Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-04-01
BACK FROM CUBA.
Sergeant Deal Now Knows How
to Appreciate America.
Interesting Incidents Of a Notable Trip

| lulUl UDlluS luuluUun VI U NutuuIu AlAP'
How the Custom Officers Were Hood
winked-Fumigation of Baggage-Merry
Men on the Train-Now Comfortably
Settled In Camp.
Correspondence Of the Yorkville Enquirer.
On BOARD SPECIAL TRAIN, Be-
tween Waycross and Augusta, Ca,
March 25, 1S99.-Back in the states,
speeding swiftly through a civilized
land on a civilized train, with Goods
country" before our eyes, and the
magic word "home" ringing in our
ears.
Away from the horrible sights and
foul odors of Cuba. From devasta,
ted country and degenerate people ;
back to the land of our birth, where we
can drop the "sign manual" and con.
verse in grand old English where we
will be treated with less civility, but
more honesty and where happy,
contented people are living bountifully
upon the results of their industry
upon the inexhaustable wealth of their
country. Away from the scenes of
starvation, cruelty and oppression /;
from the land of strong, numerous
Notifications and fine public works,
built by a cruel, remorseless servi-
tude of worse than slavery back to
America, our country, where an in
telligent people are faithfully work
ing out, and living out, the new
development of the wise principles
laid down by the fathers. This
is something of what the men are
thinking as we are rushing across
Georgia tonight.
1t was on the morning of the 21st,
that there came feeting rumor that
the continual efforts of Colonel Jones
to get the regiment away from Cuba,
before any serious sickness should oc-
cur, had been successful. That after
noon we received an advice to get
ready to move at once, and before
night came the orders that the regi-
ment would leave Immediately in four
detachments the first, composed of
companies A and B, leaving the next
day, on the steamer Olivette, which
plies between Havana and Tampa.
That night we packed, bag aud bag
gage and boxes. Plenty of boxes FILL
ed with cigars, photographs and vari.
GUS souvenirs and relics of our stay in
Cuba. The next morning, after piling
high ten big four-mule army wagons
with our baggage, we started on the
nine mile march to and through Hava-
ma to the wharf, where tug took us
out to the Olivette, which was lying
out in the harbor.
A few hours later and we were pass
ing Moro Castle on the homeward
passage. Although we travelled in the
steerage, a la Uncle Sam, our return,
compared to the trip over, was very
delightful pleasure cruise. The Oil
yette is one of the best and fastest
boats in southern waters, and cuts the
waves with scarcely percepIible roll.
Very few of the men got sick on the
trip over, and with them it was more
the effects of the vile cognac than sea-
sickness. Their principal concern dur
ing the entire passage was in regard
10 the quarantine and the custom
house officers. AS to whether or not
the disinfection process would ruin
their cigars, photographs, sandal wood {,
fans, etc., and as to whether, on ac-
count of their being soldiers, the GUS
tom house officers would allow their
cigars to pass without the regular
duty. The ships crew and passen-
gers were continually questioned but
as some assured them favorably and
Others to the contrary, they were as
much at sea as ever. had about a
thousand on board myself, and so
when we got to Tampa I went to the
chief revenue officer and told him
frankly that I had number of cigars
in my baggage and desired to know
if l would be allowed to pass them,
and if not how much the duty would
be. "What did they cost you 100 ?"
he asked. "Well, about $780," an
swered, rating them very low. Then" "
he said, "they will cost $3.50 100
tariff, 35 cents on the dollar for inter
mel revenue and something else ad.
valorem." Then I said, II must buy
my cigars three times again." and as
he cruelty answered "yes," turned
and went down in the hold determined
that should do no such thing.
We had arrived the night before at
Key West, where our baggage was to
have been quarantined but as the
quarantine laws had lot yet gone into
effect, the officers managed to get it
passed through. And had we been an
hour earlier in reaching Tampa, it
would have gotten through all right,
for telegram from the secretary of
war, received after we arrived, order
ed that it should all, excepting the
ordnance and commissary supplies, be
disinfected.
Now, when I left the revenue officer
and went down into the hold, the men
had begun to unload the ordnance and
commissary goods, putting the rest of
the baggage to one side. I was fully
determined that my box should 60