The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-12-14

II&seyS " - ITbirteentb s,I, and
Twenty fourth pushed their way along
the trail blocked with halting volun-
teers. First an aid, running full speed
and swinging his hat, signaled the col
umn to hurry forward; next staff
officer s,alIoped up with Kent's second
message to Wikof to rush his command
ao Che field. Eager to do something,
even at the risk Of disobeying orders,
part of one battalion of the volunteers,
and Rafferty,, with f company of an
other battalion, fell into line, anywhere,
anywhere. touching elbows with blacks
and whites, so long as they could be ssin
She swim. . Individual volunteers also
broke loose from the stationary ranks
and eltowed to the front among regu-
lars. One of these independents was Aus
lin Pardee, 8 boy Of II, son of former
officer of the Thirteenth, who had cried
3 to take his fathers place and fight for
the Gag until his widowed mother
yielded.
Forcing ehe creek and giving their
burning heads cooling dip as they
passed, the men of The brigade lined up
on the bank, leaving WikoH dead and
Worth lying in his blood, the last and
most shining sacrifices to the Moloch OF
Heu's Crossing In the broad field
ON the left of Hawkins two regiments
Wikoff's column struck zone Of pitt
less fle, and there the third commander
of the brigade, gray haired Liscum OF
the TWenty-fourth, went down. Staff
SoMeer ncayman of the Twenty fourth
told me that his eyes were riyeted on
the noble leader, whose form could be
seen cutting its way through the tall
grass with giant strides. Like flash OF
lightning he was seen, then disappeared.
In the van Of the column the Thir-
teentia regiment, led by Colonel Worth
as far as HELPS Crossing, y climbed up
the bank and went through the wire
fence, where gaps had already been
made. Major Ellis was at its head, but
was soon shot down. There was an open
field stretching away up to the block
house. This regiment had lost heavily
at the crossing, particularly by Spanish
!: shrapnel. but moved resistlessly on un-
til a calling volley FIRE compelled it to
seek shelter under bank some hundred
yards from the fort
The Ninth regiment, on the left Of
the Thirteenth, passed the ordeal at the
crossing with but little loss In climb
ing the bank it was struck by heavy
Mauser Ere from San Juan heights and
from the trees, left, right and in front.
Pressing on in line with the Thirteenth,
the regiment halted at the bank and de-
sIiyersd its FIRE upon the Spaniards in
the trenches at the blockhouse.
When the Twenty-fourth regiment OF
blacks appeared in view above the crest
OF the river bank, the Spaniards ap-
parently turned all their FIRE upon them,
hoping, as they said aftcrward, to de-
moTalize them and precipitate panic.
The blacks didn't scare, however
Just how long these men halted at the
hanl: is uncertain, for there was no ces-
sation Of fighting, and lapse OF time was
not noted. It was Krag- Jorgensen
against Mauser in the attempt to subdue
the Spanish fire for charge. This stage
of the infantry fight was about coincl-
denial with the capture of Kettle"
hill by the cavalry, which has already
been described, and took place probably
between 1880 and o'clock. Mean
while Grimes battery, no longer ham
pered by the balloon. was vigorously
Smelling the blockhouse and trenches, as
was also Parkhurst's battery, Second
artillery, which had taken position to
the left and front Of Grimes. near FL
Poso. The success Of the cavalry in
clearing "Kettle' hill, really an ad-
vanced position of the Spanish line, had
allowed the Hotchkiss guns and Parker's
Gatlings to cross San Juan river at the
ford of the main road and get to high
ground on the southern slope of the hill.
Parker s advent upon the scene marked
a crisis il the attack. he had three
guns with him and opened them all
upon the blockoouse which Captain
Boughton Of the Third cavalry pointed
out to him. Grimes an1 Farkhurst, be it
remembered, were pouring in their
shells, but the Spanish FIRE did not abate.
Starting with a low rate Of speed,
Parker gradually turned his guns up to
eha;r h;obest car,acity. anS in the space