The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-21
MISERIES OF SIBONEY
SCENES AND INCIDENTS AFTER TIE
BATTLE or SAN JUAN.

1
siboney - Pisabio Condition of tn
Wounded Killing a sharpShooter.
If any American thinks our troop
could have done letter since they land
ed in Cuba. q "trip from Siboney 20 tn
present positions OF the army woulC
convince him 10 the contrary hav,
recently returned from such "a tour anC
have witnessed scenes that beggar de
scription. On the way ! met scores OF
wounded soldiers, walking as best theN
could to the general hospital at Siboney.
Every wounded soldier whose injury
did not affect his legs was compelled "a
walk TO the hospital. There was more
than enough hauling of entirely dis.
abled soldiers TO keep the carts busy
The trail from Siboney TO San Juan
is so difficult Of passage that one can
realize the hardships our troops en-
countered only by a personal visit.
There are two parts of the trail, one be-
ing used for wagons and the other for
men afoot Both are as narrow as a
canal towpath In many places it is i'm.
possible for two wagons to pass, and the
trail used by the soldiers is little wider
| than railroad track, with wild pine
apple and other tropical plants growing
close to the edge of each side.
For miles along this trail one has TO
wade through mud up TO the knees, and
the only variety in this experience is
furnished when one gets TO a stream of
water. There the mud is not so thick.
but in the five streams forded in walk
ing 20 the headquarters at the front
there was mud enough for all practical
purposes. 1t is this water that the
troops have to drink. and the wonder is
that many of them can tell whether
they are taking drink or eating a mud
pie.
1t was most pitiable to see the
wounded we met while passing along
this trail. Some had a hand shot of,
others had lost a few fingers, and still
others were mourning the loss of their
teeth. Many had slight flesh wounds.
All were greatly depressed and COM
planning because they had to walk from
the battlefield to the hospital. Bu-in
making this complaint they were not
justified by the more unfortunate who
had been totally disabled by Spanish
bullets. l talked with quite a number
OF these poor fellows riding along the
rough road in carts without springs.
With every step the mules took the
carts Jolted and the wounded groaned
Some distance up the trail from Sibo-
ney l noticed an American soldier lean.
ing over a small stream, bathing his
head with the muddy water. When
reached his side, saw that his front
teeth had been knocked out by bullet
that had entered there and had come
out again through his ear. After giving
him what little help was possible
tried to cheer him up ooh, that's all
right" he said sadly II might be
worse off. I've got four teeth left"
After had crossed the little stream
and was about to push forward this
wounded soldier shouted, at won't !
cost me much for dentists now; but, |
say, / don't free any more of these
blankety blank Cubans -
While our party was making it's way |
up the trail we suddenly were confront
ed by detachment of Americans. !
There are some sharpshooters little /
way above here" their leader said. |
''You had better look out. They could |
see those targets of yours q mile" The |
soldiers then passed on, leaving US to |
wonder what they meant. We didn't [
wonder long
Say, one member of our party |
drawled presently, "if you know when
you are well Off you'll give your hat
coat of mud" did it, and the others
followed suit. We had started up the |
trail wearing helmets as white as snow.
Ii was not our object to furnish Span
lsh sharpshooters with conspicuous tar
gets, but that was what we had been
doing.
One Of the most interesting expert
ences have heard of was that of Mr.
Mcmillan, a son of Samuel Mcmillan,
who was a park commissioner in New
York when Strong was mayor. He is
here as member of the rough riders
md was III the hot fighting on the way
20 San Juan. Mcmillan was living on
lime water at the time that being the
)nly thing he could take. He had been
n the fighting line continuously for 30
hours and had received a slight wound
N the leg This did not incapacitate
lin, and he went to work helping to
AIRY the wounded from the field. This
work strained him somewhat and he
vas trying to recuperate when met
him.
There is dead Spanish sharpshoot-
n down the road ways " he said. Il
lnished him, all right He was perched
Up in tree well above the trail, and
had four shots at my head before 10.
ated him l then raised my gun, took
teady aim and fired. The bullet went
straight, and the sharpshooter fired no
more at me. He seemed to lose interest
n matters, but he didn'f drop off the
rec. ] pushed through to where he was
md Knocked him out of the tree with
ny gun. He was very much dead when
left him"
Ill. 49,. 4