Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1898 — Another Soldier Boy Writes Back. [ARTICLE]

Another Soldier Boy Writes Back.

Camp Cuba, Jacksonville Fla., Sept. lst v IB9B. ."Kind readers; as I have not -written a letter to the public I will -,'teke the Opportunity of writing , and give a few ideas what an army ‘fife is. In the first place a person has trials and temptations to go through with that he has never . experienced before, and I can say this much that it will take a good .-strong will power to fight against •the many temptations and come . out victorious. I dare say that thero are boys in our company who wish they had never seen a crap game, or the old Army game, as some of them call it. There are several of the boys -dead broke and have been for a week or more just on account of jthat game. But we had a glorious meeting here last week; we have a larger tent for that purpose than . any other Regt. on the ground and yet it was packed to its full capacity every night. We had a man by the name, of Sheveria, •.whose name is more than likely 'familiar to some of you, he only ttalked to us three different evenings but he knows how to go after the boys; he has been engaged in the good work for more than twenty years; he succeeded in bringing about 150 to the light so you see we can have just as prosperous meetings here in our tent as can be had in any church. One thing that I want to speak about and that, is our march from camp to Jacksonville. We made the trip in about seven hours and a half, a distance of twenty miles, ,-on the morning of August 31st \ were to start at 12 a. m. We had 'dinner at 11 and were all ready when the command was given to march, all the boys left camp as Jiappy as larks whistling and -singing. The Major let us march as we pleased until we got to town, we took two good rests on the way we marched up through the business part of the city. We were reviewed by General Lee and several more men of his rank. I suppose. We kept marching, I don’t know how far, but were finally stopped for about an hour and then we started on our journey back to camp. We all felt refreshed but we inarched very slow we took one short stop on the way back, that was when we were about half way back and from there the rest of the way to camp the faster the boys would march .and when we got to camp the boys were nearly all on a run. I felt just like I had been plowing corn all day.

It was just about half past 7 o’clock when we arrived at camp and I suppose you have some ide’a how a person would feel that had not anything to eat since 11 o'clock, the first thing was to get something to eat, the cooks lmd everything already and our appetites were soon satisfied. We lmd a good breakfast, there was coffee, hard tack, fried ham, rolled oats and good fried potatoes. Now if that is not enough for a fellow, I don’t know what more he would ask for. Our commanders were easy on us the next day; we had no drills, they just let us lav and rest all day and you might know yvo would not make a kick. We have several homesick boys in our company. I believe that if it was put to a vote two thirds would vote to go home and that is tne feeling of the whole 7th army corps. It is an undecided question so far in regards to us going to *Cubn. A person can hear all kinds of rumors but I will not believe that we are going until we start. I am willing to go wherever we are called if it be a just cause. If we do go it will be a month before we leave and we would not stay over there more than 4 or 5 months. This is what the Chaplain said and I believe he knows’ as much about it as the Col. does, and according to that we would •only be there during the good season and I would just as leave go .as not for ,1 believe it would be a

good place to spend the winter. I would like to be home the next campaign. Our Regt. is situated right alongside of Col. Bryans. I have seen Bryan and he don’t look like his picture that I saw so often. He surely must have had some improvement put on that picture, so as to get more votes.

W. C. THARP.