The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-23

ne men of the First North Carolina
ies,iiieiit, at last back home from Cuba.
van say this morning: The green of
o'i iieios from the place where the old
io'As I'VE beats the blue of the Gulf of
mexico from the hills of Marianao.'
- was on these hills that nearly 10
ooo men from many States camped for
many months. At first If seemed as if
one would be satisfied in thar brilliant
n ,s 70 remain there Indefinitely.
but the men of all tho raoi,nents gnt
very weary of the life. At one time every
man IN the First North Carolina regi-
men, signed petition asking that they
be mustered out Nor is it inst to the
olhcers to say that they all desired to
remain because of the nav attached TO
liieir rank. These officers had their
families and most of them positions .at
nome equally as. if not more. lucrative
than those they were holding. They
were doing their duty unmurmuringly;
put the men murmured; they saw that
there was no chance of fight, and that
Is what made them tired. Their occu-
patton mad been that of routine camp
another from escaping from camp ut
night But all in all the obedience to
regulations was wonderful. and the dis
clpllne firm and wise.
There came a time when General lee
saw That something must be done to re-
Hcve the restlessness of the men. So it
happened that the diversion of Practice
Marches was happily hit upon The first
Solo t..I al, H..
were the First North Carolina and the
Sixth Missouri. The first battalions of
each regiment We're to step out at eight
O'Clock sharp in light marching order,
carrying each man his dog tent were
to make a circuit of Is miles through
Havana province: were to meet and
camp at the<same place for two nights;
were to return to the home-camp about
the same time. This programme was
carried out without a hitch, at least SO
far as the North Carolina men were
concerned
1t was a bliflie morning: the air was so
diaphanous that though the Gulf was
three -1Diles away. none of the cham
payne effect of its sparkle seemed to be
lost. The regimental band was in spank
ing fine shape and the music almost
made the waiting battalion paw the
ground. it was so anxious to move for
ward. l believe. too, it was Sunday
morning. 1t seems strange that in war
time everything seems to happen on
Sunday. The other men of the regi-
ment were massed about to speed their
comrades. The women of the regiment
were there, too: Mrs. DIR. Wilder, Mrs.
Patton, Miss Patton, Mrs. Pruden.
These were the companies now await
ing the order to March" Company X,
Raleigh. Captain VIM. II. Beavers;
Company Il, Statesville, Captain Robert
l.. Flannigan; Company l.. Concord,
Captain Edward Hill: Company I'll,
Waynesville, Captain VIM. j. Hannah.
In command of the Battalion was Major
Wiliford G. Smith. His staff was com
posed of Battalion Adjutant Patton, OF
Asheyille Assistant Surgeon Baxter X.
Hunter; Lieutenant Algernon Sartoris
representing General Lee. Young Fitz
Lee represented Headquarters in the
Sixth Missouri.
The camps were so entirely separate
in organization. each going about its
own duties. that, rs the Tar-Heels passed
along the road ito the suburbs of Ha-
vana. men asked what regiment is
that" Somebody answered. 1.-The best
in the Corps. Now you know what re-
yiment it is. 'of,
The band preceded the men for two
miles and kept the step CHEEKY. The
Cubanitas pressed against the window
bars of the houses of the villages, and
the men leaned OYER the ratings of the
piazzas. The men were splendid, and
the Cubans said it, and the Cubanitas
looked il with their big black eyes and
powdered faces. looked at the mems
thighs and calves and hacks and loins
and shoulders and arms, and necks. at