The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-05

Coral Reef - There Was No
Troops in Cuba.
The following letter has been receiv-
ed from Fred T. Lambert, of Com
pany G, Second regiment, U. S. V. en-
gineers stationed near Havana, Cuba,
written to his father:
have been pretty busy during the past few
days but find time today to write to the
folks at home. l don't know as l told you
Of the last few evenings in Huntsville or not
50 YOU Will excuse any repetition l may make.
A few evenings after Christmas, Phil Usher,
Frank Readan and l went to a box social or
supper and we had pretty good time. We
met several young ladies there and l made
up my mind TO throw of all reserve and go
in for a good time. l had pass that was
goOd until u o'clock. 1t was the day after
the party that l made application for a fur
Tough. and the telegram to move to Havana
came spelling tumbling down all of my
air castles. Thursday morning dawned d
fine morning for Alabama and the first thing
was to empty our straw ticks and pack up
all personal property. 1t took US some time
TO get OF as there were packages to send by
express. ''errands'' to do money orders TO
get. letters to register. and lost ard delayed
ones TO look up. l went to the depot and
unpacked my camera l think the first thing
that was done was to put me on guard.
have always been first nighter" on all OF
cur trips, so l didn't kick, as I knew that
would be after all getting the best Of the
bargain.
SAW LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN.
was on guard from u to 2 a M. and
was awake when we passed Lookout noun
tain. a little after 2, and saw as much of it
as possible from moving train. as it was
bright moonlight night. but little misty.
We passed through Atlanta. Ga. after noon
next day. and got our liquid coffee" there.
We arrived at Jacksonville after 8, little
late for the Corbett- Mitchell fight. / went
up the street a little ways to get breakfast
in niger restaurant, but when l saw the
forks. etc. l got up and left, but many pre-
ferred dirty grub to the travelling rations al
lowed US. l bought couple of pies and
piece of cocoanut cake and went back to the
train. We arrived at st. Augustine at noon,
and while the train was switched and the
coffee prepared for us, | walked around the
depot and took the first snap shot with my
camera. l hope this new picture of mine,
taken with a new camera in the Oldest city
in the new world Will turn out a good one.
We were routed out of our berths about 1915
that night, we had arrived at Miami. Fla,
the point Of emharkation. l was on the de-
tail that was 10 remain behind to guard the
property, and l was disappointed as l wanted
to go with the company. | became reconclled
by thinking how l could photograph pm, the
whole town of Miami on my two rolls OF
film. But I was taken off detail after every
thing ready for leaving. Our two COM
panies went aboard the board 4 a. m. Sunday.
Jan. 1. We had seen out the old year and
seen IL the new, in a different manner than
ever before. l do not think many of US
ard the following day.. 1 was awake all
night as the hubbu6 made by the men push
ing trucks and handling freight kept me from
getting any Sleep We had different train
than when came from Montauk, Sheridan
or st. Paul. Coming from st. Paul we had
three cars of a regular train; from Sheridan
the two hattaliors had about thirty cars. and
from Montauk our companies had six sleepers
and two or three cars of freight, but coming
from Huntsville We had six Sleepers, several
cars Of stock. four or five cars OF wagons
and ten or more of freight. The other
two companies of our battalion had also come
down from Augusta. Ga, and boarded the
boat little after us.
EN- ROUTE TO HAVANA.
It was a. m. when the boat steamed out
into the channel. 1t was fine morning, and
We witnessed beautiful sunrise. 1t was
the most balmy New Years morning I ever
saw, and the green Florida coast looked fine.
I was not on special duty on this trip, so
they had me on guard again. could keep the
fellows from smoking between decks, and
admire the Florida keys just the same.
Towards evening the boat began to roll a lit
tie and after eating my supper had to go
guard again, and of course had to stand
up. If 1 had been relieved at 1880 l might
have been all right, but my time was not up
until g. and by that time I pretty dizzy
and it did not do me much good TO lay on
my back, and I proceeded to feed the sharks.
At Il, when was to go on again, l said l
was sick. and the corporal of the guard
put the late George Pitcher on in my stead.
In the morning, when my turn came for the
last time, I was able to do my turn again.
dark, but there were many vessels there, and
then lights and those of the city made a
pretty sight. The searchlight was played
from one buoy to another, and in this way
we picked out course to an anchoring
place The searchlight revealed the wreck
of the Maine, and a. m. anchored within
$50 feet Of it, l took several snap shots of
the Maine during the day, and also tried to
get shots at the Brooklyn and the Texas
which were still in the harbor.
There were several technicalities to go
through with, and it was after dinner when
the lighters hove alongside to unload the
Lincoln. 1t almost dark when we tied
up at the dock. and it was dark when we
were allowed to step off the boat on Cuban
soil. We had no place to go to that night
so we each picked out the softest places on
the dock planks and went to sleep. We were
right above where the sewers of Havana
empty in into the harbor, and a nice place it
the wagons TO be taken out to our new camp
RUNNING THE GUARD.
I ran the guard, with Tom Nottingham, be-
fore breakfast. We went up the narrow, filthy
streets, and bought some bread cocoa and
milk, having great time trying to make the
natives understand. We bad heard that no
soldiers were allowed in Havana so we had
to keep our eyes open to avoid the guards
We ran into two or three, but had no trouble
in bluffing it. I out again before din
ner and again after dinner l managed to
Pick up little Spanish in dickering l
couldn't speak any Spanish before breakfast
but before dinner 1 could buy oranges in
Spanish and pay for them in Spanish money
ana dlcker with the 1ak1rS, and before night
fall I could speak Spanish fuently Those
who had remained behind to work fell in
about 5 p. m. to march out to camp leaving
a guard with the remaining stuff for protec-
ton. Our Tiumphal march through the city
was a grand success, but when we left the
business portion of the town our officers lost
their bearings, and we poor devils had to
sit up against high stone wall of a convent
and wait until the officers found out which
way 70 go. Of course many of the men
kicked, put only saw the funny side of II
and took 1t for another experience of soldier
ing. Officers who get lost in time of peace
may 90 well enough but I would not care
be done. We finally reached camp. tired and
hungry. We soon RECALLED ourselves on .sbara
footed conee, bareback and sow belly That
evening we slept in few tents that had been
pitched on the camp ground.
Mr.. Lambert gives an interesting ac
count OF the drowning of George Picha
of st. Paul He writes:
The shore about here is very bad as If ia
composed entirely of coral rock and hathinS
is out of the question ca would he If tbe
Spaniards had not constructed MANY rectsn
gular basins. These basins are of coral rocl,
smoothed down and cemented with cernent
steps leading down to the water The side
towards the ocean has square opening
through which the water enters as the hraaLo
ers keep the pool well filed with fresh ocean
water. Last Sunday Louis O. Carlson and
George Picha went down to take hath and
the two mentioned sat or stood on the edro
of a large pool, when monstrous wave cano
in, breaking over them. Carlson caught hold
OF something, while George was hurled INFO
the pool, which was a boiling, seethino
caldron for some time and then when the
water rushed out it carried roor George With
1t. He swan and made a hard struggle for
life. but finally said goodbye to the bows