Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-06

The time at Calamar was weary
time. The Gaitaneros lay sullenly in
their intrenchments, and the govern
ment troops had no steamers with which
to attack them, so there was little fight
/, ing except at long range. Gen. Mateus
, was sick with the fever, and the COM
mand practically devolved on Gen. Reyes,
his chief of staff. Reyes was tireless in
his work, and he had the troops well in
hand; but for the time there was moth
ing to do but wait until boats could be
secured. Sickness broke out and the
gallant Briceno died. Some sisters of
charity came from Carthagena to nurse
the sick who were sent to Santa Lucia,
the little village on the Dique, and SO
the routine of life in camp went on.
with a skirmish or two to break the
monotony. Col. Sanchez heard his sis
ter was at Santa Lucia with others of
the blessed order, and he was away for
two days. They had not met then for
over twenty years.
1t was III August, SIS, that one of these
skirnaishes, q little more vigorous than
those which had gone before, took place.
The White Colonel was working the can
non under his charge, and the gun was
speaking loudly and to the purpose.
Just as the last shots were fred a bullet
struck him in the shoulder, breaking the
bone badly. When it hit him he started,
but did not fall, and it was Capt. Rodri-
guez-he of the laughing bugle-who
noticed the wound first. At his solicita-
ton the wounded man consented to
leave the gun and to walk to his own
quarters, and it was short time before
the surgeou-in-chief, Gen. Martinez, was
at work with him. At first all went
well enough, and to the many visitors
who came to ask after the distinguished
soldier word was given that he was get
ting along ali right.
Col. Sanchez came back. but. stirred
by he scarcely knew what feeling, in
sisted on going with the White Colonel
when the patient was ordered to Santa
Lucia. They carried him there on a
stretcher, making the trip on one of the
two small steamers which plying up and
down the Dique maintained communi-
cation between Calamar and its base of
supplies, Carthagena. The run to the
little village, now hospital, was suffi-
GENTLY pleasant, nor did the wounded
man, as he lay on his cot placed on the
forward deck, seem to feel much pain
| Col Sanchez sat near him, but neither
cared to talk, and the well man read
while the sick man looked out on the
low, wide stretching country or glanced
at his companion. Across Col. Sanchez's
nose there rested pair of spectacles, and
Capt. Garcia smiled in somewhat melan-
choly fashion when he noticed them
Colonel" he said once, "let me have
your flint and steel. l like to feel it in
my hand" and Pope, marveling great
ly, handed it to him. Landing at Santa
Lucia, the wounded man was carried up
to one of the houses, where he soon
went to sleep. In the early morning,
however, he had slight chill. and when
the surgeon heard of it he looked grave
This was followed by high fever, but
, toward evening the patient became
much better. He questioned Col. San
chez sharply about the symptoms, and
| when he found out what they were he
sent for the surgeon, and being alone
with him asked him plainly whether
blood poisoning had not set in The
medical man hesitated.
DO not be alarmed to tell me. |
have seen many men die from wounds
1t is over forty years that i went to my
first war;" he said with quiet smile.
We'll, colonel, should there be re-
turn of the chill, followed by the fe-
ver"- began the surgeon.
with delirium and partial recov-
ery-yes, / know. But will be sure to
have my senses tomorrow"