Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-08-04
AS A NAVAL RESERVE
INTERESTING EXPERIENCE OF A
MADISON BOY.
ANDREW r. SEXTON AT SEA
Takes Part in the Miscellaneous Bat
Ting About Cuba and Is now OF
for Porto RicO-''WNl Write from
There If Alive" Is His Significant
Closing.

a hduISOu 11Suu LAS received
very interesting letter from Andrew
R. Sexton, son Of the late Col. An
drew Sexton. The young man en-
listed in the naval reserves at Chi
cago when war broke out and soon
found himself in the thick Of the bat
tie in Cuban waters. His letter fol
lows:
I. S. S. Amphitrite, Key West, Fla,
July 20-Dear Friend-Perhaps you
might be interested to learn a few of
the unimportant things that have hap
pened to me Of late. Well, to begin,
when this war broke out q had prayed
for it fervently) was full Of patriot
ism-'chock full" | wanted to fight
as much as the small bully in a gram
mar school. Not foreseeing the mar
Velous destruction OF SPANS strong
ship l thought the war would be
largely confined to the efforts of our
navy, regular army and a portion Of
our militia. Not being DESTROYS Of
joining the regular army and being
uncertain as to what militia would be
called out, and being extremely desir-
Gus not to get left, Joined an organ
ization that | felt sure would go-the
Chicago naval reserves. May 22d |
took my seamanShip and physical eX-
animation for the service, passed high
physically and got my rating as sea-
man, though ordinary seaman or
landsman was all [ deserved, if l
really deserved that. l never have re-
GREETED anything so much in my life
at least seldom re9retted-as that rat
ing. a seaman is supposed to know a
square-rigged ship from top to bot
tom and from fore tc aft. Being ig-
nOTant eXcites mirth among the
salts However, the experiences
have gone through on ship have hard
ened me to withstand criticism, so
that 1 do not mind it any more. I
have also learned that the less you
have to do with sailors and the less
consideration you show them the bet
ter you get along with them. Of
course, the rule has its exceptions.
To resume, on May Oath 206 of us
US reserves left Chicago fol- Tampa,
Florida. Our trip was a pieasurable
one. We had many humorous Incl
dents to enliven us and were well
treated throughout the trip, our din
ner at Louisville being very good and
our welcome warm one. After our
dinner was over some magnanimOu
gentleman passed around a very fine
brand of Havana cigars. At Tampa
we all took a plunge into the sea in
the morning, after which we amused
ourselves strolling within prescribed
limits. We had our dinner on the
Oiiyette and supper on the Mascot. At
night we left Tampa for Key West on
the Mascot Arrived there, we were
filed down the gangway into a long
receiving shed, which I can't help
imagining was not especially erected
to receive us. There we were lined
up in double ranks and groups Of 10
to % were picked out for this or that
ship. With % others ! was assigned
to the Dolphin, the dispatch boat of
carried our belongings in a long,
round tarred canvas bag, about foot
in diametr by two and a half or three
feet high. Well, with this bag on one
shoulder and a blanket on the other
(our hammOcks were given us later
on aboard ship we marched down 10
the Dolphin's launch and were steamed
at once to said outfit" The Dolphin
was coaling and every one on her
seemed very dirty to me, but that was
months agO-T don't notice those
things now. We were given nice
econ" talk by the "frst luff, who was
a very agreeable man anyhow, and
then we were sent below to get our
supper. Well I ate it for fear Of Of
Tending the sailors, a deferential feel
ing I seldom experience now. They
had had their supper and thought it
an unnecessary formality to wash the
dishes for us. So we ate after them.
Next morning we were called out at
a m. We were given a cup of al
legged coffee apiece and at 4:30 we
turned to- heaving coal. You should
have seen ne. It was d rare sight.
We heaved coal from turn to" until
1920 p. NJ, intervals being given US
to eat. I was very much exhausted
when the days work was done. Not
only was the work hard and unfa-
miliar to me, but the heat was almost
unbearable. I have never experienced
such feelings Of personal discomfort
since. I think it was my hardest day
aboard ship. Well. we continued the
good work the next day, and the day
following we washed down" decks,
also ourselves, and we needed it as
much as the decks, I assure you. We
were black from head to feet and could
have conducted a good minstrel show
then and there.
The same night we steamed for
Santiago. We stayed there. as nearly
as I can remember. for two weeks,
during which time we bombarded the
forts twice and were fred on with IN
good aim by the Span
iards. After assisting the feet in one
Of these commandments We did a little
bombarding on our own account and
destroyed a sand battery. signal house. |
some huts Of Spanish soldiers. killing !
$50 Of them. Then once a Spanish
torpedo boat ran out Of 8. creek near