The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-02-15
A LETTER FROM CUBA.
HEADQUARTERS End S. c. REG.
HAVANA, CUI

ll.AN Ana, OCb-N'
Dcnr .Mr. Editor: For the informa
ton OF your many readers who may
have loved ones in Cuba will give you
Il few notes.
AS is well known we arrived here on
Jan. 9th, 1899, and have, therefore, Just
been here four weeks to-day. We
came on the transport, "Roumania,'
which, am glad to say is, going to be
converted into sea hearse for carry
ing those that have and will die in
Cuba. We have all hoped before that
we would not return on it and much
more do we hope sonow. A great many
of the boys were real sick coming over.
The first night the 2nd and 3rd Bat
taliOns spent in camp they were not
able to put up their tents, and as a
consequence were thoroughly soaked,
and, as our father wrote, it reminded
him of many such nights spent in the
valley of Virginia.
Cuba is the most beautiful country
in the world, and. with proper care
and Development would equal the
Garden of Eden. We are surrounded
with beautiful green hills covered with
great tall palms, and in the valley they
are now cutting sugar cane and hauling
it to the mill. often wished for Il
camera large enough to take i'll the
whole scene. The climate is believe
unequallcd anywhere. Right now we
go without any coat. In the middle OF
the day it is very hot, still in the shade
it is delightful, as we have Il good
breeze right Oft the Gulf of Mexico,
and at night one blanket is sufficient,
except just before day two is often re-
quircd. Cuba will eventually knock
Florida out us a winter resort, and
some entcrprising man can make Il for
tune by building Il hotel on one OF the
many hills surrounding Havana.
The boys are delighted so far, and
you can see crowds with their KNAPP
sacks going and rambling, for amy way
YOU go there is something pretty to
see. Right near us are immense bal
mana and pineapple orchards. The
pineapples are planted between the
rows of bananas. You cannot imagine
how delicious a pineapple taken ripe
from the tree is. Bananas are scarce,
as old Weyler destroyed all the farms
he could find. Oranges are plentiful
and better than those from Florida and
are cheap.
Within sight of our camp, which is
upon a beautiful hill, nine miles from
Havana and one fourth mile from
Quemalos and Mariana, can be seen
the rendezvous OF the Cuban soldiers.
A great many are quartcred there now.
Within mile can be seen Il couple of
the famous Spanish block houses, and
wire fence. They are certainly works
of an ingenious brain, and could never
be taken with infantry, but Il little
artillery could knock them out i'll short
order. The 1th Corps Chief Engineer
says their block house system around
Havana is one of the finest pieces OF
engineering he ever saw.
You must not believe everything yon
see in the papers in regard to Havana
and Cuba. For instance, the cores
pondent of the New York journal telc-
graphed his paper that one of our boys
had died OF yellow fever. As Il matter
of fact he is still living, and has never
had yellow fever at all. The health OF
the boys is as good us it WAS i'll Savan-
nah, and far better than Jacksonville.
In my Company we have only one man
in hospital. There is not Il case OF yel-
low fever in the Regiment. Mothers
and fathers should not worry on that
account, for | believe where we are
located is us healthy rs anyw here we
could be. The boys are not allowed to
90 to Havana except with an officer.
Anderson County is pretty we'll rep
resented by officers in our Regiment,
aud they are il credit to their Rcgi-
mcnt. There is Captain and Quarter
Master G.. G. Sullivan; 1st Lieut.. +. X.
Cox, Co. A; 2nd Lieut.. Charles S. Nc
Cullough, Co, A; 1st Lieut.. L. c. Hor-
ton, Co. G.; 2nd Lieut.. w. y. Scott. Co.
X: and j. j. Trowbridge is Chief Musi-
clan. Captain Sullivan is one OF the
busiest men in the Regiment. Lieu
tenant +. Il. Cox has often been detail
ed for special duties, and III Savannah
was Provost Marshal Quarter Master.
Lieutenant Horton has been appointed
manager for the Rcgimcntal Exchange,
and a very responsible position, too.
The Exchange is strictly Il dry one,
and does not sell beer or any strong
drink.
All the boys are trying to learn Span
ish but are making slow progress.
From our Camp we can see the place
where the famous Macco waS killed,
also Moro Castle light.
There are many rlmorS us to how
long we will be here, but all are with
out foundation. Senator I'illman and
all the Representatives are trying to
rct us ont. Col. Jones thinks we will
moi be here more than two months
more at least. and right here let me
| l..I I,,,.,.i.. J,,- IuI fin. mo ~