Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-02-17
ARMY LIFE in CUBA.
A Sergeant In the Fourth Immune
Regiment Relates His Experi-
cnces.


A letter has been received in this city
from Sergt. John j. Duffy, company Ii,
Fourth United States volunteer infan-
try, now stationed at Manzanillo, Cuba,
The regiment has been split up consid-
erably since its arrival in Cuba, COM
panies having been detached upon spe-
c,al service, from time to time, and sent
into the interior to garrison and police
certain districts. He says, under date
of November 20:
Our company has not yet left this
city, but we expect to leave for Bayamo
within ten days. There was little en-
citement downtown Friday night
which came near resulting in the death
of Cuban. One of the Cuban police
endeavored to place under arr est an
American soldier belonging to this
regiment. The soldier, it is under
stood, resisted arrest, when the Cuban
drew his machete and cut him across
the head, nflicting long cash in the
scalp. A soldier who was standing
near by wrested a gun from the police
man, it is stated, and hit the latter
across the head, rendering him uncon-
scious and inhicting wound which
may result in his death. In the event
of his death there is no doubt that his
assailants will be severely dealt with
They are now in the guardhouse, Sc
curely guarded.
"As result of this trouble the
colonel of the regiment has put stop
to all passes after retreat but the af-
| fair will have blown over in few days,
when the men will be allowed their
liberty as before. Col Petit, in his CT
pacity as military governor of This city,
to-day issued an order prohibiting the
sale of wine and other Intoxicating
! liquors to American soldiers.
There are rumors to-day of Cuban
| uprising, and, while no definite or Off.
cial information has been believed,
trouble is predicted by many. There
are in the vicinity of 10000 Cuban sol
diers in and around the city of Man
| zanillo; enough to make ii pretty inter-
esting for us. There is large fortress
of stone commanding the town, which
we are rapidly putting into shape, ac-
cording to sound, solid, practical Amer
lean ideas. While there may be no &C.
casion to use this fort, it is best to be
on the safe side. There are also
numerous blockhouses on the outskirts
of the town, which will prove of valu-
able assistance to us in the event OF
trouble. These blockhouses are strong
~ built and are large enough TO accom-
MEDIATE a company very comfortably.
This body of troops intrenched in one
of them could successfully Withstand
the attack of five times as many in an
attacking party.
Capt. Latrobe, commander of this
company together with corporal and
private, also of company II, has re-
turned from Bayamo, where he and the
guard went in company with three
| Spanish officers to bring back the re-
mains of the great Spanish general
! Canteios. Before the body was shipped
| 10 Spain services were held over it in
the Catholic church at Manzanillo. Six
of the on-commissioned officers Of
this regiment acted as pallbearers and
| our battalion presented arms as the
funeral passed 1t was very impress
sive ceremony.
| During the whole time have been
1 on the island | have seen but three or
| four Americans. Most of the popula.
| tion of Manzanillo and the surround
ing country is composed of half-caste'
and negroes. There are probably not
more than 20 whites in this vicinity.
The Cubans Of the lower class live in
matched houses on the outskirts of the
town and cultivate sugar cane. You
may see them travelling along the roads
leading out of the city on donkeys and
afoot. The procession begins about
four o'clock in the morning and con-
tinues until late in the day. 1t is in
teresting to watch this unique parade.
Full-grown, ablc-bcdied men pass by
riding on donkeys or Mexican burros,
with their feet dangling within SIX
inches of the ground. Every man has
n long machete at his side, which it is
claimed is used for the purpose of cut
ting sugar cane. The woman walks by
the side Of the little donkey with
cigar stump in her mouth and stick
of sugar cane across her shoulder, the
latter constituting the dinner for the
family. The children either range
along in front or follow the mules,
usually leading pig or a dog. The pro-
cession starts home about dusk, the
mules being loaded with grass, sugar
cane, etc, while the men, women and
children carry large bundles of wood
on their heads. Washington Star.
How SiIkworms' Eggs Are Hatchcd.
The Umbrian cattle are snow white,
and form lovely bit in the landscapes;
but, strange to our American eyes.
cows as well as oxen are yoked to the
plow, and are never sent to pasture.
In fact, there is no pasture land for
them, and at sunset peasants are to be
seen up in trees stripping them of their
leaves, and filling sacks with them for
their stable-fed cattle. Until l in
quired. supposed they were gather
ing mulberry leaves for silkwprms, as
almost every family gives up one room
in the house to the raising of silk