The Colfax chronicle., 1898-09-24
A Letter From Santiago.


A Letter From Santiago.
Major H. v. Mccain, of Montgom-
cry, was in town last Monday on bus
iness, and said he had just received a |
letter dated the 4th of this month
from his son Lawrence Mccain, who
is q member of Hoods Regiment of
Immunes now stationed at Santiago
de Cuba, doing garrison duty there.
He said that his son wrote that he
was in fine health and had not had a
days sickness since he had been in the
service, and that the entire regiment
was in fine health, not more than 100
out of the entire regiment, number
ing about 1000, was on the sick list.
He said that his son wrote that
great deal of the sickness among the
soldiers was due to their imprudence
in gorging themselves on the fruits OF
that climate and drinking two much
of the native wine and a vilerum that
is made there, something similar to
| our Louisiana rum that we had here
during our late war. He also wrote
that their duties were quite arduous,
had to drill six hours daily and do
"a hours guard duty every third day.
He said Hoods regiment was q
fine body of men, well disciplined. and
was the best drilled regiment at San
tiago, excepting the 5th Regulars.
He said that Hoods regiment would
be relieved Of garrison duty soon by
Col. Sergeants regiment OF Immunes,
and they wouldgo to point in the
mountains 18miles north of Santiago,
on the San Luis road, which lie 1000
feet above the sea level and where
there is an abundance of good water.
His son writes that from constant
hard drilling he is getting as hard
and as tough as prize fighter train
ing for a conflict and can now double
quick 500 yards with as little exertion
as to run so yards before he entered
the service.
| He writes that Gen. Lawton now in
command is managing affairs admir-
ably, and confidence is being grestored
and quiet will soon prevail there.
Now that the war is over and nc
chance of an occasional scrap with
the enemy to break the monotony ol
a camp life the boys are getting anx-
ious to get back to the loved ones at
home, but hecan't say when that will
be, as a report will be circulated one
day that they are to be disbanded
soon and probably thenext day news
will come that Hoods regiment is to
be kept in service for two years yet
or until the Islands are fully recon
structed.
The Major says his son is not very
favorably impressed with the relig
ious inclination of the people of SAINT
iago. From the ringing of the church
bells one would come to the conclus
ion that thepeople are very religious
but to his great surprise he found
them quite to the contrary. He wa'
called out on Sunday before writing
to do police duty, and on entering
the business portion OF the city fount
all the drinking saloons and places o
business in full blast.
Il Mr.. Lawrence Mccain writes tha
he thinks it exceedingly fortunate TO
our army that the Spaniardssurrend
cred and saved our army from having
t to assault the main works, as SAINT
Iag0 IL the best naturally fortifie'
> place by land and water that b
knows Of, and that every entrance +
the city was strongly protected b
works and mounted artillery, an
: that it would have cost our arm
d hundreds Of precious lives to hav
+ stormed the city proper. He prom