It was now 11 o'clock in the forenoon. Between that time and 4 o'clock
it was necessary to obtain two freight cars, have them placed upon the
siding at a convenient point, have more than twenty wagon-loads of
ammunition, camp equipage, etc., placed in these cars, have the four
guns with their limbers placed on board, and, more difficult than all
the rest, go through the necessary red tape at the quartermaster's
office in order to get the two cars moved to Port Tampa. It was all
accomplished.
The general freight agent was bluffed into believing that unless the
two cars were instantly set where they were wanted his whole railroad
would be tied up. The quartermaster was hypnotized and dropped
formality, putting all the clerks to work upon papers and making out
the necessary bill of lading, invoices, etc., in time to catch the 4
o'clock train. He also issued the necessary transportation for the
officer and men of the detachment from Tampa to Port Tampa, accepting
the first endorsement above as sufficient orders for that purpose.
One member of the detachment, Priv. Murray, had been very ill with
what we afterward learned to call the Cuban fever, and, while
apparently convalescent, was entirely too weak to accompany the
detachment.
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