Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-07-20
BATTLE OF SANTIAGO.
Letter From Sergeant Garfield Hughes,
OF the Rough Riders.
BRAVERY OF THE ALBUQUERQUE BOYS.

The following letter is from the young
son OF the editor Of THE CITIZEN. The
letter was written in the trenches in
front Of Santiago, and shows that the
boys are good fighters on empty stOmachs:
Santiago de Cuba, July 5.-The battle
started on the first Of July, and was kept
up for sixty hours. had nothing to eat
during that time. We had Just deployed
as skirmishers, when the s%paniards let
us have it from q hill. They we're en-
trenched on the hills in rine-pits four
deet deep, and had all the best OF IL; but
the Tenth, Ninth and First regiments OF
regulars and the Rough Riders, all cav
airy, run them for half a mile. A knot
OF us were behind a ~blOckhouse, when a
shell exploded and tore the house 10
pieces and killed two Cubans. The Eng
glish consul said our charge was the
most brilliant thing he ever saw.
One Of our regiment planted a flag on
the hill, and q bomb hit him and he went
one way and "Old Glory" the other. Talk
about neryel some Of the boys whose
arms were almost shot of ran away from
the hospital and got in the fight
| stayed In a trench for one day. where
you could put your hat on a stick and
hold II mp and 1t would be riddled with
Mausur bullets.
Our dynamite gun hit a square in the
town and tore it all to pieces. When
Sampson captured the Spanish fleet the
sound Of the heavy guns almost deaf
ened us.
Guy Kndsley made q Spaniard come
out OF his hole and surrender. Old Bill
Russelrs boy, Art is a chip of the old
block. He was in the lead going up the
hill and is still here In the trench kick
Ing because we can't crack away at them.
there being a flag OF truce up long
enough to let the people get out Of the
town who are not fighting.
We can see the town fine, and she is
ours, aud don't you forget 1t. may hit
the grit before WI do, but some Of us will
be there.
There were 1900 Of us killed and
wounded. Clay Green, Of Cerrlllos, who
was killed, passed by me a minute before
and said; Are they singing hot enough
for you, kidY" You can hear the big
shells coming and can sometimes see
them. They burst in the air and throw
scrap iron and shot all over the country.
had a squad Of eleven men; now /
have seven. Sam Goldberg was shot
through the right side and staid in my
squad line until he tainted. He is now
in the hospital.
A piece OF she'll struck Arthur Perry.
the Democrat, on the shoulder; wound
The colored troops, the Ninth and
Tenth, are the best fighters In the army.
Talk about hardshipsl | never knew
what work was. The hospitals were a
sight | never shall forget. Dead men
at you with bloOd.shot eyes, and
dying men calling for mother and chill
dren. The saddest sight was a young
boy about eighteen, He was dying, and
one OF his comrades had hold OF his pulse
and the other was taking down a mes
given in broken words. to darken
some poor mothers heart. | saw a bomb
hit a man standing by himself and blow
him all to pieces.
The s%paniards fight all right at a dis
lance, but won't let our American yell
get too close 10 them.
Colonel Roosevelt Is as brave as they
make them. He is always in the front.
Our first lieutenant, named Haskell,
from West Point, vas shot through the
stomach, but will live.
We are all "crummey" as lords, but a
little bit modest about 1t. We get up In
the morning and take of our shirts and
look for them.
Well, hoping | will see old Albuquerque
again, and have a whole hide, | remain,
Your son.