The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1899-03-16
FROM CUBA.

month, yesterday brought us the
first mail we have had. When the
boys of the regiment heard that a
mail had arrived it was for time
very exciting with us The JOY of
those of lis who got letters from
loved ones at home and the disap-
pointment of those who received
none proved commingling of
the extremes of joyous and disap-
pointed emotions that / cannot
describe. Don't forget there are
twelve hundred of lis boys from
the dear old state of Georgia that
love those dear old red hills so
dearly that a message from dear
friends, from our own, our native
land, is regarded as the common
property of all of us, SO those of
us who did receive, shared with
| those who did not receive those
sweet, tender messages, and all
entered into one grand halleluiah
chorus of God bless our own, our
native land.
/ had written several letters
home, but had no opportunity
TO mail them. We are now camp,
ed at Los Minas, pronounced La
mena. We left Nuevitas Febru-
airy l, for this place, twenty-seven
miles from Nuevitas. We find
here place of about 1900 inhab-
itants on the railroad leading
from Puerto Principe to Nuevitas,
twenty miles from the former
place. This is much more at
tractive place than Nuevitas; I
find the people more intelligent.
The town is situated in q beautiful
little valley, surrounded by noun
tains. Our camp is half mile
from the town, alongside the rail-
road.
There has been one death in my
company (F. and three more in
the regiment since we came here,
besides one fool Corporal who got
it into his head to go crazy as
loon, and was sent to hospital at
Puerto Principe. With these ex-
ceptions the health of the regi-
ment has been unexceptionally
good. We are not allowed to 60
out of our tents between II a. m.
and 3 p. m, on account. of the ex-
cessive heat prevailing during
those hours of each day.
| have become thoroughly dis
gusted with the average Cubans.
They are for the most part lazy,
filthy, pilfering set of deadbeats,
now on the hands of the American
people, with the bumptious feel
ings of assurance that it is the
duty of Uncle Sam TO take espe-
cial care of them. The resources
of this magnificent country are so
unlimited that should they make
half an effort they all could live
i'll comfort, and by a show of per-
sistent industry could in an in
creditably short time become affiu-
ent and independent. / have
come to the conclusion that when
| go to war again to free the Gu
bans it will be as a Major General,
being constitutionally opposed to
endure the hardships and priva-
tions Of the life of soldier in de-
Tense of a gang of thieves and vag-
abonds.
One of our boys was shot while
on guard the other night, by a Gu
ban who slipped into camp and
stole a sack of flour and was try
ing to get away with it. When
the guard commanded him to halt
he responded with his pistol.
You have doubtless seen an ac-
count in the papers or the mid
night attack on our regiment. 1t
was about one o'clock that an
alarm was fired by sentinel; i'm
mediately the bugle sounded the
call "to arms" and minute guns
were firing on every side. Within
ten minutes the regiment was in
line, ready for action. We were
disappointed when we were dis
missed to our quarters. A brush
with those marauding cattle-thiev-
ing vandals would have suited the
pulse and temperature of the Third
Georgia about that time.
My LIST sergeant SAYS the mail is
about ready to leave, ard / must
close. l want you to know that /
am well, fat and hearty, and tip
the scales at l70pounds-the boys
calling me fatty"
| am making slow progress in
acquiring the Spanish language,
as among the Cubans with whom
| come in contact it is but a mon
grel dialect at best, though if we