The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-04
HOLSTERS AT MATANZAS
INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY FROM
THE COLUMBUS, GA, CAMP.
Third Battalion of the Tooth Indiana
Regiment Safe in Cuba-AII Fared
Well on the Transport.
correspondenee Of the sournal.


MATANZAS, Cuba, Jan. q, with the One
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Indana.-It may be of
interest to the regiments many friends in
Indiana. to know something of the journey
to this place The third battalion left Column
bus. Ca, last Tuesday at 1920 p. m. The
regiment had so thoroughly identified itself
with the people of Columbus that the leav-
ing of each battalion was a matter of sin
cere regret to the citizens and on this
casion, the weather being delightful, great
crowd came out for the final farewell. The
train was run in two sections. The first was
made up of seven box, two stock and four
fiat cars and carried the baggage, tents,
wagons, horses and mules. This train moved
out some time before the other. The second
section consisted of fourteen day coaches
and two Pullman palace cars. In the first
of these latter were the company officers;
in the second the regimental staff. Soon
after pulling out the regimental cooks, VIII
Stanton, of Lafayette, and Al Bunhour of
Warsaw, served dinner of baked chicken,
boiled ham, bread, butter doughnuts, mince
pie and coffee ands the same at every mess
until the battalion got to Charleston. The
event of the afternoon a song by Adju-
tant Beshore, of Marion, ION the Banks of
the Wabash, Far Away"
The members of Company K, of Hunting
ton, all of whom were poisoned by meat
served for supper, were all better and able
to take the boat the next day. While Moth
ing serious resulted from the attack it gave
DIR. Foxworthy and the hospital stewards
a lively time.
The first section reached Charleston at
o'clock Wednesday morning and two hours
later the second section pulled in. Every
thing was soon loaded and the men on
board and at 215 p. M the gang plank was
taken in, the cable thrown off and the Sara
toga, as graceful as swan, swung out into
the Atlantic. To many of us it was a novel
experience The boys watched regretfully
the recedng shore and thought of the loved
ones at home They had but little time to
see the city of Charleston, but remembered
the part it played in the drama of secession.
Forts P1nckney and Sumter, with Fort
MOultrie in the distance. At Z o'clock the
transport was thirty-sx miles due east of
savannah, with the water l08 feet deep. The
sunset was beautiful and soon after the
moon, just above the horizon, gave to the
waves the appearance of FURNISHED silver.
After o'clock dinner (and but few tables in
the country set a better table, a delight
full evening was spent with music on the
mandolin club and solos by Captain Lee. of
Company K, Huntington, and Lieutenant
Barlow, of Company /, Upton.
Thursday morning everybody was bright
and smiling and ready for a good o'clock
breakfast 1T was a rather gloomy morn
ing and gentle rain fell most of the day.
! Members of the regiment were surprised at
the remarkable smoothness of the ocean,
in striking contrast with the northern lakes.
| Not one of the officers was seasick and
only one or two of the men, they not hav
ing been we'll before coming on board. At 10
o'clock the Canarooral lighthouse was sight
ed by the aid of field glasses. Large numbers
of jelly fish like sponge balls fioated by
the ship, and in the afternoon schools of
PROPOSES swan lazily by or leaped out OF
the water as if to invite the skill of some
of the crack shots on board. The porpoises
possibly escaped unframed, though several
shots We're fired at them. AT 6 o'clock the
boys had a fine view of Jupiter inlet light
house, and while at supper there was a
| general rush for the deck to see the mag
nificent hotel at Palm Beach, Fla. 1t was
Illuminated as if for the occasion
After good nights rest the boys crowded
the deck Friday morning and witnessed the
sun rise on the ocean, but mess call soon
turned their attention away. AT break
fast was served to the officers. The steamer
was then out on the broad ocean, The last
of the Florida keys was sighted this morn
ing at o'clock and the boat was headed
directly for Matanzas. No fish were seen
this morning except the "Portuguese-men-
ing aimlessly about. AT 10 a. m. Cuban
mountains were seen with the aid of glass
es, and at 1920 with the unaided eye.
AT p m. the Saratoga steamed into Ma
tanZaS bay and soon after took up the pilot
and then the customs house official. A good
many of the boys of the other two battal-
the third, and reported the health condi-
lions good in camp. There is a fine view
of Matanzas from the anchorage, just OPP
posite one of the largest Spanish fortifica-
lions. near which are the camps of the
Twelfth New York. Third Kentucky Third
Engineers and cumberland sixtieth In
diana. The camp faces south, on a rocky,
barren spot. What the government wants
the soldiers here for is more than your cor
respondent can tell. 1t is now o'clock and
the boys will probably not land till to-mor-
row Saturday morning
l cannot well forbear writing a word in
praise of the excellent boat Saratoga and
her gentlemanly captain, A. f. Johnson of
New York, and his associate officers. The
wants of every passenger were carefully
looked after. Everything was clean and the
table all that could be desired. The weather.
was pleasant throughout the trip and the
ocean as smooth as an ordinary river
Every company brought along it's mascot
1t is wonderful to see with what tenacity
the soldiers cling to these pets. One man is
seen carrying a little kid, another rooster
another yellow cat while another is seen
leading a yellow pup.
Mrs. Gunder accompanied the colonel acT
will probably remain here until the regiment
is mustered out, which some of the men,
berS hope will be inside of sixty days None
of the boys has heard a word from the out
side world since leaving Charleston.