Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1911-01-12
Written for the News {;

Written for the News:
On July IS, 1897, ye writer gave up
a position as moterman on the Nash
vile Street Railway, and enlisted in
the U. S. Army, and on the 18th was
sent to jefferson Barracks, Mo, and
from there was assigned July Goth to
Battery "L," 3rd Regiment of Artil-
lery, (which since has been changed to
the 33rd Co. Coast Artillery stationed
at Alcatraz Island, California. left
Jefferson Barracks on the morning of
July 29th, to make my first trip across
the continent We spent few hours
in st. Louis, Mo-, and several OF us
boys put in the time as pleasantly as
we could. Some had been assigned to
different outfits, one man, Elmer S.
Lewis, and myself going to the Pacific
coast. Our first stop of any duration
was at Council Bluff, Iowa. believe
it, at that time. was one of the pret-
test towns had ever seen. The val
lev was rich and level and fertile,
while near by were some lofty noun
tains, which looked as though they
had been built by piling sand by man
ual labor Council Bluffs is opposite
Omaha on the Missouri liver, and is
an important railroad city. and a
trade center for Southern Iowa.
Our next stop was at Omaha, Ne
hraska. where we spent only short
time, there taking sleeper for our
Frisco trip. Our long ride across Ne
braska was of little Importance, ex-
cepting the fine farms and nice coun-
try homes. / think Nebraska, as a
whole, is the finest farming country
l ever saw, if they do not have rain
there. It never rains in some parts Of
the state, but the dews are quite sutfi-
cient. Our next stop was at Cheyenne,
Wyoming, and there the snow capped
Rockies appeared. These Rocky Noun
tains were grand sight to me, and
while the train was running along the
valleys below, the snow gllstened
above us in the sunlight, and it was
very warm in the valleys, but it was
like winter on August 1st as we cross
ed the summit of these noted and
world-known mountains. After the
beautiful scenery, deep canyons, high
bluffs and the descent, we stopped In
Ogden, Utah, for two hours. After
spending the two hours very pleasant
ly, we again boarded the train for San
Francisco, CAL Passing around the
great Salt Lake and across Nevada. we
were soon in the land of flowers and
sunshine, and it was our first intro
duction to the "Native Sons. That
we shall speak of later on.
After short stop in Sacramento,
the capital of California, we went on
our way but as we crossed Nevada at
night we can't say much about it.
We arrived in Frisco about 10 a. m,
Aug 3, 1897, and were soon on the
government boat Gen Mcdowell"
crossing the bay, or part of it, over
to Alcatraz Island. Friend Lewis and
myself were soon introduced to Capt
Hess, the commanding officer, and
were then assigned to the awkward
squad to be drilled by the old fogies,
''non- CONS, until we could do our
turn at guard duty. Alcatraz Island is
a military prison, and may write a
piece later about it.
After being with the outfit nearly a
year and having target practice, a
months camping at Precedio de San
Francisco, an order came for us to
prepare for trip to Manila, P. l. We
were in camp then at Ft. Baker.
"Papa'' Hess, retired as Major, and
the Battery boys bought him fine
silver set, and just before he left the
post the 1st Sergeant fell in the Bat
terry and marched us to headquarters
and presented to the old and beloved
Capt. Hess the silver set, for which he
tried to thank us, but.with big tears
down his cheeks, with an
effort he said: "Men-I-cannot-
thank-you-in-wo -words-but-down -
here (placing his hand over his heart)
I will-never-forget-you. I-can't
express" Just here he turned
With "about face" walked into his
quarters with wave of the hand,
closed the door, and that was the last
time ever saw him.
As our orders were to get ready to
move, we were all soon ready and
waiting to get the orders to go aboard
I!