Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-04-22
CORRESPONDENCE.
Want to Como Homo.

To the MINING JOURNAL.
| will again assume the pleasant task
of writing you of the experiences of
the Frostburg boys and myself here in
Cuba.
Since writing you last we have seen
some hardships. We are now mount
ed. March ID we embarked from
here fOl Santiago on an old French
boat. FL, route we passed over the
water ON which Cervera's fleet was
destroyed. We saw MORO Castle, the
masts of the Merrimac, and the Reina
Mercedes, one of Cervera's fleet which
the |. S. government has raised. At
the docks of Santiago lay the Rouma-
man, the transport which brought Us
over here. She was being unloaded of
a cargo of collins to be used in trans
porting our dead soldiers back to their
native soil.
We went ashore March t at 10 a
M, and made camp on the outskirts
of the city, in sight of n Juan hill.
AT o'clock p. m. our horses arrived
The following day our equipments
were issued, and we rode ont to San
Juan hill. Saw the tree under which
Shafter and Toral arranged the terms
of Sanuago'S surrender. On account
of starting late we did not have time
to examine the battlefield.
On the 9th we rode to Ell Caney.
On our way there we saw some graves
of dead soldiers and many were mark
ed unknown. The trees along the
roadside had many bullet-marks on
them. lutrenchmentS were to be seen
in every direction. | think the
Spanlards fired every shot from cover.
The stone church at Ell Canty showed
bullet-marks. We also SAW Il small
fort and block house, both partially
destroyed.
On the 9TH we left Santiago, en- route
overland. for Manzanillo. Broke
camp at 10 a. M, and made camp at
t p m.
On the Sth we broke camp at ! a.
m, and continued the march over a
mountain trail. Could see Santiago
and harbOr from the mountain-top
Made camp at San Louis at > p. m.
On the 9th continued the march,
Made camp at Palmas rained very
hard everybody got wet and spent an
uncomfortable night.
On the 10th we left PalmaS at l:3O.
Lost our guard. Made camp
at 10 p. m. Rained very hard: too
wet to start fire to cook and had raw
bacon, bareback and water for supper,
and relished it.
On the 18th stayed in camp all day
On the 18th proceeded to Jiguani
and found our advance-guard there
Company II, Of our regiment, is
stationed there. Two Frostburg boys
belong to H-Walter Burton and
Michael Leslo, the latter having been
recently transferred.
On the 18th we marched to Bayamo
and went INTO camp at ) p. m. Company
Il, of our regiment. is stationed there
Bayamo was the theatre of both rev
oluuOns and is now ruined city
Once a place of - 900 inhabitants, it
has now only 1000. On the outskirts
of the city is large tree called THE
Execution Tree,n on which the Span
iards hung the Cuban spies caught in
this district.
On the 10th we proceeded to Man
ZanillO. Horses made the trip bare
footed. AS the weather was very wet
and we unused to horses, the trip was
an uncomfortable one.
There is no road from Santiago to
this place-only mountain trail.
Pack mules are used to carry tentage
and provisions. When half way here
five packers quit, which made the
packers shOrt-handed, and the boys
had to assist in the packing. Not un-
derstanding the business, the packs
they put on frequently came off, an
occurrence which caused delay and
work.
The above is brief description of
the longest march made 10y L. 5.
troops in Cuba.
We expect to be mustered out soon.
"Uncle Sam can not let us go quick
enough to suit us. Wear all anxious
to return to the States.
There is one ease of small pOX in the
regiment. The men generally are all
in good health. We are expecting the
rainy season to set in any time now.
We receive the JOURNAL regularly
and all are very, very thankful for 1t.
NJ. p. Brown,
Sergeant Company |,
Mounted 4th L. :. Y. Infantry.