16
LETTERS FROM VOLUNTEERS
A Couple of Interestine, Because Natural and
Characteristic, Letters From Los Angeles Lads
Servine Their Country, the One Written by a
''Roughrider" at Tampa, Florida, and the Other
by a Gunner on Gen. Merritt's Flagship Newport
WITH THE FIRST U. S. VOLUNTEER
CAVALRY, TAMPA, Fla., July 12.-The
officers and men that did not go with their
regiment on the Shafter expedition are
highly elated at the success of American
arms In Cuba, and especially proud of the
valor displayed by the Rough Riders; but
If the detachment stationed at Tampa Is
not moved to the front, the members of it
are never likely to boast of having been
rough riders. As "veterans of the late
war," they would feel 111 at ease If asked
the question, "Were you left behind with
the horse detail?"
This detachment, six hundred strong,
will probably embark for Cuba within
the next few days. Peace may be de
clared before they are given an opportuni
ty to prove their loyalty on the battle
field; they will nevertheless run the
gauntlet of all the diseases Incident to
a wet season in Cuba. They will faith
fully perform the duty assigned them.
"And if denied the victor's meed." they
shall "not lack the toller's pay."
Time spent In a military camp passes
Quickly. There is the routine work; drill,
the writing of a letter or two. and—joy of
a soldier's life— perhaps the receipt of one.
If a man Is ambitious he finds time to
study the drill and guard manuals or
glance at a work on strategy and tactics.
If he be Indolent, he whiles away the leis
ure moments with a novel or magazine.
Thrice a day sounds the ever-welcome
mess call. Thus the hours have rushed
into days, days crowded Into weeks, weeks
passed into months.
Many an evening is made pleasant by
song. Skip Skull of Harvard has an ex
cellent voice, and the boys never fail to
call on him tor "Tommy Atkins," "Troop
ers of the Empress," "They are Hanging
Danny Deever." and other of Kipling's
barrack ballads.
Speaking of Kipling—in his "American
Notes" that eminent Englishman ably por
trayed the bombardment of American sea
ports by a foe. He seemed to
fancy it would be an easy task for a second
rate power to destroy our coast cities or to
collect tribute from them. But now the
weak arm of America Is In demand. Jingo,
nasal twang and flat vowels seem less ex
cruciating to our English cousins than
heretofore. Mr. Kipling is a member of a
committee "to promote better relations and
closer union" between Great Britain and
the United States. The London Dally
Graphic observes: "The story of the splen
did manner in which the Rough Riders car
ried San Juan Is instinct with the spirit of
Balaklava." What more could a Briton
say?
After the organization of this regiment,
It was found that some of the officers, as
well as the men, were much in need of
drill. An excitable captain gave the com
mand, "Mark time, march." His troop
Krai mounted when the order was given.
"Men," said a first sergeant Impressive
ly, "when I command 'Right dress,' I want
•very one of you to turn your head and
•yes to the left."
A worthy newly made captain said to
bis superior officer: "Major, I had a pecu
liar experience today. I was approaching
a sentry, when he turned his back on me
and came to a present." "Tee," said the
major, with assumed gravity, "that wa3
astonishing, but it Is one of the queer reg
ulations of ihe guard manual that sentries
honor officers in precisely that way."
The Hough Riders in Cuba are armed
only with the carbine. Their revolvers and
machetes were not taken with them. The
machete has a one-edged blade, thirty
Inches long. There is no guard for the
hand. It is an ugly weapon, and bears the
appearance of an exaggerated butcher
knife.
Even at bereavement a soldier should
not give way to grief. He cannot do his
part well with a heavy heart and a broken
spirit. A comrade dies. The troops
march to the funeral to the dirge and return
to the quickstep. In civil life this might be
shocking; in military life It is proper. Be
neath a veneer of unconcern and Jest every
soldier sincerely regrets the loss of com
rades in Cuba; sympathizes with their af
flicted families, and has deep concern for
the wounded.
Corporal George Doherty and Trooper
Edward Liggett, who both fell at La Quas
lma, were the first Arizonans to die in tho
war with Spain.
Captain Ailyn K. Capron, who fell at-tia
Quaslma, was six feet In height, of hand
some countenance and martial bearing.
Captain Capron possessed a rare knowledge
of military science. His death was a se
vere bow to the regiment. Capron's com
mand, given In death, "Never mind me,
boys; go on and fight," is as worthy of re
membrance as the immortal words of Law
rence and entitle him to an abiding place in
the minds of all Americans.
