The Newtown bee., 1899-03-17
A Let ter From Cuba.
MOST OF THE SOLDIERS WILL BE GLAD
TO GET HOME AGAIN.

MOST OF THE SOLDIERS WILL BE GLAD |
TO GET HOME AGAIN.
We are Cuba at last. We left Sa- |
vannah, Ga, the 18Th day of January
and arrived in Havana, Cuba, five days |
| later. We came over in the transport,
Manitoba, and it was a fearful trip, too. |
| Besides our battery there were five |
troops of the Seventh cavalry and q vol |
unteer signal corps regiment. There |
were 800 horses on the first and secend |
decks and below them were the soldiers,
so you can imagine how we were fixed.
The most of the boys were very seasick
| the first two days. l was, myself. Well,
we sailed and sailed out on the water for
| five days and then came into the harbor.
It was early in the morning when we
came in sight Of the city of Havana and
| the first thing we could see was the light
in Moro Castle, and as we drew nearer
we could see more of the city. The city
of Havana from distance is one of the
most beautiful sights l ever witnessed,
but when got into the city L changed
my mind, although there are great
many nice places to see.
After passing Moro Castle, coming
into the harbor, we passed the wreck of
our battle ship. the Maine, and the band
played 1.-The Star Spapgled Banner" and
every soldier raised his hat to the honor
of 265 lives, and to think and look at the
same time was sad sight while Old |
Glory waved over them. After making |
| the boat fast to the dock, we began to
unload 1t. We were all day unloading our
things. We slept Oh the dock that night |
and started for camp in the mornir &,
walking about two miles before we
reached the place. Our camp Is about
two miles out of the city on big hill
called Jesus del Monte, very pretty
place in fact. The whole country around
US is beautiful sight. We have there
large hospital tents, sleeping six men in
in tent, and we have hunks, so we don't
have to sleep on the ground. This large
hill that we are camping on is very
healthy place, so the people around here
tell US. We get good beverage here all
the while, but it is very warm beverage
Here it is the month of February and
1O4 in the shade, so you can imagine
what it will be in the summer.
We are doing provost guard duty in
the different streets, and that is all the
duty we have to do; no drills at all.
We have hard work to understand the
Cubans and it is also hard for them to
| oIH 1f h1r, |
have got they can speak and under
stand them quite we'll now. The Cubaps
are a very ignorant and dirty class of
people. Yet some Of them are very neat.
| These are of the higher class. You can
see some of them very fat, strong and
| ragged, while others are nothing but |
skin and bones. It is sickening to look
at some of them, they are so dirty.
There are great many kinds of fruit |
here, such as oranges, bananas, pine
apples, lemons, cocoanuts, and many |
others that haven't learned the names |
of yet, but we are not allowed to eat any |
of them as we are not used to it, and be- |
sides the doctor warns US against eating |
them because it helps to bring on the |
yellow fever. We lost one of our boys |
with it yesterday, aud good one, too,
Connecticut man at that. He was sick
about week and then died. He died
from the want of good care more than
anything else, although man can't live
long with that. Oh, expect there will
be good many more of us drop off be-
fore we get off of this island, but hope
not There, was an order received here.
the other day, stating that all men who
i enlisted in the the time of war, by apply
ing, could get their discharge, but don't
come under that. enlisted before, but
guess can stick it out little while
longer. I shall try hard to do so. A
great many of the boys are very happy
to think they can 60 home soon. Isbould
like very much to be among the kit, but
am not.
The streets here are very narrow and
without sidewalks. They look like the
alleys we have at home. Two teams
cannot pass on the same street, 30 The
way they do, they have on street to 60
j up on and another to come down on; you
! never see two teams going in different
: direction on one street. They also have
! very odd ways of driving the animals.
lone cart will have two oxen on, with
rings in their noses, and rope in the
+ ring. driving them with reins. Another
= will have six or seven mules, one behind
Il the other, and another will have just
one horse with big load on his back.
Sometimes the horse has all he car do tf
2 carry it, and il he should stop, the mai
will whip him hard with big whip. Il