West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-02-09

HOSP. BIRD BATTALION, 3RD us. }
Vol REGIMENT. CAMP NICHE.
MATANZAs. CUBA. Jan. %. 80
Although the festivities and ceic.
brAtlon OF the people here, which
has boon one cOntiAouB program
since JAnury lat, have ended,
every body is in joyful mood.
We are having beautiful weather.
with an occasional shower To rt-
miHd AS Of April. and the sus's
soJrching rays as mcmcm;o of
July. Every man in Inc Engineer
Corps has been provided with -
white pair OF light cotton pants and
waist. The w,ist buttons to the
pants. just like the onSs we wore
in summer whom boy.
There was an occurrence here
January lst, about which the Now
York papers id but little. 1t was
the day To raise the American flag
over he fort aud city, and only one
battalion, (less than five huadred
men), of the Third Engineers to
raise it. The Spanish soldiers had
swarmcd ia till it was estimated
that some 81 900 were Ia tho city.
Anyway, the streets were lined, the
stores were crowded, and the roofs
and balconies of innumerable build.
ings used as barracks, swarmod
with them. AS we stood In line
that morning to answer roll call,
we could see the Spanish flag wav.
ing over Fort San Severino Castle,
and by eleven o'clock VIC were
marching ia that direction, every
one of us except the guard detail
for that day. We wore our white
pakts, white hats and blue blouses,
and armed with orderly pouches,
sings and filters. The troops
marched inside, carrying their guns
at trail arms. They lined up, as
did the Spanish troops, cannon
was fired, and down came their
flag TO go up no more. The Span
ish Commandant, weeping, took il
and wiped away his tears. As the
second shot was echoing over the
hills, sold Glory" was swung to
the breeze. 1t was a solemn, thrill.
ing affair rather than happy,
| joyful one. But as such things
must happen, no one appreciates
being present more than we do.
The Spaniards were iaarched out
and put on board German trans
port, which was waiting to take
them home. We were marched
into the city, through the narrow
streets crowded with natives and
soldiers, to the Plaza. We lined
up, as one of the brass bands Of IL
Spanish regiment played something
we don't thiHk you ever learned ~
in West Virginia, and OH horns
that appeared TO be centnry old
1ells and hurrahs came from every
[ house top and crowded balcony,
and the natives, some white, some
black, some yellow and some well
dressed-Others nearly naked and
breathing skeletons in the streets
screeched In manner that reminds
us more of locust year than any
thing else, to display their appre p
cation. There was good material
for riot, but happily it did not
get to work. Col. Biddle, Chief
Engineer, was the ranking officer
present, while Lieut.. Col. Jad win
commanded tho procession. On
getting back to camp we found the
Manitoba, transport, anchored in
the bay. 1t had on board the 18th
New York, (the "Dirty Dozen")
and Gen. Sanger aud staff.
The next day the story was afeat
that Gen. Sanger made every effort
possible to get here in time to hoist
our flag, not knowing that there
were any troops here. We were
told that the General, on leaving
Savannah, told the Captain of the
Manitoba to make it in Matanzas
in time to hoist the flag if he had
to burst the boiler. General, Z"
saIG the Captain, "you no doubt
have command of your men, but |
have charge Of this boat"
The evacuation begun on the
1st and was completed on the 18th.
The transporting was done by Ger.
man and French vessels. Nearly
every night this month there have
been iirework displays, and it is an
axiom that no small amount Of
money has been expended iva this
way, while thousands are almost
naked aud starved. But we believe
| they would celebrate If The whole
7 population WIS starving. During
the daytime one could see Is pro
ccssion Of boys and girls, Of most
any color. clothed in hat and
shirt, others with shirt and q pair
Of worn out shoes. and several
sizes too large. which they had
+. picked up somewhere; some wore
/ pants, aud perhaps few as naked
80 The day they were born. Their
equipment consisted OF boxes, bar
rcls, and bottles generally took the
I place Of horns. IL became q com
mon sight 20 sec mum Der Of O.
! NJ. wagons going through the