Captain William O. O'Neill, who was
killed at the storming of a blockhouse on
July Ist, was mayor of Prescott when made
commander of Troop A, this regiment. He
had been sheriff of Tavapal county, and by
the efficient discharge of his duties became
known throughout the territory as a man
Of courage. At the battle of La Quaslma
O'Neill gave commands while he was smok
ing cigarettes; as soon as one was con
sumed he would light another. It Is re
ported that at the landing at Baiqulri he
rlske'd his life in a fruitless attempt to res
cue two negro soldiers who had fallen over
board and were crushed between vessels.
Captain O'Neill's manly qualities and mod
est yet dignified bearing won for him a host
of friends.
Difficult sociological problems have risen
of late years and occasioned gloomy fore
bodings as to the future of the United
States. The present finds our country
more closely united than ever before. The
army la a hand grasp between its different
sections and diverse Interests, and the suc
cess of American arms is a rebuke to those
who bewail the degeneracy of the nation.
" We have hearts In a cause:
.We ars noble still."
isiSJ&tt,,»• H. OARRETT.
I ON BOARD THE STEAMER NEW
[ PORT, Honolulu, July 7.—Anticipating a
great many interesting things that can be
written in regard to our contemplated voy
age, I will write this letter In the form of a
diary, and make my statements as clear and
concise as possible.
JUNE 2S.—We were up at 4:80 this morn
ing to prepare for breaking camp, and
From that time until S:00 a.l was stir and
bustle. By that time everything was In
shape except that the empty tents were still
standing. Knapsacks and haversacks
were packed, the camp ground was clean
and ready for Its next occupants, and with
arms and knapsacks we waited. At 10:00
the general call (which Is the signal for
breaking camp) sounded, and with a whoop
and a hurrah we let the tents fall and
roiled them as quickly as possible. At about
11 o'clock we started on our five mile march
to the docks. The weather was stifling
hot, and, together with our heavy loads and
the cobblestones, the march was a hard one
Some of the boys came very near falling by
the wayside. We received a great ovation
as we passed through the city. Dense
crowds lined the streets the greater part of
the distance. Along Market street we had
great difficulty in keeping In ranks. Bottles
of beer, fruit, etc., were distributed freely
among the soldiers by the male population,
while the ladies, not to be outdone, showered
flowers and fruit upon us. When we reach
ed the dock the ladies of the Red CrfiSs
(who, by the way, deserve the highest
praise for their hospitality and kindness)
fed us, and made us feel at home. Other
ladies, not connected with the Red Cross,
gave us enough tobacco to last until we get
to Honolulu. The people of San Francisco
can truly open their hearts, and, what is
more tangible, their pocketbooks. They
will long be romembered by the soldier boys
The Astor battery had already been as
signed bunks when we (Batteries H' and
X) arrived. By 4 o'clock we had all been
assigned bunks and were receiving visitors
by the thousands. In the evening the sol
diers "took In the city." I went to tb-
Grand opera house with a friend and saw a
blood-curdling play. I was very glad to
turn In after a long and tiresome day.
JUNE 29.—The sun rose bright and clear,
while most of the soldiers snored and I
slept off the previous evening's dissipation
In their bunks. I was up early inspecting 1
our home, and watching the freight being
transferred from the wharf to the hold ot
the ship. I will attempt to give you some
idea of how we are situated. The New
port is ."35 feet long and very narrow in
proportion. She is capable of milking
twenty knots. Our bunks are on the
lower deck, or steerage. They were im
provised for the occasion, and are nearly
600 in number, built in rows, three high,
two wide, and running the width and half
the length of the ship. Between the rows
is an aisle. The ventilation is fair, and
everything must be kept clean. At 8
o'clock nearly everybody was on deck,
eager, expectant and noisy, cheering for
everything and nothing. Visitors surged
through the ship, and a sea of faces looked
up from the wharf. We were to leave at
10 o'clock. Shortly before that hour Gen
eral Merrltt and staff, with Murat Hal
stead and Millet, war correspondent for
the London Times, came aboard, amid a
din of cheering. A few minutes later we
were off. A few miles out to sea the
rocking and pitching of the ship was
having its effect, and one by one the vic
tims sought the rail, not to cheer as they
had been doing, but for another purpose.
The Karallone islands came and wont, and
we saw the last of American soil. Very
few lined up for meall the first day out,
and one by onf the boys retired from the
deck to their bunks. The Astor battery,
about which so much has been said and
written, is formed, I acknowledge, of a
different class, generally, tHan those in
our battery. Many of them are the
sons of wealthy people, and a good many
college men arc amony them. But I have
not found the majority of them at all
stuck up.
JUNE 30.—Last night the sea was very
rough, and we had to "lay to" for six
hours, making only two and a half knots
in that time. Many who had traveled ex
tensively on water were sick. I was
surprised to find the Pacific so unpaolflc.
I was happily free from sickness. I lined
up for grub every meal, and came back for
"seconds."
JULY s.—Not enough of Interest has hap
pened since I wrote last to maintain a diary.
