A recent campaign in Puerto Rico by the Independent Regular Brigade under the command of BrigGeneral Schwan . LAS MARIAS formed corps of firemen turned out insplendor to do us honor, and we salutedwith grave dignity the immense statue ofColumbus standing in the centre of thetown. By those who entered Mayaguezthat day none of these things will ever beforgotten. From a spectacular point of view I aminclined to believe that Kiralfy would haveregarded us with scorn and derision, thoughJack FalstafF might have been betterpleased. We were gaunt, bronzed, and di-shevelled, unshaven, dirty, and tatter
A recent campaign in Puerto Rico by the Independent Regular Brigade under the command of BrigGeneral Schwan . LAS MARIAS formed corps of firemen turned out insplendor to do us honor, and we salutedwith grave dignity the immense statue ofColumbus standing in the centre of thetown. By those who entered Mayaguezthat day none of these things will ever beforgotten. From a spectacular point of view I aminclined to believe that Kiralfy would haveregarded us with scorn and derision, thoughJack FalstafF might have been betterpleased. We were gaunt, bronzed, and di-shevelled, unshaven, dirty, and protruded from shoes, our hatswere full of holes, our trousers hardly de-served the name, and we limped disgrace-fully. It was the popular impression inPuerto Rico that every American soldierwas a full-fledged millionaire, but even theyexpressed some disappointment at our evi-dent disregard for the external superfluitiesof elegance. But, when you stop to con-sider it, we did not go to the Antilles tomake love to the pretty girls. We werequite sufficiently clothed and fed to march ?iSS. \ 1 YAUCO TO LAS MARIAS 71 through tropical underbrush, take severalcities, and put our more gaudily equippedenemies to ignominious flight. And thatis what we were there for. In the early part of the afternoon wewent into camp about a mile and a halfoutside the city lines, and the main bodyremained here until August 13. The camp-ing-ground was a bad one, lying as it didin a bowl formed by a circle of low hills;and it was soaked and spongy to a degreeapproaching absolute swampiness. As wewere not allowed to go into the city, wegrudgingly sat still, and chanted our mis-ery to the unresponsive wilderness, gettingour feet wet and gathering the frolicsomemalaria germ by way of interlude. On the evening of our arrival a transportsteamed into the bay, having on board theFirst Kentucky Volunteers, who for someweeks afterward were quartered in the town,doing provost duty and breaking
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