New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1899-02-18
INTERESTING LETTER FROM CAPT
E. s. BROUSSARD.

IIoLGUIN, CUBA. Jan Is, 1899
Editor Enterprise:
The last Enterprise which reached IN
was month old while | have not seen
New Orleans paper III a month and half
| Naturally, this deprives me of Il grea
pleasure and pastime. If you and you
readers as are anxious for news from Cub;
as am for news of the States. | shall ther
feel innocent of the thought of havin,
taken up unnecessary space in your paper
and OF having imposed upon your readers
The whole Regiment is once more to
gether, with the exception of Co. "k'
from Lake Charles, commanded by Capt
Pickard of Abbeville, which is stationed al
Gibara.
1t was the intention of the Department
Headquarters to send sometime in Octo
Der, the whole Regiment to take charge OF
| the large District of IIoguin, situated on
the North coast of Cuba. But the L. S
transports doing duty on the coast were
too small to transport whole Regiment
at one time. Consequently, Col Hood
started for iIolguin at the beginning OF
October with six companies, leaving Lit.
| Col. Grubbs in charge of the other six com
panies left at Songo and Cristo Co. "T'
formed part of this latter detachment
Upon landing ut Gibara, Col Hood
found small pox prevalent to such an ex-
tent that an exception to our Immun-
ityCD was for the first time, forced upon
us. There were thousands of cases
among the Spanish soldiers and the ma
tives. In Holguin he learnt that the con
ditions were more critical. The Military
Inc fnl Rar lie
formed into smallpox hospitals as well as
some of the largest buildings in the town
These were insufficient, and thatch hospi-
tails had been built. In spite of all this
people in the worst stages of the disease
and convalescents were walking the
streets.
The Col. for this reason, eamped the six
Companies at Gibara and he and the Ad-
jutant proceeded to Holguin. Provisional
hospitals were at once fitted up, compe
tent physicians placed in charge, and all
eases required to remain in the hospitals
AS consequence, there are now compar-
atively few cases Of smallpox in Gibara
Owing to the report of the Surgeon who
accompanied Col. Hoods Detachment, we
were not ordered to follow at once and re-
join Col Hood as had been planned
Generals Wood and Ewers then deter
mined to make us comfortable for the rest
of the time we were to remain at Songo.
Lumber was sent us with which to floor
our tents, and make tables, hunks, ben
ches, etc. Large hospital tents were Civ
en- us for mess tents, inside of which we
made large tables and benches; and for the
first time since May the men sat at ta-
BILE, under shelter, to enjoy their meals.
The habits of the soldier are so easily
contracted, that we did not feel as much
at home as we did without these luxuries
But such luxury was soon to be abandoned.
On Dec. 2Sth, when the men were con
tributing and making preparations for an
extra dinner OH New Year day, the com
missary issued us travelling rations. We
knew that something was up. And sure
enough, at Parade, the order directing the
Detachment to proceed by rail to Santiago
the next morning, was read. Effect-the
New Year dinner had failed and the loss
of lately acquired comforts of life. But
there was no bitter disappointment: sol
diers like to move. Their furniture is
never badly damaged; while their friends
move with them.
Promptly at 6 A. NJ we left Songo. BY |
IL o clock, we were already on board the
Reina De Los Angeles, captured at the
of Santiago For her size, she
is truly queen of ships.
By p. NJ we had on board the neces-
sary supplies and cattle, and we slowly
piled our way out of the narrow and mean
lering channel of the Harbor of Santiago.
Next morning, the first thing seen was the
transport Mississippi, which had on board
. few thousand pounds of turkey as a pre-
sent to the American troops around San
5iago for New Years dinner. What a
to us who have not seen
neither live nor dead turkey in six
nonths
The shortest route here. as well as the
safest, was to follow the coast, thus giving
is an opportunity of seeing the coast all
around the East End of the Island The
'cenery is absolutely grand
On the 30th, we landed at Baracoa to
lnload stores and cattle for troops sta
ioned there. This town is interesting
or the reason that it is the oldest one in
he Western Hemisphere, having been
ounded in, or about, 1915. Otherwise.
Is location is the only attractive feature.
t is between the sea and very high
on which is fort and barracks.
ur course.
The weather then began to get cloudy,
md it was evident that rough times were
head. Every wave grew larger and lar
er; and the Queen had now to bow before |
he anger of that mighty Atlantic She
ocked and pitched like very chip with !,
very wave.
| agree with scientists that there Is sym
athv in nature. The system, responsive
D the wild movements of this angry deep,
oon became disturbed. The stomach
Ike vast ocean, swelled. rolled, expan-
ed, and contracted. With very few ex- |
options, all were sick. As sick as--No. G
shall take that back Not as sick as dogs T
forgive the expression), for no one died; s
Ihie two pet dogs on board actually died t
rom the effects. And some there were
Tho lied the dogs good fortune-so sick q
tHey. i
The Spaniards, during the war, destroyed {
art of the wharf at Gibara; and this made I
impossible for the Los Angeles to land. g
here is Government tug at Gibara, but | +
n the day we reached there, Dec 31st it e
appened to be further on the coast b
'hither it had gone to take party looking $
,r Spanish wrecked-ship. Capt. Lafitte o
I. 5. A., of New Orleans, is the Depot n
uartermaster of this District, and soon O
Q had four sail boats hard at work un- n
,ading. But this was slow work, and the
ew Year found us still on board the ship. v
York was resumed, and at s A. NJ. all n
he stores were on shore; and the men be- o
IN to be disembarked by Companies il