The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1897-04-02
AMERICANS IN CUBA
They Are the Bravest Fighters in the
Ranks of the Insurgents.
VIM. SMITH SECOND IN COMMAND
Was Formerly a Member of the United
States Cavalry-Colonel Gordon
Another Brave Officer

| Another brave O1ncor.
Among the Americans III the Cuban
army there is William Smith, formerly
in the United States cavalry. He is at
present second in command Of Gomez's
personal escort, and is considered as
the bravest soldier III this body Of
picked men. Captain Smith is prob
ably the only officer in Gomez's COM
mand who thoroughly understands the
handling of cavalry and other military
matters. Yet he is kept down to his
present rank, while others, who are his
interiors in every respect, have been
promoted to the "anE of brigadiers and
| COlOnelS. AS "a t.e case OF other
Americans. j. ,lolsy is the obstacle III
his promotion.
Colon. Cho lies Gordon disembarked
in Cuba lat June and was granted the
rank Of major. His remarkable shoot
ing at the fight of Vista Hermosa. in
the province of Havana, astonished the
Spaniards and Cubans. He crossed the
trocha and joined Maceo, as he did not
care to stay i'll a province where the
Cubans did little else but dodge the
Spanish columns Maceo promoted
him for bravery III the field and
thought so much Of him that he was
selected as one of the few to cross the
trocha in his company.
Gordon was wounded at the same
time that Maceo was killed. He ar
rived recently at the headquarters of
Gomez and was placed on waiting or
ders until he should be thoroughly
cured, when he is to be sent to Matan-
zas or Habana to organize an infantry
: force.
Major Funston, Of Kansas, is young
man who made !; trip to Alaska to col
lect specimens for the Smithsonian III.
stitute He landed with the expedition
of Braulio Tena. in company with sew
) eral other Americans. who came to
: form Il battery. On the death OF Major
} Osgood, during the siege of Gnaymaro,
he received the command of a twelve
pounder, and out of 10 shots he missed
his mark only once. General Gomez,
in recognition of his execution, made
5 him chief Of artillery, and at present
, he is with Calizto Garcia in the east.
, of American pluck and courage were
Ii
} the second day of the siege, shortly
after the first fort had been excavated
by the SpaniardS, owing to tho skill OF
Osgood in handling his people, the
Cubans took up positions in the de-
t serted fort. Between this fort and the
, next one a horse was tied to stake il
9 the middle of q perfectly clear plaiI
t and in spot exposed to the fire of the
3 whole garrison. Lieutenant Devine, {
. young drug clerk from st. Louis. an(
3 one of Osgood's command, though
that he needed that particular horse
! and without saying "a word to hi
} friends jumped outside the fort anC
Q made for the animal. His appearance
in the open surpri ed the Spaniards fo
a minute, but as he walked quietly
over toward the horse he was made thu
a target for more than 100 Spanish rifles
But, undlunted. he continued on hi
way through this leaden hail and
when stopping over to unfasten thu
: rope by which the animal was tied, h'
: received a very serious wound aud fell
About 300 yards away We're mor'
than $50 Cuban infantry. safely in
S trenched. but not one of them made ;
q movement to rescue the American from
S his perilous position.
HIS friends IN the tort with OSROOt
had watched him, and when he fell
e his companion, Lieutenant Penny
!. jumped quickly outside the breastwork
9 and. under the heaviest fire that oc
Il Cured during the siege. made his wa.
safely over to where Devine lay help
q less and, unaided. he lifted him acros
n his shoulders and started for tn
s trenches where the Cubans infantr,
/. were stationed. The Spaniards forgo
IT everything in their desire to bring hir
down, but he reached the trench with
out scratch. Standing on the top c
l. the trench. with his wounded compan
't ion resting across his arms, he calle
3 on the Cubans to take Deivne form hi
q arms and to place Of safety, but nc
:. man had the courage to expose him
n self to the encmy's fire.
10 After calling on them several time
III to help him, without success. Penn
3 drew his revolver and, pointing it a
7r the nearest of the Cubans, said
J. "Now, you towards. if you don't tai,
% this man Immediately. I'll fill you fu
" of lead -
This action Of Penny had the desire
De- effect, and the young hero had tt
4 satisfaction of seeing himself and con
as panion in safety, after one of the mo
"a darjuo eynlOits of the whole war