Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-07
1T WAS LEES DAY,
The First Of January in cuba's
Capital
AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION
The March Of the Fourth Virginia
Regiment. <
MADE A FINE IMPRESSION.
COmpIimented By General Omcers-
Good for the Blues-Petty Spirit
shown by Spanish Omcers-Hoisted
Under Difficulties.
IADE A FINE IMPRESSION.
Correspondence of the Dlspatch)

CAMP OF FOURTH VIRGINIA, CUBA,
January This has been a memorable
lst of January FOR the Virginia boys in
Cuba. The new year was begun by the
accomplishment of the main mission of
the Fourth Virginia, as arranged at the
beginning of the war-namely, taking
possession of Habana. 1t is true that
peace rendered this an easy matter, but
through no fault of the Fourth Virginia.
Last night at 1g o'clock the boys were
awakened from their slumbers by soft
and weird tunes from our band, and the
strains were taken up and waited on the
breezes from the camps all around. They
dreamily realized that the old year was
dying and 1899 was about to be ushered
in.
Directly after breakfast the Fourth fell
into line on the main road each man In
blue uniform, with rations and twenty
five rounds of ammunition. Our position
in line was behind the volunteer engineers.
The troops marched altogether about
twenty miles in splendid order through
Puentes Grandes, east of the Almendares
a
Cemetery. At Vidado. another outlying
town of Habana, we rested about an hour
ate our dinners and drank water, which
was carried behind us in a wagon. We
then resumed our march, passing the pret'
ty mansions occupied by the foreign con-
suls, and crossing a pontOon bridge over
an arm of the bay via Calzedas de Nedado
and San Sazero. where we were almost
nauseated by the foul odor from the har~
Dor. to the foot Of the Prado, the main
street of Habana. We were here massed.
The route which was over good roads,
winding I'm and out over hill and vale,
between groves Of palms and impenetrabie
fences of cactus crossing streams
stretching along the seacoast for con-
siderable distance and passing the marble
mansions of the rich as well as the novels
of the poor, built with palm bark, was
strikingly beautiful aud picturesque. We
nassed by block-houses and strong forts
and fortifcations on the heights defend
ing Habana by land, and the forts when
command her entrance by water. ana our
eyes were opened TO the fact that with a
hostile force behind the guns a great
many men would have been denied the
Measure of another New Year before the
city was taken
MARCH IN HABANA.
We nassed through the streets OF Ha-
bana in platoon front, crowds or people
being gathered all along the line OF march
massed on house-tops, in windows, ana on
fences. and sidewalks shouting, viva
cuba Libre Americana" while hre-
crackers. rockets, and cannon enhVehed
the sea OF Cuban and American hags,
alternating with the fancy decorations d
the houses. - +,
We arrived near Moro at y, just IN
time TO see the Stars and Stripes glide
gracefully up the flagstaff. The widest
scenes of enthusiasm attended this great
event. officers waving their swords men
tossing up their hats, while the Cubans
made speeches. whistles blew, and can
NON boomed. Box kites with the Cuban
colors were sailed high I'm the air. The
Cubans seemed to be in frenzy OF nap
piness Carriages drove by with the
Cuban prisoners who had just been libe-
rated. amid great cheers.
Returning, we marched up the Prado'
passing in review or MaJor-Generals
Rroose Butler. Wood, Lee, Chaffee and
Ludlow, and their STATS, In front OF the
Hotel Inglaterra. The Virginia lines
showed up in perfect order, marching In
platoons which presented almost as full
an appearance as our companies once dld.
The Virginia boys felt very much Halter
ed by the applause they received
The order was Second Louisiana, FIRST
Texas. Volunteer Engineers, Fourth Nlr-
ginia. Forty-ninth Iowa, Sixth missouri
First North Carolina, Second Illinois.
16lst Indiana.
AS the Virginians passed Generals
Brooke and Ludlow inquired Of Inspector
General Curtis Guild what regiment tnat
was. and he replied the Fourth virginia.
Both spoke very hatterlngly of the APP
pearance of the regiment paying the
highest possible compliment to the pas
sage of the lines. They made special men
tion of the fine showing of the Richmond
Blues and the Lee Rifles.
GENERAL LEES DAY.
II was General Lees dav. The o'her
general officers i'm Cuba all appeared IN
full-dress uniforms with yenOM sin
sashes and in open barOuches. Genertl
Lee was attired I'm the same working UNI
form as that worn by his enlisted men
and his appearance on the street was the
signal for prolonged tumult Wherever ne
was seen The enthusiastic Cubans nearly
dragged him off his horse on seVeral oc-
casons. They shook his hand, ana hls
orderlies were kept busy getting down
from their horses TO hand him bouquets
thrown to him by ladies from tne DdiEV a..
MES Many were extended TO him oy hl-
tie girls dressed as GOddesseS or Liberty
The Spanish officers at the last ulspiay /,
ed a petty and childish spirit IL mac
been arranged that the spanish nag shouiu
be hOisted first at the Palace, MOTTO anu
Cabanas Castles. A Spa 1ish ofncer car
rjed off the flag. at the Palace, ana IL
was. therefore, not hoisted. Al Cabanas
the Spanish lieutenant-eolonel command
ing not only carried off and refused 10
| MOIST the Spanish but had the halliards
cut in order 10 prevent the hosting OF the
American flag. -
Lieutenant Lee, who was In charge at
| Cabanas. was obliged TO get two sailors
| from the Brooklyn 10 help him. The nag
| staff at 1abanas was placed on the ,cse
| OF the precipice. so that these sdliofa
| swung about I'm the strong wind 20 feet
| above the ground. In the midst OF the
| grinning Spanish officers the enormous
| topmast OF the flagstaff was lowered, me
| balliards cut out. and new halliards m
| serted with the assistance or the Amer,
| can soldiers the topmast was holsted
| again tc its place and the American
| flag holsted at IL o'clock Sharply as
| agreed upon. more petty exhibition or
| spite has seldom been seen In the mill
| tarv history Of the world.
one of the companies OF the lOlst IN
diana was poisoned by drinking water
| from an old cask which had evidently
had some decayed flesh In II. While a
| good many Of them We're made sick. none
| are seriously III. 60.
CAPTAIN Wyatt and Lieutenant Couch
arrived Saturday. and express themselves
| - heipg very much pleased with tho