Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1899 — Another From Havana. [ARTICLE]

Another From Havana.

Visiting' The Wreck of The Maine. Camp Columbia, Havana, Cuba. Feb. 16, ’99. Editor Republican: It has been some time I wrote but news is very scarce. Roll call, mess, guard-mount, drill, mess, dress-parade and mess again. Same old thing day after day. We are all very sick of it but can see ho loophole ahead to get out at. No one seems to be interested enough to agitate the question of our muster out. The first thing we know our regiment will be side-tracked and left here to do garrison duty all summer. Many of the officers want to stay and w T hy not? They are a larger salary than ever before. But while a few officers are being benefited hundreds of privates are losing money every day they remain in the service. They left good jobs and came to fight, and if need be to lay down their lives, not to sit idly here and do garrison duty for $15.60 per month. A vote would show that 90 per cent, of the men are anxious to come home. There is even some rumor of sending a petition to Gov. Mount. Peace has been signed and ratified, and under the present law and our oath of enlistment, we believe that we should be discharged at earliest possible date. < The camp of the 161st is among the best if not the best in the whole 7th Corps Every stone has been removed (and there were enough to build a good road across Jasper county) every inch of ground has been raked with garden rakes, good walks of sea-sand and stones extend the length of every company street to the kitchens. Besides this there are many beautiful designs surrounding many of the tents, and last but not least is our beautiful monument of solid stone and masonery erected in honor of the brave boys that gave their lives for their country while on the island. No other regiment has snch good substantial kitchens as ours, but the secret of that is, an Indiana man had charge of the lumber that was brought to the island. It pays to stand in! (And tnis applies more in the army than any other place.) From all appearances our camp is to be a permanent one. On Jan. 31st the whole Corps was reviewed just west of oui 1 camp by Gen. Lee. There must have been 14,000 men in the review, cavalry, infantry and artillery vied with each other for the for the best showing. None can come up with the 161st. It has the largest men, the longest and truest lines. The cavalry and artillery attract most attention. Another review was to have been held his afternoon but was postponed on account of rain. This being the fourth time that is has been put off. It is anuounced that this will be the last review on the island. Last Saturday I missed one of the greatest sights it has been our lot to see since coming out, the funeral of Gen. Garcia the Cuban patriot. Our boys that saw it, pronounced it grand. The funeral cars and floral decorations surpassed all conception. There are no such funeral cars in America. In this procession there were five but the remains of Garcia reposed on an ammunition wagon. The procession was five hours passing a given point. Yesterday, Feb. 15th, was another. “red-letter’’ day in my life. One year ago the once magnifiyesterday the first aniveraary, I

a time I could only stand with moisture in my eyes and fight down the emotions that would rise in my breast. After gathering myself together, as it were, I began my explorations. The wreck was decorated for the occasion. I scrambled around for some time and had almost despaired of procuring a souvenir when I chanced to see a bolt which I thought I might break off as it was already cracked. I braced myself and placing my foot against it pushing very carefully. I even held my breath for fear it would break suddenly and fall into the water. At last it yielded and I was the proud possessor of two pieces of bolt and a washer. A dozen men who were on the same errand as I, looked at me as if they comtemplated way-laying me and stealing it by force. Next I crowled through a man-hole down into the interior of the wreck. Here I went to work in earnest and was soon rewarded by obtaining a souvenir that it will take $25 in American money to buy, “a silver fork all blackened by fire.” Besides these I have wire, screws, charred wood, pieces of glass and pieces of bolts, a large steel ring and a button. I saw the Cruiser Brooklyn from a distance and could have boarded it but decided to take in the city instead. It keeps one guessing to find places. Even if you engage <cab-man, you have a hard time making him understand where you wish to go. I thought 1 and my comrade Miller would starve before we found the “Greater New York Restaurant” an American place. I want very much to visit Morro Castle before we come home. Last Sunday night a violent storm swept in from the gulf and many tents were blown down. There was very little sleep that night. The gulf was a sight for most of us the next day. Waves rolled as high as a house top and at Morro they dashed over the light-house on the high rock. That would be as high as the court house. Monday we wore overcoats and gloves so you see we can have winter too. It is warm enough now to make at least 100 degrees difference in the temperature between Indiana and Cuba. Boys are all well and smallpox is a thing of the past.

Wilbur Tharp

Co. “I,” 161 Ind. Vol. Inst.