West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-03-23
Cuban Correspondence.
Entertaining letter From \ Preston
soldier Boy In Cuba.
Fram oa- So N corrs.

ENGINEERS. CAMP MICulE
MATANZAS, CUBA. March IL. 90.
DSAR AaGUs AS We haven't wrote
you for SoUie weeks yon might Toe able
to digest a few iteus FROM Cuba, the
"GeA 81 the Artulc,' 50 recenth un.
der the sovereign Of Spain. lus now
vested in the Government Of Uncle
sam. Fora couple days this week
mercury ran dpwu aS low as temperate
and The boys ~ to display their
eue overcodts, il has grown warm.
er again, it now being about 80 degrees
in the shade.
just how long we will remain mere
is hard to tell Reports have been
Uh"at that we were going back TO the
states every day near about since we
have been here and those who ket we
wouldn't . q here the 29th day of Feb.
ruary won OF course. Tho l2,h New
York is ordered out at once. conss.
ouently the Bowery will be doing an
increased business scon
The boys are ali disguSted and home
slck and want to get out IF Tia. army.
one fellow sud to-day that ne would
never join an army nor anything else
again. Not even the Salvation Army
nor hands in natrinony.
II has nov been ten months and
eleven days since we left Morgantown
for camp. Five months and six DAYS
OF the time has been vhilel away Out
side the limits Of the United states.
In the u. :. among other cities, ne
have been in New York, Philadelphiu,
Baltimore, Washington. Cincinnati.
Chatta nooga, Atlanta and Macon.
Have been in twelve diferent states.
Have seen all the important places in
Porto Rico and been in Santiago.
Havana and Ma~tanzas, Cuba. Have
been attached to and done Hospital
work with the cavalry, artillery, in.
fantry aud engineers, thus having
ample chaHce TO sue tho working aud
became acquainted with the different
branches OF service. On two occasions
we were ON the firing line long enough
To SEQ how the thing goes For some
two months We were doing duty at the
Hospitals at COamo, the worst fever
stricken camp in Porto Rico. II we
could have spent II few months in the
Philippines we believe we could be
~coutented with our war experience for
the present
The health OF cur Battalion is per-
feet. Have had no sick in Hospital for
"a week past.
One OF the most important eyents
taking place here since we wrote Won
last, was the reception given Gen.
NHNimO Gomez, the "Gcorge Washing.
ton OF Cuba, ia the "Ca.ino Espano'
on Feb. 23nd. When the General rode
through the crowded streets the in
hdeitants, white, black and yellow.
well dressed, half clad and naked.
cieered louder ami longer than the
New York boys. dia when they receiy-
cd The news they were TO be sent home
aud given the chance TO %patronize the
Bowery.
as no stepped from his carriage, a
half dozen beautiful women made u
rush, embraced him in their arms aud
made a bold attempt to kiss the ma
tured honors from his l~antern jaws.
There was as much speech making and
hand shaking thereafter, AS would b.
AZ bile at Is Methodist love fenst dur
ing camp meeting time. Gen Wilson,
Military Govsrnment. OF MatanzIs
Province. was present and talked IA
long ard sippcd rs much wine as any
Of them. Mucho gusto. The same
evening Generals brooke and Ludlow
enter0d the harDor on board the Hart
ford anj our batteries fire tho cus,o.
mary salute. They were met b. Gen.
erals WILSON and sanger.
saturday the 81 UT, Col. Jadwiu
commasding our Battalion. returned
from IA two weeks trip 10 the interior
Of the Island, suffering considerably
with reHuittcnt Malaria. lie was Dlac-
Ell ia bed and we were selected As one
10 nurse him For twelve hours every
duy we had Il tedious time Of IL tin the
following Tuesday evening when he
WIS sent TO tho States on the Hospital
, ship Missouri.
II was the first time we ever bo sed
a Colonel and that was the only sooth-
, ing satisfaction we had.
The troops here now are, six troops
of the Second Cavalry, two B1ttalions
of the 18th New York, one being sent
!, 20 Cardinas 90 talks the place Of the md
Battalion. the Bird kentucky. the lGOth
/, Indiana, Sth Massachusetts. two Bat.
t%alions, the 8rd Ksntucky. one Battal
ion, being at Union and the Engineer
and there is no more danger or pros
poets Of a riot than there Is in West
T Virginia-Bot half as much a., here ID
in the mining districts Of Pennsylvania.
We have no right TO thiak. rs ,Ve have
Lieutentauts, Captains, Majors. Colo
nels ard Generals paid large salaries
to do that, but still we have been won.
deriag why our Government in ksepiny
ussIessly over 20, 900 men here, need.
lessly heuping "a lar2e debt which the
Cubans will De required 60 pay.
The enormous prices charged by the
people here continue. one OF our
teamsters was killed sometime sine.
in % runaway acc dent and ths r%uIroad
81 .