Part 2

At three thirty in the afternoon, June 2d, 1898, we pulled out of the station at Sea Girt and immediately proceeded to make ourselves as comfortable as possible. Each man had a seat to himself, these being of the low backed variety. Our equipments we hung on the package racks, and they jangled and banged with every movement of the car. We had hardly gotten settled in our seats when we became aware that the population all along our route had turned out to see us, and every little cross road had its group of farm wagons and country people, who had been there for hours, and cheered us as we passed. Our journey became a continual ovation, which reached its height as we swung past Monmouth Junction. At this place occurred the most touching sight it was my fortune to witness during our eventful journey. As we drew near the station a series of whistles brought every head in the car to the window. Every doorstep, garden and fence had its waving flag. The school children had been dismissed and had marched in a body to the long freight platform at the depot. Along the whole front of this line of children was stretched the national colors, while from their hands waved the Emblem of Guardianship to our homes and little ones, and tiny voices were singing patriotic songs. Up to this time I had been skeptical of the patriotism of our people, believing that the enthusiasm heretofore witnessed was merely a personal feeling, but here were people utter strangers to us, bringing their children. And why? Evidently to instill in their young minds that love of country which they themselves had and for which many of them had suffered a generation ago. All this burst upon me with indescribable rapidity and I know that I was not the only one in that car who had something in his throat which he did not like to speak of. Shortly after we struck the main line of the P. & R.R.R. We reached Trenton at five o'clock and crossed the Delaware. We were now going through a section much travelled over by the opposing forces in the Revolutionary War, and now occurred an altogether surprising and somewhat touching incident. My tent-mate and I being seated opposite each other were admiring the scenery; we had lost our bearings somewhat and had only a faint idea as to where we were, when the train suddenly emerged from the hills and presented before us a most beautiful landscape. He immediately recognized it as the fertile and rich Chester Valley. He had lived in this valley until he was nineteen years of age and became quite excited as he found we would pass the threshold of his home, where he had left his mother, brothers and sisters the week before. He knew all the points of interest. On the ridge yonder was Washington's headquarters where his shoeless army shivered and shook in their tattered garments at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-8. The remarkably clear atmosphere enabled the General with his glasses to sweep the valley for twenty miles. How many anxious glances he must have given in the direction of Philadelphia. A short distance farther on we crossed the Brandywine, that memorable stream on which the disastrous battle was fought and Philadelphia was laid open to the enemy. There was the stone dwelling in which the British General Gage, of Bunker Hill fame, was when the information was brought him of the band of Patriots sleeping peacefully around some hay ricks at Paoli, which resulted in their surprise and massacre. Then we approached his home and he looked eagerly to see if any one was around the house, but there was no one. The carpenter shop in which he had learned his trade was pointed out. We passed Phoenixville and my enthusiastic friend kept naming over the villages, and often the names of householders within several miles of his old home. Lime of the best quality is found in the soil of this valley and accounts for the fertility of it. The sun now began to sink in a blaze of gold and about eight in the evening we drew into Harrisburg.

Harrisburg is noted far and wide for its steel and iron industries, and it was a most interesting sight to see the tall chimneys along the approach to the city vomiting forth columns of flame high in the air, lighting the whole neighborhood, while inside the foundries great masses of red hot metal glowed and sparkled while going through the molding process. But we never dreamed there were so many pretty girls there, in fact we were literally besieged as soon as our section arrived in the car sheds. Our officers were very positive in their order that no one should leave the cars, so we had to look cheerful while a fellow from some other Company walked off with the girl who had turned up such a bewitching, beseeching face for "just a little button." The boys from eleven companies of the Regiment had a mighty good time while we were waiting here, but some of the girls didn't mind being pulled up to a window and paying a forfeit as long as they got the button, and when the trains finally drew out again the boys of Company L had quite pleasant dreams of the Harrisburg girls. We had been waiting here for about two hours when our Junior Lieutenant came into the car and with a cheerfully serious face announced: "Well boys we are in for it now; we are bound for Jacksonville, Florida." I think an electric current must have passed through the car at that instant, everybody jumped out of their seats so quickly. Jacksonville and Tampa were about the same in our minds. It seems that Chickamauga Park was filling too rapidly with troops and transportation was getting clogged; hence the switching us off to the south. It was estimated that we had gone about three hundred miles out of our way. About eleven o'clock we drew out of Harrisburg, taps were sounded through the trains and all lights were extinguished. We found that the only way of taking a comfortable sleep was as follows: The back of one seat was swung upright and held in position by our rifles placed under one end; we then took out each seat and placed them crosswise; the lower ends would be under the upright backs. This gave us room to stretch ourselves at full length, and by putting our blankets under our heads for a pillow we managed to sleep fairly well. We arrived in Washington during the early hours of the morning and were awakened by the train starting out again at daylight. We caught a glimpse of the monument and the dome of the Capitol as we were rushed across the Potomac. In Alexandria, the town made famous in 1861 by the tragic death of Colonel Ellsworth, the white people were still sleeping and only stray negroes were out to see us pass. We skirted the Potomac for some miles, when we turned westward and southward. At Widewater we stopped for water and I plucked two daisies from Virginia soil and sent them home in a letter. This section of country which we traversed was as desolate and uncultivated a region as I ever want to see. It was totally unexpected and wholly disappointing. Vast fields in Virginia appeared as if the growing of grass was a hardship. Here and there a negro's log cabin, with its ten by ten garden of dwarf corn, with perhaps a bed of peanuts or sweet potatoes, reminded us that we had not left civilization entirely.

