Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-09-08
GATLING GUNS WORK
VERY EFFECTIVE IN BATTLE.
Lieutenant Parker Tells of Its Use In tho
Battle of San Juan-New Dynamite
Gun In Action.

VI tuc whiting gun AL thS o"o'"eo
campaign, gives the following interest
ing account of its work at the battle
| of San Juan hill:
1--WE disembarked June 25th, and on
that day had to procure all the neces-
| sary QUILTING for the battery and
! organize the detachment, with an eigh-
teen-mile march ahead of us, over
road which had never been traversed
by wheeled vehicle. This battery,
organized In II hasty manner, was to
demonstrate the practicability for mill
tary service of the road from Baiquiri
| to Sevilla. My remaining twelve men
reported for duty June 10Th, and on
| the same day we reached the extreme
front and halted until July list. Those
four days We're employed In drill and
| inspection. the only opportunity we
had for this kind of work.
ION the morning of July LIST we re-
| ceived orders to take Il position back
of Grimes battery. which was In posi-
| ton on FL Poso hill under cover. We
| got there ahead of the battery, and
the second shell fired by the enemy
broke in the midst of our battery, but
fortunately did no harm to the guns.
| We remained under shrapnel fire and
then were ordered to the rear. We re-
turned later to our former position,
and received orders to take the best
position we could find In order to make
the best use of our guns.
'Soon afterwnrd firing began Mt our
front, and rode forward on Il mule
to reconnOitcr and selected favor
able position for firing. We moved for
ward to the advanced position ut
| gallop. When about 200 yards from
| the spot we were stopped by Colonel
Darby. who told me that our troops
We're not sufficiently deployed to take
advantage of our fire. and advised me
| to wait, promising to let me know
when the proper time came. We lay
down under our guns. swept by per-
| feet hell OF fire. both from the enemy
| In front and sharpshooters In trees
| around.
AT lis p. IN. we got the order. GO
in and we went ut Gallop to our
position. This was about 100 yards
ahead OF the line OF skirmishcrs In
firc-swcpt gap: we went into battery.
gave the range from 400 to 600 yards.
and ordered Commence firing Two
men fell ut the right piece. leaving
only one man TO operate the gun. and
took the gunner's place. At the same
time firing began from all our guns,
and the enemy mt once concentrated
his fire on us. thereby relieving our
other troops for the time. About two
minutes after we began firing heard
the cheering OF our own men around
to the right and left. showing they rec
osnizcd the sound Of our guns. Five
minutes after we began firing the
Spnniards began to Chamber from their
trenches. We concentrated our fire
upon the fleeing groups thus presented
and could plainly see them melt away
ms LOCO shots II minute went through
them. Eight and half minutes after
we started In our own troops had
climbed so far upon the hill that |
gave the order to cease firing.
II took stock mt once OF our losses.
and found onc-third of the detachment
had been put out OF the fight. Timber
ing up. we started TO the front ut n
gallop. Climbing up the captured ridge
we pushed our guns into action on the
skirmisl line. compelling the sklr-
mishcrs TO give way right and left to
make room for us. They were lying
down for cover and protection. but my
men had to stand up and fight II out
ON that line.
I'VE did fight II out. in spite OF the
fact that the enemy turned his 1G-ccn-
timctcr gun on us. to which we replied
by driving his Eunncrs away from the
piece with Gatling-gun fire ut n dis
lance OF 1.'Oo yards, the first time
such artillery ever was silenccd by ma.
chine gun fire. The gtnncrs left the
piece loaded. and we devoted our at
tcn'ion TO 1t during all the remainder
of the engagement with such effect
that the piece Is still loaded. a Spanish
officer told me after the surrender that
they lost nifty men trying to man that
1G-ccntimctcr gun and had not sue
cccdcd.
ION the night OF July 18th We put all
our guns In the trench. taking or the
wheels, AMI they participated In NIL
subsequent fights. keeping silent n bat
terry OF seven pieces Of artillery and