Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1899-01-26
Letter from Cuba.

Az N1CADf AaAANNAh' ]
ly allow us space to give a graphic
description of Cuba as we have
seen it. To begin with our full
description we will begin with our
time OF leaving Macon, Ga. On
the 9th of August we left Macon,
went to Savannah stayed there
SIX days, then went to the wharf,
embarked on a transport vessel,
named "Minervasca,'
This vessel was three hundred
and eighty feet long and fifty eight
feet wide. They took on board
eleven hundred soldiers, eight
hundred cords of wood, ore huns
dred heads of mules and horses,
enough rations to supply one regi- |
ment five months, twelve wagons, !
twelve ambulance wagons. one |
Thousand chairs and cots for the |
hospital, and drugs to last the
regiment five months. The vessel |
then lacked five feet of drawing to
its water line. that being thirty
one feet,
We were four days and nights
on the water, landing at Santiago
18th of Aug, We passed through
the little neck where HUDSON sank
the Merrimac and passed ON in
the bay of Santiago, Upon point
) one hundred and fifty feet above
the water we saw MORO Castle
!, which was full OF ho|es,3 and out
Of the water projected the Merri~
, mac, this was diIapidated sigh t
to be sure.
!, Our vessel then anchored nearly
i a mile from shore, another vessel
came out which We got on and
spent the night. Next morning
Is we were landed on the wharf at
r Santiago, and there saw thousands
Z. Of dirty SpaniardS, The sight was
. horrible, some were walking on
y sticks, some were on crutches, some
= leading others and many leaning
against posts, houses, or anything
or anything for support. The
town was full of them tor three
r. weeks and the government fed
y them.
to Not only was the town fllec
lg with these dirty people, but th'
g. streets were full of dirt and filth e
- that it was impossible to get a pur,
breath Of air. All over our head
swept the vultures and the tops 0
the houses were literally covered
with them. You who are in you
IF; quiet, peaceful homes, picture t,
m, yourselves the scene that first me
our eyes after landing on Cnbal
at soil. Imagine to yourselves seem
~ thousands of naked, dirty, starve
people ClamOring all around yo
at in language YOU cannot under
ay stand, a filthy, dirty town, tn
whole sky filled with vultures, an
I'm you have some idea of our feeling
p. About II o'clock we marched OF
on the San Juan hill. This is tt
place where the Americans droy
NJ the Spaniards from their posts an
Jay trenches, something that looks a
ISL most impossible but the post
M shot full of holes, and the trench
are full of dead soldiers with just
at little dirt thrown over them. O
ilR1' the top OF the San Juan hill is
"A. hospital which was filled wit
wounded Spaniards. A WACO
A. load of dead was hauled off eyer
NJ. day They just piled them up
W; the wagon one on top of anoth,
with feet and hands dangling gu
n These were burned.
at The regiment was divided in
o three battalions. and the one v
49, were In came to Baracoa, which
law 100 miles north of Santiago.
en- en- At Baracoa the Spaniards ha
their arms. and Lieut.. Col. Wyle
d. ordered them to surrender Their
ey- That same evening 800 gave u
K z, their guns, and we stacked the
Ter, them in the city hall and mao
that our headquarters.
cts That night we marched out G
los the seacoast and holsted Jar
M, M. American flag. The Spaniart
D. stood looking at MS and we couI
see they were mad, therefore we e
pected trouble. About ten o'cloC