The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-05
LIKE THE VALLEY OF VIRGINIA.
Chaplain StringfeIIow Describes His
Regiment's Cnmn In Cubn.

Regiments Camp In Cuba.
Among the members of the secret ser
vice of the Confederacy there was one of
extraordinary daring, ability and success.
His name was Frank Stringfelow. His adj
ventures in, 1.-The days that tried mems
souls" would fill many books. 1t is a rare
treat to gather in the evening around
cosy fire and listen to an Episcopal Ger
gyman for such Capt. STingfellow now
is, narrate with all the virile strength and
accuracy of description that comes Of per-
sonal experience, stories of the life of
scout in the Army of Northern Virginia.
When the Fourth Virginia was mustered
into the service OF the United States, upon
the outbreak of hosulities with Spain, Rev.
Mr.. Stringfellow was commissioned cap
tain and chaplain of the regiment. He was
with it when the regiment sailed for Cuba
and from thence writes Interestingly to u
friend in this city. his impressions Of the
island.
He says of the regiments camp: This
section, five miles west of Havana is very
rich and beautiful. 1t is a limestone for
nation like the valley of Virginia. with
the tough red mud of orange and the
grass Of London. No part of Virginia ex-
cept Rapidan station is so beautiful. We
have fine view of the straits Of Florida
from our camp and also of the mountain
upon which Maceo was killed"
Clothing seems to be an unimportant
element of outfit for fife among the poorer
classes. They have pair of pants and
shirt for field work When it gets warm
about 10 o'clock-off comes the shirt. The
children of this class use no clothing, not
one stitch, untif six or seven years old. No
doubt this is partly due to the long wars
and the high price of every useful arti-
Gle"
There has been luxury and poverty,
side by side for years Many of the
houses have been grand in their day, but
everything is crumbling into decay. This
island looks moss-covered. Its glory has
departed from it. The papers have not
exaggerated the crueities of the Spaniards
nor The sufferings and poverty of the Gu
bans. Many have starved to death; many
slain in their homes. Many little girls, II
and IL years Of age, have just been turned
out of prison to become mothers in a
short time. We have two cases of this
sort within a mile of us"
Capt, StringfellOW continues In his letter,
of which extracts only have been given,
the story of the restitution and want to
which Spanish oppression has reduced the
native inhabitants of the island, and urges
the pressing necessity of immediate steps
for their relief. Several days after we
moved to camp" he says, I'VE found three
little negro boys, sleeping under a bush,
their only home. They were all that
were left of their families. The next day
the railroad train killed a horse. The buz-
yards and the boys found it about the
! same time. The boys drove off
the buzzards until they had
first satisfied their hunger, then the buzz
yards took a turn. We threw away a de-
caying beef head and the three boys
seized it and ate it raw, tearing off the
flesh with their teeth and gulping it down
whole. We have been feeding them for
several days"
The captain then turned to more pleas
ant topics. He pays a tribute to the hos
pitality of Savannah and the appreciation
in which the officers and men of the
Fourth holds it. ct has fallen to my lot
TO look after the mail good deal since 1
have been an this camp. If the Savannah
girls could see the number of letters go
ing to misses in Savannah they would feel
| hattered Savannah leads any other office
| three to one"