The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-02-08
THE I'D S. G. REGIMENT.

I'LL ~ y, ~, hIUlMhN L.
Well Pleased with Cuba-In Good
Health, but Some Of the Boys
Want to Return Home.
Camp Columbia,
Havana, Cuba.
the Island of Cuba is utterly impossible for
me to do. Capt. Gonzales wrote a very inter.
esting letter TO the State sometime sgo.
The I'd S. {. Regiment was the last OF the
7th army corps to leave Savannah for Cuba.
The regiment embarked on the transport
Roumainion on the Sd January, 1899. We
9Th. Most OF the men suffered some from sea-
sickness, The voyage Is one that will never
be forgotten II was the first time that most
of the men had been out ut sea, and then IL
brought the men into closer contact with one
another, thereby making many friends that
probably would never have been made.
AS we sailed past Moro Castle Friday
morning, little after sun rise, one could not
help but admire the beauty of the city. On
our left was the guns OF MORO frowning
down on us like American bull dogs On our
ali its dirt. At first sight and thought one
could not help but feel that Uncle Sam did
right in not trying to take the city by force.
But on second thought as we nsd sailed past the
great to avenge all those precious lives lost IN
the destruction OF that valuable ship. We
were cheered on 00tn slQeS OF tne maroon
while the band played the "Star Spangle
Banner" -,
The transport Mobile was at the dock with
the 4th and 9th Illinois Regiments on board.
The first battalion marched out to camp that
afternoon. The second and third batallions
marched out Saturday morning. When the
batallions reached camp the tents had not
been hauled out, so our first night on Cuban
The LIST S. C. boys bad at Chickamauga. Our
first camp was not q very desirable one, and
only few days had passed before Col. Jones
had US camped on q high hill overlooking me
bounded on one side by the ocean. on one
side by Havana city, and on the other Two
sides by high mountains at some distance.
The natives gave the soldiers royal well
come and have been very friendly towards
The Inhabitants are OF all natlonalties. The
dren, up TO about nine years OF age, wear no
clothing at all, and the old ones clothing Is
made OF very thin and inferior kind OF COT
ton goods. The higher class, so TO SPEAK; wear
very fine clothing and are very neat ana tluy
The women are very pretty. having jet
hair and bss or Which
imagine would lessen the expense great
deal.
The forts are impossible to Infantry or cav
airy. Havana is said by many to be the
strongest fortified fort both by land and wa
ter in the new world.
The scenery is Just beautiful. Everything
batting facilities are good-serf bathing be-
log the main kind. The streams are clear
The climate is very much like August and
September, the days hot and clear, the nights
cool with heavy dews. The country at pres
ent is In q dilapidated condition as every
thing Of value was destroyed by the Span.
iards.
Snakes seem to be plentiful and Of very
large size Birds and insects Of all kinds.
Flowers are in abundance and of all kinds.
Hot house flowers in the States grow wild
over here In the yards and on the banks OF
Tho principle farm products are tobacco,
cane, potatoes and some corn. Some OF the
corn Is now In silks, the tobacco over knee
high, the cane Is now being cut and hauled
sugar. 50 ar The trees are Of tropical nature, be.
ing mostly cocoanut palms. The canes on
the bank of the streams grow to enormous
size. The largest that have seen cut was
six inches in diameter and proportionally
high. The sol! is either red or black and dis
agreebly sticky in wet weather.
REG1MENTAL poTEs.
The Y. NJ. G. A. has been raised at last. The
boys have nice place to write with station.
cary furnished. The chaplain has preached
The cantsen. Is patronized as we'll as could
The bakery is 10 good shape and doing good
work. Private Douglass Young, OF Darling
The regiment is in better health than it has
ever been. The Eaain sickness or trouble lie
due to vaccination.
About fifty of the division hospital nurses
have recently been discharged.
Work ia plentiful. Wages good. being from
A system Of water piping is now being laid
which will be very con venient, as all the wa
tb to 1colh has f,h hah u 1oA fOr fa-
tance, and then fitted before 1t Is At for use
The rations are better than sometime ago.
but there Is still some room for improvement.
for use one time. The company cooks cook
the beer as soon as 1t Is issued, and the Ice
used to put In the drinking water.
The company kitchens, com mmissaries and
mess rooms have been completed.
No more discharges Will be granted.
co. DOTS.
Private ]. P. Connolly who was left in the
as deserter What an awful record:
Corporal B. s. Jones, OF Bamb berg. has been
discharged by order from the War Depart
ment through the efforts OF his Congress
Private stoll c. James has been discharged
from the service from Josiah Simpkin's hos
pital near Fortress Monroe. Va, by order OF
Corporal Robt. s. Moore has been appointed
sergeant vice j. F. Barnes, discharged in Sa-
Vannan, ia.
Private Lindsay NJ. Pratt appointed corpo-
raj vice Moore, promoted.
Private John W. Hughes appointed corpo-
raj vice Jones, discharged.
All the hard labor Is done by the Cuban Ia.
borers.
Sergeant A. G. johnson has recently pur.
chased No. Q Falcon Kodak. He and Ser
geant Cheatham are getting some very inter
esting and pretty pictures OF the surrounding
country.
Sergeant J. N. King is now clerk Of sum-
mary court.
Private David 6: Felden is now acting Or
Lieut.. Henry S. Bowling was notified OF
resignation by the War Department., Febru-
Maj Wagner and DIR. Poore are investing in
live stock. Major has small pony and Doc.
Cuban soldiers are becoming plentiful in
Company is doing provost duty in Que
mados.
Brig..Gen. Douglass reviewed his brigade
Msj j.-Gen. Lee reviewed the troops under his
command last Tuesday. ID.
The companies are doing very little drill
ing these days.
]. R. Cochran has been resting for the past
week with the mumps.
Win Perrin and Bud Sign have work at
s2.50per day.
q. Richard Romans is regimental blacksmith
at $50 per month and board.
Major Eaves and Capt, McCoughran have
their wives with them.
Cigars are very cheap. Most OF the boys are
sending cigars back to their home folks.
Last report. The I'd S. c. and 9Th Missouri
will &C to the PHILIPPINES soon.
Jas. G. Cheatham.
1st Sergt. Co. II, I'd s. c. V.
Locals Of j. Allen Smith, Jr.
A fresh lot Of Grandeur Flour on hand and
at reasonable prices.