Nine pages in ink, in a neat hand, approx. 5000 words, rectos only. A bit of damping to the top left corner of the first page, and the top margin of the final page, slightly blurring the ink of a few words, but text still legible. In a signed note at the head of the manuscript Adolph Wiener introduces his text: "When I enlisted in St. Louis I intended keeping a diary all the way through my wanderings as a soldier, but somehow I never started and now at this late day I will, to the best of my recollection relate my career to this date which is December 16th, 1898. We are stationed at Huntsville Ala & at present my company is doing Provost Guard Duty." The first pages of recollections are followed, from Dec. 16 on, with near daily entries. He gives a highly personalized view of life as a raw recruit during the Spanish American War, describing the food, the heat, the illnesses the men experienced, and his ways around them. Responding to a circular he saw posted around St. Louis announcing that 500 men were wanted for the 16th U.S. Infantry to go to Cuba, Wiener enlisted on June 4, 1898. A Jewish immigrant from German [though some sources say Hungary] he had lived in Nashville for a number of years and worked in the mercantile trade before moving to Missouri. He was concerned his slight physical stature might prevent his acceptance as a soldier. By evening, however, he had passed the physician's exam and he and several other recruits were on a train bound for Atlanta. At Fort McPherson in Georgia they found about 75 other 16th Infantry recruits waiting to embark for Tampa and Cuba. Here they drilled in the heat of the day and drew their uniforms. Wiener's skill with numbers saved him from many other unappealing duties when they chose him to balance the invoices for clothing requisitions. He mentions the daily fare in the mess, "slum" three times a day, "something like hash only the meat was left out" plus hardtack and coffee. On June 11, they left Atlanta for Tampa: "Every little station was crowded with people of all classes, colors and ages, lots of pretty girls were always on hand to cheer us. The largest town we passed through was Jacksonville Fla. We only stopped there 30 minutes & didn t get a chance to see the town. We arrived at Tampa on the 14th about 8 o clock P.M. Talk about your hot weather and sandy streets, Tampa has both or had both last June. We marched from the depot to our camp & it was all we could do to get there." He was assigned to Company I and by June 18 he was a clerk in the adjutants office, once again escaping from drilling. By June 28 they received their orders to go to Port Tampa and take a transport to Cuba. Aboard the Hudson, the food was not much better but Wiener had a little money in his pocket which he gave to the cook. Thereafter he and his bunkmate had plenty to eat. The Hudson arrived in Key West, joining five other transports, two gunboats, and a tug as a convoy for the trip to Santiago. Once in Cuba, the recruits disembarked near Siboney on July 10. There they encountered a group of starving Cubans who had been driven out of Santiago by the Spanish. The Cubans were glad to trade their coconuts and mangos for the soldiers' hardtack and beef. On July 11, the men were ordered to the front. In waist deep water they forded the San Juan River on July 12, passing the spot where only days before, the Rough Riders were ambushed and members of the 16th Infantry had captured the blockhouse. On short rations, they began digging trenches on July 13, and Wiener was assigned the job of company clerk. By the next day, however, digging ceased. The Spanish had surrendered Santiago. In the relative calm that followed, the men began to get sick: "When we commenced to get plenty to eat, the men commenced to get sick & from about the 20th of July to the day we left Santiago I believe nearly everybody suffered with chills & fever." [This outbreak of yellow fever caused Pres. McKinley to order the troops home]. Wie.

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Bibliographic Details

Title: MY EXPERIENCE AS A SOLDIER. [caption title] DESCRIBING HIS ENLISTMENT WITH THE 16th U.S. INFANTRY DURING THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR, JUNE 4, 1898 - JAN. 22, 1899, IN A MANUSCRIPT JOURNAL AS HE TRAVELED FROM ST. LOUIS TO SANTIAGO AND BACK
Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Store Description

We specialize in rare and antiquarian books and ephemera with emphasis on American History. In addition to our specialties, we have a good general antiquarian stock.

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Members of these associations are committed to maintaining the highest standards. They vouch for the authenticity of all items offered for sale. They provide expert and detailed descriptions, disclose all significant defects and/or restorations, provide clear and accurate pricing, and operate with fairness and honesty during the purchase experience.

Seller's business information

Bartleby's Books, ABAA
5119 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20008, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We accept MC/Visa or Am. Ex, personal checks. Shipping and handling $6 1st book, $2 each additional.
Priority 1st book $10, $2 each additional. All books will ship priority unless otherwise instructed.
Overseas orders billed at cost.
Bartlebys Inc
MD03034835

Right of cancellation

If you are a consumer you can cancel the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE RIGHT OF CANCELLATION

Statutory Right to cancel

You have the right to cancel this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.

The cancellation period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the the last good or the last lot or piece.

To exercise the right to cancel, you must inform us, Bartleby's Books, ABAA, P.O. Box 15400, 20825, Chevy Chase, Maryland, U.S.A., 1 202-298-0486, of your decision to cancel this contract by a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post, fax or e-mail). You may use the attached model cancellation form, but it is not obligatory. You can also electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". If you use this option, we will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a cancellation on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.

To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right to cancel before the cancellation period has expired.

Effects of cancellation

If you cancel this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).

We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.

We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel with contract.

We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.

We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.

You shall send back the goods or hand them over to us or Bartleby's Books, ABAA, P.O. Box 15400, 20008, Chevy Chase, Maryland, U.S.A., 1 202-298-0486, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your cancellation from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.

Exceptions to the right of cancellation

The right of cancellation does not apply to:

the delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
the supply of digital content (including ebooks) which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not cancel it once delivery had started.

Model withdrawal form

(complete and return this form only if you wish to withdraw from the contract)

To: (Bartleby's Books, ABAA, P.O. Box 15400, 20825, Chevy Chase, Maryland, U.S.A., 1 202-298-0486)

I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract of sale of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following service (*),

Ordered on (*)/received on (*)

Name of consumer(s)

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Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper)

Date

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Shipping Terms

Orders usually ship within 2 business days. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or over sized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	3 to 6 business days
First item	� 5.95	� 11.16

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.

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