Newton County GaArchives News.....JIMPSIE WRITES FROM CUBA February 17 1899
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Phyllis Thompson http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002524 November 29, 2004, 7:14 pm

The Georgia Enterprise
He Tells How the Third Georgia Boys Are Getting Along.
The Camp on a Hill Overlooking the Sea, The Weather Very Hot, But Surf Bathing 
Every Day. The Finest Fishing.
     The Third Georgia Regiment whom we mentioned in last issue as being camped 
at Neuvitas, Cuba, are getting along very nicely, all the boys being in good 
health, and enjoying the pleasures and pass-times incident to a tropical 
climate, but yet awaiting anxiously the time to return and be mustered out.
     Through the kindness of Mr. R. H. Thompson, of this city, we are enabled 
to publish below for the benefit of our readers, the opinion of a Covington 
young man in that country, Mr. Jimpsie Farmer.
Nuevitas, Cuba, Jan. 26th, 1899.

Mr. R. H. Thompson,
Covington, Georgia.
DEAR OLD FRIEND: - I guess you think I have forgotten you, but right here you 
are mistaken. I would have written to you while in Savannah, but I was very 
busy.
     We went aboard the transport Roumania on January 13th, and first put foot 
on Cuban soil January 20th, and were glad to get on land you can bet. We had 
fine weather coming over here, but some of the boys got awfully sea sick. I 
stood the trip all right.
     Nuevitas has a population of about 5,000, all Cubans, and we are the only 
American people here. The town is three hundred years old, and just about a 
century behind in everything but cheating. The Cuban people are up to date on 
that, for they make us pay two prices for everything we buy.
     Everybody says this is the healthiest part of Cuba. There has never been a 
single case of yellow fever here, but plenty of small pox. However, there is 
none in camp so far.
     The country around here is very mountainous and hilly. Our camps are up on 
a hill, over looking the sea- a beautiful place for a camp. We go in bathing 
every day. Just think of that. Bathing in the ocean on the 25th of January. 
Although it is very hot here we have a delightful sea breeze all the time. We 
have not done anything since we have been here. I don’t know how long we will 
be here, it is hard to tell but I hope we will get back to the States by the 
first of June, as I would not like to stay here through the summer.
     We have the finest fruits here growing right in the camps, and all kinds 
of game. The boys go fishing every day and catch some of the finest trout I 
have ever seen. This is certainly a glorious country, and I am delighted with 
my trip here, but I am ready and ought to be at home for the army is not the 
place for a married man.
     I think Rogers and Mayo made a mistake by getting out of the army before 
seeing Cuba. Some of the Cubans are nice people, while the lower classes are 
very trifling and lazy, however, they are quite friendly with us. They all go 
around with their machete, and you can bet they know how to use them too.
     I wish you could be here to help me hunt and fish and gather fruit. I know 
you would enjoy it as much as myself. This is the most out of the way place in 
Cuba. Everything is so very quiet.
     We get mail twice a month. There is one railroad here, and I know you 
would certainly laugh could you but see the old time little old engine and the 
shabby cars. Everything here looks so funny.
     All the Cubans speak Spanish and we have a time trying to talk to them. 
The Cuban girls are all very pretty, but of course they don’t interest me now 
in the least.
     While Cuba is a fine country, the boys are looking forward with much 
pleasure to the time when we will be back to the “red hills” of Georgia to be 
mustered out. I don’t think I would like to live here all the time, but a man 
could take a small capital and soon get rich here.
     My health is still very good. I weigh 100 pounds, and never felt better in 
my life, physically.
     Well I guess I had better stop for this time, and when you feel like it, 
write to me. I shall always be glad to hear from you. Give my regards to Mrs. 
Thompson and Miss Ida. I am getting anxious to see the home folks. With best 
regards for yourself, I am,
Ever Your Boy
Jimpsie Farmer,
Co. “A” 3rd Ga. Vol. Infantry


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