The evening times., 1899-05-17
FOURTH IMMUNES
DID GOOD SERVICE
Regiment Commended by Its
Commanding Officer.
Glad to Get Back to the United
States.
Remarkably Low Death Rate-Ths
Auxiliary Cruiser Dixie Loaded
With SOldiers' Pets.

New York, May 17.-Many anxious rela-
tives were on hand yesterday afternoon
when the auxiliary cruiser Dixie was dock
ed at the Jersey Central Railroad terminus
at Communipaw. The Dixie had on board
about 500 officers and men OF the Fourth
United States Volunteer Regiment of I'm
munes and is composed of men from the
District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland
West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. They
have spent nearly year in the service.
This morning the regiment, under COM
mand of Col. J. S. Petit. proceeded to
Camp Meade, Pa, where 1t will be muster
ed out in the course Of two or three weeks.
Many of the officers talked freely Of the
trip, the regiments experiences, and the
pleasure of the homecoming. I'VE are
glad to get back" said Colonel Petit, al
though it will be two or three weeks be-
fore the regiment is mustered out We
have had a time combined of pleasure and
duty, and 1 don't think that any better
regiment than this ever walked in shoe
leather. The men had little to do outside
of police duty, but they did it all well.
The officers, to a man, have been in
full accord. and there have been no fac
tions OF cliques. We have been happy
family"
The low death record of the regiment is
remarkable, considering the fatalities
which have occurred in other commands.
Only ten men have died, by accident or
disease, out of the entire number. Their
names are Privates Charles Dunn, ]. p.
Connolly, Leighton Forsythe, Bennett T.
Clements, James Cox, Albert F. Gordon,
Frank F. Poffenbarger, John d. Tread
well, and James L. Smith, also Corporal
David E. Hammond.
Corporal Hammond died of peritonitis
while the Dixie was bound from ManZan-
lilo. Cuba, her sailing port, to New York,
and he was given military burial at sea-
There were no seriously i'll men aboard
when the ship arrived.
The Fourth Immunes were assembled at
Fredericksburg, Va, last May and June.
On August IL they left for Jacksonville,
Fla, and remained there until October u.
Then they boarded the transport Rouna-
pian and went direct to ManZaniilo, where
they were stationed, with the exception of
a few companies which were detailed else
where for a time. Company A was at
Campechuela: Company F, at Niqueiro;
Company L, at Bayamo, and Company H
at Jiguani. Companies l., /, and d were
mounted during the latter part of their
police duty
Only once did the regiment think that it
was IL for active service. That was in
February. when it was rumored that Col.
Jesus Rabi, of the Cuban army, was COM
ing to attack. 1t was the trouble about
the payment of the Cuban troops that
started the rumor. All the blockhouses
were manned and the Fourth was looking
for trouble in earnest, but Col Jesus Rabi
and his friends didn't call.
Tho officers pf fine that
Eanzanillo is much pleasanter place
than Santiago, which is to the eastward
of it. Manzanillo has from 10000 to 15,-
000 inhabitants, all Cubans or negroes. 1t
took the garrison some time to get used to
the Cuban food.
The Dixie was loaded with pets which
The men brought home with them-par-
rots, other birds and small animals. Col
onel Petit brought two good sized deer,
which he is going to present to the Con-
vent of Notre Dame, Baltimore. His
daughter is there at school,