Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-03-16
CORPORAL FRED JACOBSON, OF
THIS CITY, IN CUBA WITH
THE EIGHTH CAVALRY.
SOLDIER LIFE HTHE ANTILLES.
he Writes An Interesting Letter to
His Father and Mother in This
City How he Likes Cuba
and the Cubans.

ceived by II. Jacobson from his son
Corporal Fred Jacobson, VINO is nov
In Cuba: Ff
OAhP CARPENTER, PUERTO PRrN-
oRE, CUBA, TROOP e, EIGHTH CAV
AIRY, February is, 1ss0.-My Dear
Folks: I don't know now when this
VIII reach you, as there is no regular
mail line steamer now running be-
tween here and the old country. /
call 1t the old country because this is
all new. We'll, my dear folks, my
wiah has ct last been RratIfisd and l
find myself ON Cuban soil IN the best
Of health and spIrits, but not rum.
IN try to tell you all about myself
and the trip from the time we left
Hautsvills TIL we arrived here. And,
obi what 2 diderence--at Huntsville
We froze out or washed out every day
and night and here II you had nothing
on but collar button you would roast
to death. To-day is Saturday, but /
don't think / will finish this letter for
several days, as We are notified about
"a hours before steamer departs. So
you see ] can write on and on until we
receive word to get our mail ready.
We left Huntsville, after lots Of delay
and many duckines, on January 80,
1899; passed through the Cumberland
Mountains and saw Lookout Mountain.
The scenery was very pretty In that
locality only. The command OF six
troops, with their mounts and baggage
and lots Of masoots, such as pig, two
goats, rooster, goose, two cats Zone
minel and dogs without number, pulled |
out 10 six sections; also our trans-
portation--that IL, sixty head Of mules
and the army wagons. ftseemed that |
our section played . little out Of luck,
for We bad any number of hot boxes
and break-downs, as you viii notice
that We only averaged twelve miles
an hour to Savannah. We lost two
men Of some town whore the train
stopped for repairs. 1t seemed that
they got on TO get drink and the
Irain pulled out sooner than they ex-
pected. Fortunately, they turned up
IN saYannah before We left. All the
boys were very happy and most OF
hem drunk when We fret started out
'or the promised Land.n The First
Sergeant and myself had drawing
'oom to ourselves, which we used for
'ur orderly room on the trip, That's
where I was lucky again, although
'veryone had Pullman palace sleepers.
We had muster on the train when we
'eached Atlanta.
Atlanta is beautiful city. went
lp town TO get some cigars when we
topped there to feed and water the
took. The streets are all nicely !,
'aved and everything looked as clean
nd neat as pin.
We reached Savannah, after much /,
clay, on February about 10 O'Clock |,
/. m. The train pulled right into a
witch yard on the docks, where tons
nd tons of cotton are baled and /.
ressed. Our transport, the Minne-
1aska, the largest and best the gov
rnment owns, was in sight and we !,
ould see some Of the troops that
anne in on the first and second sec-
ons loading. took several kodak
ictures OF the wharf steamer and :
ZEN loading. We loaded our horses
rst and then our property. 1t took :
bout two hours, which was very quick !
ork. After the ZOO horses and so :
Jules were loaded our pack train }
Jules, $50 in all, were put on. Then !,
10 ship was ready to leave, but the !.
de was out, so she had to stay there =
ntil II O'Clock 9. m. next day. The :
zen were all given carte blanche to 90 !,
} town without passes, Just 90 they :,
ould be back by the time the steamer I
as to leave. I went to town with !,
III First Sergeant and Quartermastsr !,
srgeant and enjoyed myself at a con- = =
'rt hall, on the order Of EngePs at :
hicago, until about IL o'clock p. m, .
hen we went to our ship and to bed. :,
On board accommodation were :,
i'm. We had 80 much stock that =,
zen the upper deck was fixed up 4
lth stalls and you could not smoke !,
'low because Of so much hay, etc., :,
ID the came on deck. We were all =
lddled together down below and !,
oh man was given hammock. In =,
at way twenty men slept In a space :,
'out 12xe. OF course, the hammocks %
sre hung one above the other Our n,
lip left dock amid cheers and tears %
l1:07 q. N. February 2. While =,
Issing down the canal (it's twelve rs
lies to the sea) all the flags in the !.
y were raised and sll the boats In =,
9 canal blew their whistles hoarse. a,