Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1898 — Arthur Lakin Rejoins His Regiment. [ARTICLE]

Arthur Lakin Rejoins His Regiment.

Arthur Lakin’s furlough having expired, he left Thursday to rejoin hi 3 regiment, the 4th U. S. regulars, at Fort Sheridan, near Chicago. Arthur who is a fine manly and also gentlemanly young fellow, is a son of J. S. Lakin, west of town. He entered the regular army last December, previous to that time he had been pretty much everywhere, and was pretty well accustomed to the hardships of army life, from previous experience as a cowboy, out west. His regiment was in the thick of all the fighting around Santiago, and had 250 men killed and wounded. They got it the worst at El Caney. The regiment also lost 150 from sickness. The regiment was in Cuba from April 22nd to August Bth. Arthur himself had a light case of yellow fever. For 36 hours at one time they had not a bite of grub, except mangoes, cocoannts etc., and for about three weeks during the hard fighting they were usually without shelter. It was absolutely necessary, however, to pitch in and lick the Spaniards before the bad climate got in its work, and the hardships and exposure were unavoidable, and Mr. Lakin has no complaints to make of his treatment —in fact has much to commend. The young man has adopted and adhered to the principle of doing his full duty as a soldier, and avoiding all irregularities and disepations, and accordingly has the respect of his officers and comrades. He has’already made the first small step up the ladder of promotion, and, not unreasonably, believes that other steps are yet to follow.