To H. Jessie McDonaldCam~ G&H Thomas 7/5th

Dear Sister -

I do not think you will be so ready to compliment me on my proficiency and promptness by the time you get this as your last was received last Tuesday. I told you I was going to Chattanooga the next day well I went Saturday. I think if you knew the circumstances of the case you would not be so ready to reprimand me for Sunday dissicration as Christ had to forage for himself on Sunday they may have been feeding him "sow bosom" too. The last time I wrote you I expected to be on my way to Cuba but am here yet and perhaps likely to be there is so many rumors corning in that it is hard to tell We got orders this morning to be ready for a 3 days march through the country for rifle practice Etc and we got orders since to be ready in 48 hours for Cuba our Brigidar General is an old Rebel Conolen and he wants to fight so he wired McKinley if they did not let his Brigade go he would resign. You know the 14 Minn is the best equiped and disiplined regiment on the grounds and the people around here say the most gentlemeny. Well I witnesed one of the greatest sights of my life the other night or any body else ever witnesed. unless it was in the Sandwich Islands The day of the first battle of Santiago when we drove the Spanish troops back in the city. The news reached here just after taps and you know we were all in bed. The Penn regt recd the news first and they rushed across our lines with the news like a lot of Comachie Indians with the news Well it did not take a second for our fellows to fall in they did not stop to dress at all but rushed out some in night shirts and some in under shirts and some in none at all they flew to the band quarters and grabbed what pieces they could and paraded up and down the regiment streets and of all the discord of music you ever heard we had it that night it was near elevan before quiet was restored Well we had a good time in town Saturday was up on the mountain and if I want to describe the beauties of it I would be writing all day there is two inclines going up it and one of them is 92 feet to the :00 so that is pretty steep and it would take you a week to see it all. Sunday was pay day and the privates got $27.55 apice. I am enclosing $10.00 order in this. The 4th was opened here with a volley from every gun and cannon on the grounds and all the bands playing the Star Spangled banner and after breakfast we tore down our camp and moved out in the woods for a while and came back again and put them up in the afternoon we sat in the shade as it was verry warm I am sending a paper to Alma with a hat pin made from a button it is a Chattanooga paper and you might ask her for it I am also sending you a photo of our street and a souvnier book and a little pkt with some badges in it. I had a lot more to write but the bugle is sounding and I want to mail this Your Loving Brother

Will