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

formed lines of troops and battalions
and plunged down the slope, across the
valley and up the farthest slope toward
the Spanish second position. When this
movement began, San Juan blockhouse
was still besching fire, and part of the
Third cavalry, together with the Sixth,
under Major Lebo, struck out in d.
agonal line for the stubborn fortress.
Hawkins men, nearest the cavalry at
that time and separated from Wikof' 8
regiments by shrubbery and trees and
the elevations of ground between, start
ed forward, the Sixteenth apparently
leading and DETECTING somewhat to the
left At the very head Of the Sixteenth
regiment ran that stalwart negro, whose
powerful machete had cut through the
half dozen strands Of barbed wire with
one blow. Frenzied with his hatred Of
the Spaniards and overjoyed that the
American army was at his back, he
plunged forward, howling like demon.
As the line neared the crest an officer
Of the cavalry warned Parker that he
was in danger of shooting his own men.
.Not yet, % said Parker. 'sThe range is
too high. I'll stop when they are well
up. Some one in Parker's own regi-
ment, the Thirteenth, signaled him
with white handkerchief when to
stop. Likewise Grimes and Parkhurst.
over 1900 yards in the rear, trained
their glasses on the blockhouse, watched
the advancing infantry lines, and just
in the nick Of tine ceased firing, for the
concussion of one of Grimes shells,
which fell short, stunned and knocked
down Captain Mcfarland of the Six
teenth regiment. The Hotchkiss bat
terry, from the same range as Parker
that is, the slope of .Kettle'' bill
poured inch shell into the blockhouse
over the heads of the charging infantry.
The men Of the Sixth and Sixteenth
aimed for the trenches on the Spanish
right and left of the blockhouse, pull
ing themselves up where the ground
was abrupt by grasping the thick, strong
grass. Under the very crest they were
safe from Spanish IRE, but at the top
they encountered four strand barbed
wire fences, which the men Of the Six
teenth cut through, using their nippers.
The survivors say that the trenches
were lined with dead and wounded
Spaniards, whom they had killed by
Krag -Jorgensen fire, while halted at the
e,nhankment farther down the field.
They say also that Parker's guns did
good work, especially in their moral
effect upon the advancing infantry.
One of the artillery shells had cut
down the Spanish flag, which, the men
of the Sixteenth say, was lying on the
roof when they passed by the block
house, or through it, for Lieutenant
Carey of Company E did pass through.
Ten minutes later he saw the Thirteenth
men taking the flag from the roof. The
men of the Sixteenth say that when
they opened fire upon the Spaniards re-
treating from the blockhouses and
trenches some one cried out, They re
Cubans!' The fire was stopped, for the
SEdulSu uu1lOIiu cut1 Gdao WILL W GoAAAO
Cubans was similar; otherwise more
Spaniards could have been captured.
When the Spaniazds began running,
Major Auman Of the Thirteenth started
ahead shouting: ''The Spaniards are
running, boys! Forward Thirteenth y
This speech of Auman's, it was declared
by cficers in the brigade, was a general
bracer for them ALL Auman was vet
eran. In the firing lire of the Thirteenth
was gallant boy soldier, the son and
namesake of General T. n. Anderson,
who is with the army in the Philip
pines. Young Anderson had won his
way from the ranks to lieutenancy.
AS the line Of the Thirteenth started
forward for that last squirt Anderson
called quito the men nearest him, Ad-
vance rapidly'' and with about dozen
others broke loose from the line and
rushed on to the Spanish ditch which
lay farthest down the slope. This ditch
had been one of the targets of the Krag-
Jorgensens of the Thirteenth. Chamber