed with flap. by ditching the
rain was carried off. The rubber blanket was
snread on the ground and then the other on 1t,
the soldier wrapping himself up when he lay
down This was some protection, but II was
damp lot that moved westward In the early
morning. Some correspondents who had "o
tents Jared much worse.
Not many articles were cast ASIDE the MS
hour. but after that the soldiers began u us
cucumber themselves. A certain number had
hrougbt Army overcoats to supplement their
blankets in the cool Of the morning lheSe
yer, the first to go. Not many had coats pul
a number OF these v ere strewn along. Ihere
yere q few capes, but blankets oirered the
ea siest means OF reducing the weight carried.
In the last four or five miles to Siooney THESE
lined the road by the dozen, big. heavy blankets
Of excellent quality. that in the winter WOULD
make glad the hearts Of thousands or poor IN
the North Some soldiers had brought TWO
blankets. and they soon cast one aside But
many threw away their only one trusting to
their poncho or rubber blanket alone for bed
ding.
The Cubans did not miss this opportunity.
From the surrounding country they came. with
donkeys or haf-starved lputian horses. and
gathered the cast-oR garments and blankets.
piling them on the little creatures to a height
of several feet. This proceeding called forth
many a bitter remark. The soldiers, weighted
down and dropping in the unaccustomed trop-
lcal sun. didn't much relish seeing the very
people for whom they fighting calmly
make private gain Of the invading armys
plight Maddenng almost was the sight OF re-
turning Cuban soldiers who had marched so
bravely toward Santiago de Cuba the day be-
fore. and were now bound homaward with their
spos. Some Of these were mounted. ana II
speaks volumes for the restraint OF tho Amsri-