The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-03-23
FROM FOREIGN SHORES.
Interesting Letter From Henderson
rlan Acknowledgements Major Young
Writes About His Trip to the Philip

Interesting Letter From a Henderson
rlan Abroad-Sergeant- Major Young
Writes About His Trip to the Philip
piaes.
From our young friend John S. f.
Young. Sergeant-Major Twelfth U. S.
Infantry, en- route to Manila, we have
received the following which we are
sure will be read with interest. The
letter was mailed at Gibraltar,
private note accompanying It being
captioned and dated ~. S. Trans
port Sheridan, Lat. SO, o. North:
Long. %, II West, Feb. 9th, 1892"
in which he says: 1--WE are nearing
Gibraltar and my work is, therefrom,
increasing. This will prevent my
writing more at present. After leav-
ing Gibraltar. passing along more
interesting course, will endeavor to
give you a more detailed account of
the trip. My regards to ALL"
At $50 P NJ, February 18th, 1899,
the First Section of the 18th U. S.
Infantry, consisting of Headquarters,
Band and Companies F and H, left
Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, en- route
to New York City, the other sections
following each other at intervals of
two hours. The entire regiment was
provided with Pullman sleeping cars,
and in every way furnished splendid
accommodations. Owing to the severe
storms our trains were delayed three
days; the tracks were completely
covered with heavy falls of snow, and
a number Of the deep passes encoun-
tered in the Cumberland and Ale
ghany Mountains, through which the
Iron Mountain and B. & o. South
Western railroad runs, were entirely
closed, making our progress imprac-
ticable until the snow drifts could be
removed.
On reaching Cumberland, Md, it
was decided by our Commanding
Officer, Lieut.-Col. j. H. Smith, that
it was best for his troops to remain
at the Queen City until the roads
were in travelling condition. We
were informed that all traffic between
that point and points East had
ceased. This we soon discovered
from the fact that there were very
few trains moving in and out of this
central point; none from the East.
The following morning after our ar
rival at Cumberland our regiment
was fed by the Southern and Queen
City Hotels; each organization march
ing, in its turn, to its respective
hotel, designated by the Command
ing Officer. At the time we were
eating warm food in some of the best
hotels in the South, our section trains
had aboard sufficient government
rations to subsist us for five days.
We had facilities aboard to make cot
fee, and, if necessary, to warm our
travel rations; but Colonel Smith
deemed it best that his men be given
meals at the hotels, and advantage of
every opportunity to aid and promote
health. This change from the gov
eminent rations to warm meals was
indeed agreeable. Is there any other
army in the world that will SO pre-
serve its men?
The delay in Cum berland will never
be forgotten by the men of the 18th
U. S. Infantry. AS soon as the good
citizens found out that the soldiers
would have to remain in their city
two days or more they threw open
wide their doors and invited Uncle
Sans boys to enter and take pos
session. The Y, NJ. c. A. was espec-
tally DESTROYS that we avail ourselves
of the many pleasures afforded by the
numerous games, its gymnasium and
reading matter, which were snugly
fitted up in warm rooms of one of the
largest buildings on Main street.
Numbers of the soldiers enjoyed the
warmth of the Y. M. c. A. rooms,
also the cordial welcome extended by
the citizens of Cumberland.
The managers of the Academy of
Music very kindly, and without any
charge whatever, permitted the 18th
Infantry Band to hold concert with
in its walls, which the people
largely patronized, paying Is and 10
cents admission. The concert Melted
the Band one hundred dollars. This
amount was divided among the 80
members Of the Band in compensation
for their musical efforts. The people
in Cumberland say that we have the
best band they have ever heard.
After spending two days most
pleasantly, we then, on the morning
Of the 18th, proceeded on our journey
East, reaching Washington City in
time for late dinner Upon our
arrival we were notified that this
meal awaited us at the National
Hotel. The companies were marched
to the hotel, had dinner and then re-
turned to their trains. Our troops
reached Jersey City about - Nj,
February 18th, and there joined the
3rd Battalion, 18th U. S. Infantry,
formerly stationed at Fort Riley,
Kansas. The entire regiment was
loaded on Ferry boats and taken over
to Government Dock, Pier %, Brook
Ign, at which laid the U. s. Transport
''Sheridan," the ship designated to
take us many miles from our much
loved and honored land, to the Philip
pine Islands, a country unknown to
the ma ority of the 18th Infantry.
The "Sheridan" is an admirable
vessel for transport service; it affords
all the necessary comforts and mod
ern facilities for soldier life. Length
OF the ship, 445 feet, width, 40 feet,
built by Harlem and Wolff. in Belfast,
ireland, about ten years ago. Regis
tered tonnage, $3.50 tons, net ton
mage, 1904 tons. Ship draws, light,
IA feet of water, loaded % feet, num-
Der of crew, $50, number miles shin
can travel without re-coaling, 1000,
actual quantity of coal carried, be-
sides regular cargo, 900 tons, num-
Der of staterooms, IL, distance. per
hour ship can travel, under forced
orders, in favorable weather, 123
knots