As we rode swiftly towards the South a great disappointment was felt that we were not to go through the cities of Virginia--Fredericksburg, Petersburg and Richmond, historical places that we were peculiarly anxious to see. These were skirted or passed some distance away, but we caught a glimpse of the spires of Richmond and it set us all agog. We passed into North Carolina and soon entered Weldon, the scene of several cavalry engagements. After leaving this city we passed through miles of desolate country, over which once waved the tall and stately pines, but now only the blackened stumps greeted us. Occasionally a small forest was passed, which looked amid the general destruction as if it had been forgotten by the axeman.

These small forests, which had been used only for tapping for turpentine and resin, contained trees sixty or seventy feet high, straight as an arrow, with the lowest branches twenty feet from the ground. These trees were about the only interesting features of this whole region of piney atmosphere. Occasionally we caught a glimpse of some far away range of mountains, but the view was quickly lost. At Henderson we stopped for water and our ice coolers were refilled. The water was gotten to the coolers through the top of the car by means of hose from a hydrant at the station. This refilling was done hurriedly and they were not very particular as to the direction in which the hose pointed, hence quite a few sorry looking soldiers.

As we were slowly crossing over one of the many muddy streams of North Carolina a workman called out to us: "Be you un's come all the way from New Jersey?" "Yes." "And be you un's all goin' to Cuba?" "Yes." "Well you un's had better all go right back, for its hotter 'n hell-fire down there." A peculiar thing I noticed was the absence of all enthusiasm among the groups of people we occasionally met in the wilderness through which we passed. Most of these were negroes, but in nearly every group of black-faced humanity could be seen the fair face of the white girl, "Missus's little lamb," who took the household with her to see the Yankee soldiers, whose fathers years before had tramped through that very region, leaving burning forests and even cities in their wake. We entered Raleigh and passed the encampment where the State militia had mobilized. Soon after leaving Hamlet darkness descended, taps were sounded and we prepared for our second night's repose.

We woke next morning as the train was crossing the Savannah river and immediately afterward entered Augusta, Ga., just as the cocks were crowing, having passed through South Carolina during the night. Here we enjoyed the luxury of a good wash and we needed it badly. The only water obtainable on the cars was in the water coolers and they had been empty a long while. Augusta gave us quite a welcome. It had been steadily getting warmer and warmer, until now as we pulled out of Augusta at about 8 a.m. the thermometer in the car marked 87°; at noon it was 95°, where it remained until far into the afternoon. Upon leaving Augusta we noticed for the first time the unmistakable signs of the tropics, great ferns, seven and eight feet high, which had rank growth in the swamps lining our route. Here and there scrub palmettos reared their graceful branches like giant hands bestowing a blessing upon the smaller growth beneath, and farther south loomed the shaggy headed cabbage palmetto, the sight of which recalled the brave fight at Fort Moultrie off Charleston in 1776, which fort was built almost entirely of palmetto logs, the principal advantage being the fact that they did not splinter when struck. We passed vast swampy areas of tangled scrub, out of which we could almost expect to see alligators show their bony snouts.

We stopped at Millen near noon to take our coffee. This town was burned when Sherman's troops marched through on their way to Augusta. It was a sleepy sort of a town. No one seemed to have any business to attend to. The stores were one story affairs, and upon entering we would select whatever we wanted and drop the nickel in the hand of the proprietor, who was seated at the door. The only busy place was the post-office, which did a thriving business during the hour we halted there. About 2 p.m. we drew into the car sheds at Savannah only long enough to have the cars inspected. Here the boys were again besieged for buttons and souvenirs.

