The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-01-13

The following letter from a soldier
from Columb bia township will be
read with interest by many of his
friends and former school mates. lie
has pre- missed to write again.
CAMP ONWARD, SAVANNA, Ga. J an.
/, 1899. Dec. 18th 1898 was the
grandest day the city of Savanna,
Or the 9TH army corps ever had.
With Us were the following distin.
guished persons OF the nation: Pres
ident Mckinley and Mrs. McKin-
ley; Secretary of the Treasury,
Gage and Mrs. Gage; Secretary OF
War, Alger and Mrs. Alger; Secre
tary of the Navy, Long and Mrs.
Long; Postmaster General, Smith
and Mrs. Smith; Secretary Of Agri-
culture, Wilson and Mrs Wilson
Mai. General Henry W. Lawton,
commander of vanguarls at Santa
90, and Mrs. Lawton; Mai. Gen,
VIM. K. She fter, commander OF
American forces at Santiago; Gen.
Joseph f Wheeler and Mrs. Wheel
er; ]. A. Porter, private secretary
of Pres. Mckinley, and Mrs. Por-
ter; Y. l.. Mason, private secretary
Of secretary of War Alger; l.. II.
Finey, private secretary of Secre.
tary OF Navy, Long; Capt. l.. G.
Sherer, Albert B. Hay, b. I. Bar
hes and representatives, Of some Of
the leading newspapers. The pres
idential party reached the city at
10 80 a. m and were driven to the
De,oto hotel, and after brief stay
were driven to the park extension,
where the review of l2,OOO troops
took place. When they arrived at
The park they were saluted by p
guns by the Chatham Artillery.
The first gun fired was one presen-
ted to the Artillery 10y the Father
Of our Country George Washing
ton.
About II 900 soldiers marched in
review. The president stood in the
center of the grandstand as they
marched by. His escorts were in
carriages near by. They seemed to
be very much pleased with the cor
rectness with which we marched
Pres. Mckinley stated to our Colo
mel that the 9th Ills. we're the best
drilled volunteers he had ever seen.
rhe city people turned out well and
seemed to delight in watching us.
The streets were full clear round the
park The park is something near
one half mile long and half as wide.
We received shouts and cheers as
We marched in review. | have been
asked to write a description.
Savanna is quite different from
our northern cities. The buildings
are low, and are mostly built out Of
common red brick. There are but
few fine stone buildings, the largest
covering about fourth of a block
The streets are very narrow, and in
the business part Of the town there
are stores and dwellings on each
side of the street. The city was
founded by the Spanish, and is on
the savanna river, about twenty
miles from the Atlantic ocean. The
savanna river is near the size of
White river, but is very deep, about
twenty seven feet of water at low
-ide. Lirge transport boats come
up this far. The Mobile is the best
transport, it is we'll kept, painted
white, with smoke stack in center
painted red, white and blue. The
boat is 600 FEET long.
The 7th army corps has nearly all
gone to Cuba. About four regl-
nents remaining yet. We will 20
next; the ninth has orders now and
ire packing while am writing, and
yet to take an ocean ride soon.
There are numerous breast works
.hrovn up for 10 miles from here,
irst by the Spaniards and then re-
lewed and used by the Confeder-
ltes, but now we can look at them
md think no North and no Sonth
Is division. The people Of Geor-
yia treat US well. They could not
,e more courteous and hospitable
han they are to US; they open the
loors of their churches to us, invite
Is to their homes, and seat us at
heir tables. They gave Us a
Thanksgiving dinner, furnished us
With turkey, apples, oranges, cake,
,ies, milk aud butter, and some
rood old h me baked biscuits The
aides of the city came and served
Is, so | may confidently say that
{ any of you ever come to Savanna
,ou may look to be treated with re-
'pect.
The spinal meningitis has slain
some of our boys, but all are in
good health with these exceptions.
Happy New Years TO you all.
A. j. LANE, Co. Il 9th Ills.