Letter from Ft. Crook

Sept. 27th 1899 Ft. Crook Nebr.
  Dear Mother, I am sorry that you feel so bad about my joining the army but it is not so bad as you think. The term of enlistment is only for 18 mo. and we will not leave the U.S. for about six weeks. I could not get a furlough yet for I have not been in the service long enough yet.
  Tell Mabel there would be no use to come up here. There is only certain hours in the day that we are not drilling and I could not get off to talk to her if she came out here. Tell her I have her pin picture with me and it will go through the war and cross the Pacific Ocean and most of the U.S. I may not get a chance to get my pictures taken before we get to San Fancisco but will send one from there to each of ou.
Ollie Scott enlisted with me. Mabel knows him.
We are drilling the formations of skirmishes to day , our guns will soon be issued. I am going to try and get in the buglers if I can.
I must close now with love to all. One man can not hold this table toolong. I can't write to both of you at once so tell Mabel I will write again as soon as I can.
    Cash

(Cassius A Miner's unit marched out to Ft. Vancouver where he was sent to the Phillipines and died in the Spanish American War in 1900. This letter was written to his mother Martha Owings Miner and his sister Mabel Alice. Martha and her husband Henry and family lived in Friend NE and Cassius is buried there. This letter was generously donated to the Sarpy County Genweb by Beth Fanucchi, great grandniece of Cassius. and was given to the Sarpy County Historical Museum for preservation. Thank you so much Beth! Back to Sarpy County