Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-30

rare by pretending that he doesn't under
stand anything about the system.
lht uAloadlng Of the Chester was Just
completed to-day, wagons having been
hept IN one continuous stream hauling our
.Qu'pase and supplies from the wharf
TO our camp.
As yet we have built no outhouses We
"Ie hNlhS outdoors all OF the time ex-
cept when sleeping We have no kjtcLen
as yet We cook on camp-stoves ana cat
OF 'he grounc in true soldier fashion
ne ar Is always balmy, however, and
WhetS M good appetite for ayca salt
pork and hardtack
since becoming settled in our new camp
We nave adopted earlier hours. having
IeNeiIe at 6lb, assembly at 6:S0 break
fast at Gas. and morning drilI At S.s0 a
VI Inc time OF guard mount has been
changed from the morning to ,he after.
noon at 4:30. We have dress parade al
5A5 r. NJ.
The First Battalion Of the Sixta lis
sour came In yesterday on the C5aan
ana camped the other side Of the Forty %
ninth Iowa.
THE CAMP.
The Fourth Virginia is about a mile
from Marianao, as stated, and about two
miles from the sea. on the side OF L hui
sioping from the main road to the :ail-
road, which runs from Marianao to ia
bana. The Second Illinois and the First
North Carolina occupy the hills between
our camp and the sea. The Forty-nmth
Iowa are encamped on the south side
OF u.s.
Surrounded by tall palms, cypress. ba-
mana trees. Spanish oaks elephant ears"
ana other fantastic tropical growth. and
all OF these now, just at Christmas I'm
the same green, hourishing stage OF
growth which prevails in Virginia IN June
with the temperature standing at 20 to
- degrees i'm the shade during the day,
the Nirginians have come 10 the conclu-
sion that they have struck the sunny
south at last. The nights however,
owing 10 the heavy dews, are cool enough
10 make two blankets comfortable.
Our camp is in the midst of what were
I once fiourishng Cuban plantations. on
an four sides are the ruins OF old Cuban
manOrS, or houses which had to be built
( on the order Of a castle, with turrets,
surrounded by a court and enclosed by
thick wall with PORTFOLIOS Most all Of
these places have been ransacked by
marauoers and forsaken by their owners
and are now occupied by the humber
classes
The greatest Inconvenience so far has
wells around from which we draw water
TO wash in, but the facilities are poor.
Plans are being considered fey supplying
water 10 the camI through pipes from a
great tank, which will have 10 be raised
very high TO send the water over the hills.
II is TO be hoped that means will soon
be found, as water is not very refreshing
when drawn from barrels laid around in
the hot sun for several hours.
Shortly after we reached our camp We'd
nesday evening, General Lee came out
10 see the Virginians and find out if they
were faring well. lie was received with
enthusiasm.
As il now appears. General Lee has been
side-tracked to make way for General
Ludlow, who has been given the military
control Of the city of Habana, and it
would seem that our commander is TO be
stationed on the outside 70 supply Lud-
low with troops. To be Governor Of
Habana province without the city of
Habana. is like governing the District of
Columbia without the city of Washing
ton. General Lees officers are indignant
at this new phase of the situation.
The evacuation by the Spaniards is 60
ing on steadily. As the Nirginians
were marching through Habana. "A bat
talon Of Spanish infantry passed on the
way to their transports.
The Eighth and Tenth United States
Infantry took charge Of part of the
Habana Notifications, which were evacu-
ated by the Spaniards this morning
The Cubans and our men are very
friendly and they are always engaged in
exchanging a Spanish word for an Eng
lish The Cubans are bright and have
caught on % fhe value o. oar 2 seHts-a.y
quickly rs we did TO the value Of their
centimOs.