All through Georgia were large numbers of hogs, "razor backs," the boys called them, probably of the same variety as Sherman's "bummers" had such fun over. They were very lean, had long legs and long snout, with a decidedly "bad" eye. At one of the stops for water a family was spied peacefully rooting among the pines, but the furious charge made upon them by the fun-loving boys soon scattered all but the sow; she defied them, and they let her alone, but the little fellows could run like rabbits. Three or four of our boys would corner a little black porker and suddenly drop on him, but somehow he was never under the pile when it landed. One, however, was caught and brought squealing into the cars, but was afterward dropped some distance farther on.

We now sped due south, reaching Waycross late in the afternoon. Beyond its being a railroad center it was uninteresting. The forests now presented a truly tropical appearance with festoons of moss hanging from the branches of the palmettos; with ferns here and there. Against the dense green of the leaves stood in lovely contrast perfect showers of beautiful pink blossoms which covered large trees. We were now nearing Florida, the land of flowers, luscious fruit, ancient buildings and brilliant fountains of perpetual youth, but now the mecca of thousands of Uncle Sam's soldiers. It was growing dark as we crossed the line into the most southern State. We arrived at Jacksonville station about 10 o'clock. Taps were sounded, lights put out and we slept soundly.

PART THIRD

CAMP CUBA LIBRE

The next morning we were caught napping sure enough--for during the night the train had taken us out to the camp--bugles were calling to each other, seemingly right under our "bed-room" windows, and away off in the distance, the echoes were replying "Can't get 'em up; can't get 'em up." Then our own buglers had their say, flinging back the imputation that we were the only ones not up. Then the regimental band took up the strain. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was just rising and throwing slanting rays into the trees. All around us were the tents of soldiers. Sentries with ominous looking cartridges in their belts were wearily pacing their beats, but ever alert to the slightest move, for we were now comparatively near to the seat of war. The band ceased and sharp commands followed. In an incredibly short space of time the companies nearest us were formed, every coat buttoned, every legging laced, and the sergeant rapidly calling the roll. We had confidently believed that we could give points in military efficiency to any regiment we might come in contact with, but we inwardly confessed right there and then that this regiment on our left could give us points on getting out for roll call, and not during all our stay in the army did we ever succeed in getting anywhere near the example set for us that morning.

While waiting for the order to proceed to camp we were regaled with marvelous tales of alligators, rattlesnakes, spiders and poisonous creeping and flying things of all kinds. We participated in the killing of a snake under the cars and had a great chase after an immense spider, which "wasn't near" as "big" as "some," they said, so we imagined they must have resembled crabs. They had an alligator about four feet long, which they had caught not 100 feet away in a stream.

About noon we disembarked and with our invincible drum corps leading, we marched through camp to the site selected for us. This march will never be forgotten, and it was dubbed "the dust march." Fortunately for us it was only for about half a mile, but we inhaled more dust then than we will for the rest of our lives. Indeed, our company got the full benefit of it, for we were the left or rear company. Wisconsin and Illinois cheered us. Virginia and North Carolina yelled at us, and altogether we got a pretty good welcome. Wisconsin took the trouble to visit us the next day to tell us how glad they were to see us come into camp, and we took to these hearty Milwaukee lads like a duck to water. Sunday morning broke bright and clear and we were immediately in the throes of "house" moving. All the lines of street had to be adjusted, and it was late in the afternoon before we were finally settled and could begin "house keeping" in good earnest. All our food so far had been "travel rations," and the nice things we had brought began to spoil. It was two days before the commissary could get our rations to camp, their arrival relieved us greatly.

We were now camped on the left of the regiment, or northeast, getting the full benefit of the breeze which at noon was sure to come and stay until after dark. The evenings were fine. Such in the north in the hot months are rare. The thermometer in the daytime registered 85° to 95°, while in the evening it marks only 60°; no mosquitoes. The flaps of tents were generally left open, but ours we closed because near morning a heavy dew falls and saturates everything exposed and we did not think it wise to leave them open.

The odor of pines was in the air constantly, and when we went into the fields for drill a weed, when trampled on, emitted a perfume not unlike locust blossoms. The fields also were full of the scrub palmettos about two or three feet high. They were similar to the palm branches so familiar on Palm Sunday. Another peculiar character in plant life here was the moss which hangs in shroud-like gracefulness from all kinds of trees. This moss looks very like curly sea-weed when dry and hangs in festoons several feet long from the limbs and branches. This moss some of the Wisconsin boys spread in their tents to sleep upon and it evidently made comfortable beds.