The gerat ocean continues to stretch be
hind us, before us and from all sides. We
are now about I.SOO miles from San Fran
cisco, making the difference In time about
two hours. 'For two days the weather has
been gradually getting warmer, and the
sea has been so calm that the ship glides
through it as if she were on a blgmlllpond.
The only inhabitant of the deep I have seen
was a flying fish, which I saw this morning
skimming like a swallow close to the water
and then diving quickly into the sea. To
morrow evening we expect to reach Hono
lulu, and then I can surely find somelhing
to write about. Everybody has been out
of his bunk for a couple of days, and all
signs of seasickness have disappeared. We
pass the time very pleasantly on the up
per deck, singing, listening to music (there
are several musical instruments among
the boys), playing cards—for fun—
and gossiping. We have in our battery a
veritable wonder, in the shape of a whis
tler. He has had the reputation of being
the best whistler In the state of Indiana.
He is an entertainment in himself, and is
always in demand. The general seems to
be a very hearty, sociable gentleman. He
takes a constitutional up and down the
deck every day, and Is not too proud to
say a kindly word to a poor devil of a pri
vate. In addition to a major general, a
brigadier general, lieutenant colonels and
majors galore, we have a brigadier general
of the Salvation Army on board, who is
journeying to Manila with us, but he sleeps
and eats with the privates. There is
12,600,000 in gold on board to be used to pay
LOS ANGELES HERALD: SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 24, 1898
the soldiers. There are eleven sentry posts
on the ship, and we all have to take our
turn on guard. I was on the other day.
Each guard Is on two hours and off four,
making eight hours on, guard in the twen
ty-four.
JULY 7.—At last, after some delay, we
are lying in the harbor of Honolulu, to
gether with the four transports which pre
ceded us; also the Monadnock, with Its col
lier. The harbor Is full of ships of all de
scriptions, looking very picturesque against
the green background of trees and foliage.
The water is as smooth as glass, hardly a
ripple stirring its surface, and the sun
shines down bright and warm. The trees
are so thick that very little of the town can
be seen from the ship.
Day before yesterday we were delayed by
a breakdown In the machinery. During
that time three sharks were caught and
nearly hauled on board, but all of them got
away. It was quite exciting and creatf I
considerable diversion, about the only
thing that happened In our somewhat mo
notonous trip. We do not go ashore until
4 oclock, I understand, and then I can get
a better idea of the size and style of the
city. As soon as we had anchored this
morning about 5 oclock many natives came
out In small boats to sell thetr pineapples,
bananas, plea, etc. They did not have
much trouble In disposing of them, as we
had not had any fruit since leaving San
Francisco. The natives are not very dark
skinned, but are as fair an a very light
Greaser. (Later.) I have chang-ed my
opinion In regard to the hue of the natives.
Some are almost as black as negroes. I
have Just had a fine swim and feel rejuv
enated. Native boys have been lurking In
the water at the side of our vessel, diving
for coins thrown to them. They are won
ders in the water and never missed a
chance. We have Just had a royal feed In
front of the executive mansion, given by
the ladles. I am writing this In the house
of representatives, with the portraits of
Hawaiian monarchs looking down upon
me. You will have to wait until I writ"
from Manila for a description of the town,
as I shall not have time to add more.
JOirx A. GRAY,
Third United States Artillery.
THE INDULGENT FATHER
One That Colonel Calliper Knew in
'Storkville Center, Vt.
"Speaking of indulgent fathers." said Col.
Calliper, "reminds me of an old friend of
mine named Silas Zlngtock, who formerly
lived in Storkville Center, Vt. Once when
his little son Kufus wanted very much to
fly a kite, at a time when he was not well
i enough to be permitted to go int. Mr. Zlng
| tock rigged up a contrivance whereby the
j youngster's desire could be gratified in ihe
house. He set up a blower in the back
parlor, belted It to an engine in the cellar
I below, and when everything as all ready he
| started the fan and produced a current of
air that was ample to float a kite.
"It was great fun for young Rufus to sit
in the back parlor and fly his kite In the
front, and for a time everything went all
right; but on an unfortunate day Rufy,
not satisfied with the amount of wind the
j fan was blowing, undertook to make it
; blow harder, which is something that Mr.
i Zlngtock had expressly forbidden. It seems
j that the blower and the boiler and machin
ery were all much larger than were needed
j to produce a breeze sufficient to float a kite
| here, but Mr. Zingtoek, who, though rich,
j was also thrifty, had had a chancejojioy
. this plant second hand cheaper than a n«>w
I plant of smaller size would have cost, and
so he took it and had it set up, and every
1 morning he used to adjust It so that It
would not go above a certain speed, and
several times he had cautioned hig son
never to touch It.
