New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-31
pAINY SEASON AT SANTIAGO.
,,,vFRY OF SHAFTERS MEN UNDER
GREAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
WITHOUT FOOD.


nee" univ PA good many thousand Amer
- down here would like 10 meet face to FACE
=, ,.sr,ous authorities who have declared that the
Chap rainy season consists OF heaNy ou' otIel
S.,ors between and o'clock in the afternoon
So oro Of almost daily occurrence. II such
.oa,,rr could take place to-day every person mere
NJ ,.or q vigorous denial Of the statement. 1t
- mat most rains fall in the afternoon. but
~ Neither are they limited TO an hour or So
-, have also been periods Of dTyness After the
,a,d,nc Of the troops, for a week the rams were
-, freouent About the time OF the two principal
n,,Ies Julv | and >. there was succession OF
sa,rnours Last week for four or five days there
~ i,,tIe hut Yesterday and to-day have more
-, r,,ie ND for the deficiency. What were dry
,ys- beds yesterday noon are torrents now
.s,,yob which marching soldiers wade thigh deep
- f,rtber true that the nights have been rather
49, from showers. but last night was oriIliant
o,,o, % the rule Following heavy fall in the
arsrnoon. which soaked the ground came deluge,
go came into all but the most securely ditched
- Tho few officers who have wall tents and
~. faro5 well enough. but 1t was difficult for the
,diers in shelter tents. open al one end' 10 Keep
drv Even sleeping on a poncho and planket' INC!
oreliv felt the wet seeping through. MedlOa 'u-
,ice is under the circumstances, 10 get up anu
.'ou, ehou, but this was more or less disresardeo
80 the tired and enfeebled. Anyway, II was
80 that when the sun rose would come an
onnor,uni,y 10 dry clothes and blankets before
nossible afternoon shower
o., ,be rain was ntermtted for only an hour or
49, and since then has been constant and heaNy
~ dev Time was fortunately given TO the boys
:, the trenches 10 cook some coffee and 10 Try
sooa rick,ed pork. II is marvel how the soldier
III er5 dry wood when everything movable but
49, s,orss ara ahoat. When he will get another
onno,tunity TO heat food is problematical to Judge
traro the eaden skies that have no suggestion OF
breaking o-,.,. .,.. 1,,,,.
rba afternoon Of July 20 marked by volley and
artillery fire. chiefly the side of the bes!egers'
ord for mart OF Yesterday the battle around Sant-
49, went on The infantry confined itself largely
N sharpshooting on both sides Some or the pest
riAemen were constantly on the LOOKOUT ana "heh
they saw one Of the enemy showing himself ABOVE
the emhanknaen,s they fired Usually every shot
brought A few replies, but the smokeless powder
dsnriyes both combatants Of what used to be the
hes, means OF fixing the point whence shot came
GO The casualties. except from shrapnel. were not
numerous.
CLOSING IN on SANTIAGO
Meantime the American lines are closing In on
Santiago Especially toward the nght-that IS
north OF the city-the Americans are moving for
ward General Whee.er's cavalry division mas aug
a new line Of Entertainments ahead of Its old ones
within the last day or two. The fate OF the De-
lesgured is assured in spite of the repeated de-
laws incident 10 General Skaters successive de-
,nands for surrender. Meantime the soldiers are
faring as best they Food they are getting,
and that is a great deal, after some Oh thelr eA-
periences In the MAN, the quantity Is sunlclent;
the quality Of the particular articles is also good.
But all this leaves much 10 be desired. Bacon and
bareback are the staples. That is. ii is generally
called bacon but is really picked pork What
can De said for this is that it keeps remarkably
well in the heat and moisture Of this climate.
Small wonder however. that it has lost for most of
the men any palatableness IL may once have had
OF course hygencally pork that would delight
the soul Of good Mrs. Jack Sprat is better suited
for Arctic diet than for the 10Th degree of north
latitude But most Of the grease is fried out of It,
and serves the useful purpose of sleeping hard
tack and converting it into benjamin
Coffee is a prime necessity. 1t has usually been
served in the trenches, but not always. For days
no sugar was got 10 the front; that is less i'm
portant although lack of 1t deprives coffee Of
what is usually considered its best flavor. and robs
benjamin Of its finishing touch. There has been
some canned roast beef. Tomatoes have been COM
mon. but not always In sufficient quantities Inc
supply Of food the Notifications varies from day
10 day and even from regiment TO regiment some
Of the men spoken 10 had complaint 10 make
Others had. An officer returning TO the United
States invaded said he firmly believed that he
would have remained well but for the food
For four or I'VE days now" he declared, lit has
been pork and bareback. few mouthfuls of toma-
toes usually coffee. but seldom sugar. In the
hard work and exposure need more TO keep
well We were hurried off the transports, expect
ing that our personal baggage would come after
l wrapped mine in very small package, but
have never seen II again. The result is that for
nearly three weeks l have had TO wear the same
underwear It's no wonder have lost my health"
TROUBLES OF THE COMMISSARY
1t should not be inferred that the commissary
department has been lax II has accomplished
wonders under the greatest difficulties Several
pack trains Of raions have even been sent TO refu-
gees from Santiago al FL Caney But the food
must be brought considerable distances over roads
that are often bad and the available mules. drivers
and packers have been curtailed.
Nov, Of course, Illness is doing a work that may
ryal the record Of shot and shell in the actual
battles. There is medical no Ipital near General
Skaters headquarters. Twenty-Five patients were
taken there yesterday, suffering from various
fevers, dysentery and other complaints. one hun
dred OF the most grievous cases were removed 10
the main hospital Siboney, yesterday. leaving
the same number here. AT that place yellow fever,
due TO the Cuban refugees. showed itself few
Gays ago. The record grew from five to twenty
TWO TO thirty in daily stages. all, however. of
Comparatively mild form. The sick. who are all
americans have been removed 10 yellow fever
hospital IN the hills outside of Siboney.
ms morning in the way hospital here eight cases
f, .ne sickness we're identified one in an apparently
ONE REGIMENTS SICK LIST.
Two days ago one regiment the 18th Infantry.
mad eighty men sick. This regiment suffered more
severely than any other the field losing OF its
81 men forty killed and ninety-nlne wounded. 1t is
Hoi surprising that officers and men grow weary Of
repeated truces and the inacton of the splendidly
SITUATED artillery The liability to disease may be
'uoged from the effect that the battles OF July
aha must have had on a certain regiment. On the
evening Of June 30 1t marched several miles in the
naaln Al $3.50 o'clock the men were aroused. No
.tes were lighted. cold breakfast disposed Of
Siolher tramp in the rain brought them to the
,oatue-held Of T.! Cancy. The history OF that day
hso not be retoi mere After the long hours in the
~ W. sun cane wandering around Of the
nn,sht 10 Join the attack on Santiago itself Most
=. me regimen : got food This one did not
e SuI ~ fought braycly all the next day That night
line supper 2. last. Since then the men have
SSssh digging trenches III the rain and sun with in
inherent food fighting q liftle het vyecn ,,bilns