Sunday I strolled into Jacksonville and watched the soldiers crabbing from the piers. These crabs they told me were not fit to eat on account of so much decayed vegetable matter in the St. Johns river, upon which they feed. A striking feature of the river is the denseness with which in places it is covered with hyacinths, which at times clog the wheels of ferry-boats so as to stop navigation. These plants were introduced here some time back for the purpose of beautifying the banks, having handsome spikes of bloom. They grow very large. The leaf is much larger than a pond-lily, and is frequently the home of a poisonous spider. Tradition tells us that these spiders are to eventually destroy the plants. I visited St. Johns Episcopal church and was received by the Secretary of the Woman's Auxiliary, who kindly showed me around. On a subsequent visit I met the Rector and enjoyed a chat with him on the porch of the rectory. He told me that fourteen young men of his church had left for the war. Some of them were from the choir, and I was invited to take part with the choir in the services during our stay.

Our company had been designated as the Provost Guard, Second Division, Seventh Army Corps, with Captain Ely as Provost Marshal. What honor there was in it came from the fact that we were the body guard of General Lee, and received orders from him only. We became a distinct body, with the Provost Marshal's headquarters in Jacksonville, near the General's headquarters. No State pay had come yet and everybody was "dead broke." The extra blue shirts the boys bought on going to Sea Girt they were now selling to the Illinois boys to obtain a few cents to spend.

A canteen had been established which dispensed liquors and soft drinks only. The men might go to the first sergeant and procure trading orders on the canteen to the amount of two dollars. This amount was often cut down to one dollar or less by the Captain, who used his judgment in the matter. The men would laugh with childish glee upon obtaining these orders and invite their friends to "come and have something," wondering how they had survived so long without it. The amount was soon used up. The Y.M.C.A. had established a large tent just back of our company and provided for the use of the regiment a stock of magazines and periodicals. Also ice-water which was kept in barrels sunk in the ground. Strange to say, the hospitality of the association was often abused, but as a rule the boys generally appreciated their kindness. This tent was supposed to follow the regiment to Cuba or wherever it went. The soil being of a light sandy loam and mixed profusely with soot from fires in the pine woods, rose easily with the breeze, which sprang up about noon every day and gave us a liberal sprinkling of this dusty compound. To keep the interior of our tent clean, we procured the tufts of needles which grow thickly on the top of young pines like a plume as they permitted the dust to sift through them, and when dried made a couch which was soft and springy. It took about one to one and a half hours to collect enough needles for one man, and for that reason the idea was not generally adopted. "Too much trouble."

The guard duty our company performed was such that we became more or less a target at which uncomplimentary remarks were hurled by men of other regiments, and it was only because it was in the line of duty that it was done so cheerfully. During the week the regiment was paid by the Government for the month of May, and the city of Jacksonville was painted a Jersey color from end to end. The other regiments were paid also, but they were not in it with Jersey. Lieutenant Brunner reported that he had sent home for the boys amounts aggregating three hundred dollars. Considerable industry finally erected a "real bath-house," which contained two sprays and lots of pans for washing purposes. It is needless to say that this house was the most popular in camp. The camp was laid out in squares, and the dividing streets of regiments were provided with stand pipes and troughs, both of which were used from daylight until midnight. It was especially refreshing to take a dip after marching until midnight and then creeping between the blankets, sleep soundly until morning. This water was supplied by the Jacksonville Water Co., which had four Artesian wells sunk back in the country and piped to the pumping station in Jacksonville, whence it was distributed around. One of these wells was nearly one thousand feet deep. The water never ceased to flow, and was always bright and sparkling, although rather warm, with a decided taste of sulphur, which from some wells was positively disagreeable. This water was also used for fire purposes and, besides its use by the city, supplied ten thousand soldiers and several corrals of horses and mules for washing and bathing purposes. The pumping station was guarded night and day, for suspicious persons had been seen near it. It would have been dangerous to go too near it after dark. Everything we ate and drank was carefully guarded.

All the boys were enjoying their stay there immensely. We were getting better food from the Government than we got at Sea Girt, nor must I forget to mention that the people of Jacksonville always welcomed us, and lots of things found their way into our tents. To the Jacksonville people there was nothing just like the Jerseymen. We were treated with great kindness. One lady, who said she used to live in New Jersey, sent us a large can filled with stew, which we accepted with thanks, and it was excellent, but that very noon we had stew at camp and we were dosed with stews morning, noon and night. We decided to decline the next donation.