"About one minute after Rufus did touch
it on this morning when he Wanted It to
, blow harder, the big fan was going at a gait
that set up a hurricane in tile parlors. It
blew the kite against one of the windows
and broke that the first thing, ami within
a minute the pictures were off the walls
and their glasses smashed, tables were up
set, bric-a-brac was knocked into Binders,
and the whole parlor was a wreck, with
the big blower going at top spe»d and churn
ing everything there into fragments and
blowing the debris out of the windows.
"That ended the father's Indulgence."—
. New York Sun. ,
DEWEY AND THE GERMAN FLEET
American Philippine Squadron Compared With the Warships
of the Kaiser Now Cruising About the Islands
Admiral Dewey'? action in deliberately capturing Isle Grande in Sublg bay »ndj
tumi&g it over to th« insurgcntsaf:er the German man-of-war Irene had attempted to
prevent such a transfer, is important from whatever pointi of view it be looked at.
Whether all the details of the transaction have come to light or not is of nr> moment.
The cardinal point is that Germany has been interfering in what we Americans con
sider our own business. Naturally we resent such conduct as an impertinence, amk
we do not propose to put up with it.
Dewey ha.? a pretty good force of fighting ships and men under him at Manila, and
though the number of ships and guns may not he quite as grea', as those the Germans
have, our fighting elements have been put to the test. An 8-Inch shot ilred straight
Is better than a 10-inch shot that goes crooked.
The Kaiser and Demnchlann" have 10-inch armor of the old iron type.
When the Monterey, of 4140 tons nnd four guns, and the Monadnock, of 4000 tons and
six guns, arrive the American squadron will amount to 29,750 tons displacement and
sixty-five guns.
Dewey's 8-inch do make hulls eyes, that we know positively. Perhaps the German
10-inch can do that as well, but this we do not know. We have, too, such an abiding
faith in Dewey himself that we heiieve he can smash anything he chooses to smash, the'
German squadron quite as readily as the Spanish squadron. Here are the two forces
as they stand today:
Germany's Asiatic Squadron Admiral Dewey's quadron
58 " 9 > 5? S 0 £ »
B it » 32
S f 1 § - SI
5 E 8 * 5 3 =
3 CI 2 i
5 8 >° ; § 3 >-S
s r 3 g : 3 .11
: 3 = : : 3C
i j j I j 1 :
■t:! : • i H
Kat«»r 7,676 8 10-ln, 1 *-ln Olympla 5.K00 4 R-in.. 10 5-ln. 14
7 5-9-ln 1-5 Baltimore 4.(100 4 S-in., (i 6-ln. 10
Deutsohland 7,676 8 10-ln. 1 S-ln., Charleston 4.040 2 S-in., 6 6-ln. S
7 6-9-lni 16 Boston 3.100 2 S-in., 6 6-!n. S
Irene 4,400 6 5-ln., S 4-in., 14 Raleigh 3,150 1 6-in., 10 5-in. 11
Prin'ss Wllhelm 4,400 6 S-in., 8 4-ln. 14 Petrel SOO 4 6-in. 4
Kalaerln A'gusta 6,800 12 5-9-tn., 8 8-4-ln. 20 —
Cormoran 1.640 8 4.1-ln. 8 ■ S3
Geflon 4.10S 10 4-ln. 10 *
Totals 36,200 9S
Germany has one-third more tons of displacement than the United States and
nearly douhle the number of guns.
A MIDSUMMER BEAUTY
1 Shirt Waists '
■ Three unusual lines, with excellence crowded into every garment. £
♦< All 65c Shirt Waists reduced to 35c *
All 75c Shirt Waists reduced to «5C *
I All #1.00 Shirt Waists reduced to : 65c ji
i WOMEN'S WASH 1
I WRAPPERS Pflßßie \
d REDUCED SPECIALS
•J 75c Wrappers now 43c Lawns now 5e j
1 90c Wrappers now 58c 20c Dimities now 10c j
|| #t.25 Wrappers now 75c | 25c Organdies now 15c j
I A &,,k i
Burpr,Be
I Best quality Foulard Silks, new,
1 jsr^i^^^_/ / choice designs, rich color print- |
I yvs7r\7 ings, actually worth jj1.25 a yard. H-\ r \
1/ t\\ To close ' |
| STORE NEWS J
§ 5i.25 French Chamois Gloves at.. .95c 1 25c Fast Black Hose at 20c jj
1 Si 00 Black Twilled Umbrellas at. 75c 60c Summer Corsets at »Oc I
i $1.50 Fancy Neckwear at BSC .82.50 Checked Linen Skirts at. $1,35 1
"ill Willi IW ■« ■I M 111 HI Wll■' '1 "Wl »■ ■ rWFMriISBIMSIIMiIJ
I When Wi11... 1
I The War Terminate ? 1
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