Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-01
MARINES ARE WAITING
READY FOR ANY ATTACK BY
COLOMBIAN TROOPS.
Will Give the Invaders a Surprise
Experience in Camp Elliott-Rein-
forcements on the Way.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

CAMP ELLIOTT, Panama, Dec 20, 1903
/ There will soon be LOGO marines at Camp
Elliott. Perhaps some surprises await the
Colombian soldiers should they attempt to
attack our boys. Major Ramsey, the adj
jutant of the battalion, told us all that
2,SOO Colombian soldiers were expected TO
come to fight US. Heereceived cablegram
telling him to get quarters ready for 600
marines, who are coming down on the
Dixie. That will make 1,OOO marines at
Empire station alone. Captain Butler, who
is we'll known in Washington, has a COM
pany of marines, who came on the US S.
Prairie, few miles from here as an out
post to signal in case of danger. The
major says he thinks that the Colom-
bian soldiers will be near us soon. We are
all ready for them. We will give to them
big surprise. We mean business no bluff
ing this time. 1t will not be an accidental
shot this time, but shot that is prepared
for them and aimed with determination.
We are certainly in very foreign place,
far, far from Washington and thirteen
miles from Panama City. 1t Is, indeed, an
unlucky number of miles, for none of us
can get any liberty to go there. All the
business stores here are managed by China
men, and one must make signs to make
them understand. We are all working very
hard doing guard duty, etc. There is
nothing unpleasant here, but we do miss
the noise of the Washington street cars,
the daily concerts of the Marine Band and
the pretty girls who used to attend them.
We just eat our fill of oranges and try to
forget the good things left behind in Wash
ington. l go on guard at pm. and re-
main on guard until $50 pm. the same
evening, and next morning l go on guard
again at $50 for the commanding officer
and remain on duty until pm, going on
errands, delivering messages for five men,
which certainly keeps one very busy Cap
tain Writ McCreary, who is in command,
was interested in my first letter published
in The Evening Star, headed "On Board
the Dixie Another officer wanted to know
when another letter would be published.
The boys all professed to be pleased with
the description of the trip down from
League Island, and say they intend to
write to their friends about the letter
Captain McCreary has seen considerable
service He is an Annapolis man, but left
the navy. When the Spanish war broke
out he applied for service and was on one
Of the auxiliary cruisers throughout the
war. Subsequently he received a commits
sion in the marine corps, and was pro
NOTED to be captain. He is the son of Gen.
David B. McCreary of Erie. Pa, and the
nephew of United States Senator James B.
McCreary of Kentucky His father was
colonel of Pennsylvania regiment In the
civil war, and the son is chip of the old
block, SO far as fighting is concerned, only
he prefers the sea to the land. In fact he
has always been fond of the water. and
when a ten-year- old boy at Erie, Pa, was
one Of the best boatmen in the harbor
there.
There are twenty eight stations between
Colon and Panama city. Our camp is at
Empire between Las Cascades and Guile
bra. Our station is the nineteenth from
Colon. Beautiful trees abound on the 18TH
mus. There is one directly in front of my
quarters. 1 wish I could send 1t in all its
beauty to adorn Ethe E1obby of The Star
building. One tree bears an ivory nut hard
and h ito frnfr tha tiIaS L
most beautiful carved rings and other GU
rious things. There is only one newspaper
and that is published In Panama-the Star
and Herald. Single copies sell for 10 cents.
We have been shown the map of the 18TH
mus and the Panama canal, and how 1t is
expected to be constructed has been ex-
planned to 1t appears to US all grand
and most wonderful We are, of course,
much Interested. We are told that forty
thousand men, with modern machinery and
ten years of hard work will be required to
complete the canal, and that fourteen miles
of the canal have been dug. Thirtytwo
ditch in a day Empress Eugene gave
statue of Columbus, which was put up at
the point where the work was begun. The
Panama railroad will be relocated. Only
black men from the West Indies will be
employed to work the undertaking,
principally men from Jamaica. The canal
will be forty-six miles long and it will take
ship fifteen hours to go through. 1t will
The following verses recently appeared in
the Star and Herald. They were written
by James Stanley Gilbert and are sung to
the air of America"
Daughter of oceans twain,
Pearl isle sand golden main,
Hail Panama!
Glorious thy history
Shall thro' the ages be,
Offspring Of liberty,
Hail Panama.
Queen Of the summer land
By Natures high command
Hail Panama
Peaceful as thy birth,
Thy shall make thy worth
known all the earth,
Hail Panama.
Freedom is thine by right,
In honor lies thy might,
Hall Panama.
Wisdom sincerity,
Bring thee prosperity,
Hail Panama!
JOHN SWAIL, Jr.,
Company b, Marine Battalion.