Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-02-27
THE 1st MAINE
Having It's Ups. and Downs Of
Life in Cuba.
As Whole the BoyssAre Ready to Re-
turn to the States.
Health Is Good-Passes 10 Havana Visitors
Still Lack Flags.


lst Maine Volunteer Artillery has set
tied down to.a not unpleasant routine.
and the men of the command find
themselves well pleased. on the whole,
with their stay in Cuba They all ex-
press themselves as satisfied. and
ready to go back to the United States.
but they add that they would not have
missed the experience for anything.
Their camp is one of the best in the
eth Army Corps at Marianao. their du-
ties are very light. the relations of the
officers and men are cordial. as a
whole. and the general conditions are
such as to make life in the camp at
tractive in comparison with that in
some of the other camps of the corps.
Owing to unavoidable circumstances
there has been a shortage of food in
some of the batteries. the past week.
and the men have complained much
among themselves. 1t appears, how
ever. that the cause was not any ones
neglect but a combination Of adverse
conditions.
When the rations are drawn for the
batteries each battery gets enough for
30 days. If the battery eats too heart
lily in the first part of that 30 days it
has to fast little in the last half. to
make up. The fasting period is now on
with Battery A.
Taking in conjunction with this the
fact that the beef supply did not prove
satisfactory, and had to be condemned:
that the rains and winds of a period
of unusually inclement weather stopped
work at the battalion bakery. and also
put out the fires around the beanpots
and reasons may be found for Battery
AS diet of bacon and hardtack for the
best part of week.
The meat issued to this command
was native Cuban beef. and it was
brought to the camp direct from the
slaughter house, in a state of unbled
freshness that turned the men against
is at first sight. Cuban beef is far from
inviting either to the eye or taste. II
is so poorly bled it has a dark. purplish
look. There is very little taste to it. and
as it has been cooked under a hot sun
throughout the life of the animal that
was sacrificed from a sphere of useful
ness to supply the shambles. it has a
toughness that is not eXcelled in beef
the world over.
1t having been found by the COM
miSSary department that the economy
which led them to buy this beef was
not good policy. as the soldiers would
not eat the meat, the Chicago company
that first bid to supply beef. and which
put up refrigerator here to preserve
its meats. was finally given the con-
tract that they had been refused in the
haUipnio0 ~ nurinU n n eli oh
in price in favor of the Cuban product.
The Maine command has prided it.
self on the excellence of it's bakery, and
when high winds and drenching rains
caused the bakers big patches of
dough to fall between the mixing
trOughS and the ovens, owing to the
cold and dampness to which they were
exposed. there was SORROW in the camp.
Then the water soaked in around the
bean holes in the ground. and put out
the fires. Another layer of gloom
passed over the camp. The elements
seemed leagued to make everybody
uncomfortable. The heavy showers
made everything in the tent damp.
One did not know If he could cross the
parade ground without being caught
in a shower and drenched. 1t was a
season calling for patience and forti-
tude.
But at last the winter of their dis
content was made glorious summer by
the return of more settled weather.
warm and gracious, with the sun
smiling ardently all day long, and the
temperature at noon 80 in the shade
Dscomforts We're forgotten, and there
were ileeting ideas of the stories ne
would tell at home chasing themselves
through the brain of the young soldier
on post. 1t was worth while to come
to Cuba and be able to take home SOU
vcnirs of the terrible Spaniard. The
soldier was content
Uncle Sam has opened his heart to
the Maine boys and presented the pat
talon with new artillery badges, the
first that have been issued free TO
troops in Cuba by the government. One
was given to each man, and they are
being worn with pride. The badge Is
handsome one OF white metel and en-
amel, the design being two crossed
conical shots. with a round shot at the
top. The center of the shots is red
enamel. There is a strip of white
metal outside the red, and a narrow
border of blue enamel outside that,
making the national colors. t... Il.
The soldiers most coveted privilege,
leave to go to Havana, Is being grant,
ed in the Maine command. heaves pe-
gan last week. about 10 men a day
from each battery being given passes.
1t may be said, to the credit OF the
boys. that they do not abuse their
leave, but come back straight, ana on
time. The trip TO Havana is usually
taken up with seeing sights. such as
the Maine wreck, the palace, and the
Notifications. and with buying souve-
Mrs for sisters and ndsweethearts at home,
in the way Of fans and silk scarfs and
handkerchiefs, things that may be easi-
ly transported. The first Of the e,,nst-
ed men to get leaves were lst Sergt.
John W. Raye. Battery u, Of Eastporr.
and Acting Qm. Bergt. Wallace A. pur-
nell, Battery C. of Gardiner.
Nothing has been heard by the off,
GERS of the Maine battalion from the
lcontinued on page ~