Evening star., 1898-09-02
UP SAN JUAN HILL.
SerSt. TextOn Tells an Interesting
Story About Cuba.

story About Cuba.
Sergeant John Texton of Troop G, 9th
United States Cavalry, who was at San
tiago, Cuba, has returned to his home at
Fort Myer a sick leave of several weeks
Last evening he was one of the guests at a
dinner given by Mr.. C. H. Bradley, at his
pretty residence at Tenleytown, and the
"reminiscences of the scenes during the war
as related by the sergeant were highly
entertaining. Sergeant Texton has been
in the service for twenty-five years, and
is just entering upon another term, which,
WREN finished. will complete thirty years
ste ady service. He will then retire.
To Star reporter he stated that he had
been in many skirmishes with the Indians
Including the battle of the Big Horn in
1876, when General Custer and his force
were massacred by the Indians, the SER
geant being attached to the command of
General Crook at the time. All of the pre-
vious campaigns We're picnics compared
with the campaign in Cuba The sergeant
Is non-committal on the subject, and con-
demns no one for the condition of affairs.
1t might be the fault of the government in
not properly providing for the soldiers or
it may be the fault of individuals, is the
way he reasons.
On San Juan Hill.
His troop left Tampa about June 7. only
fifty men of each company being taken
along, and only those who had seen at
least four months service in the regular
army. In describing the battle of San
Juan. the sergeant states that while he
may not have seen all, he saw more than
Ell ough for himself. The hill which the
troopers charged Up was SO steep that they
crawled part of the way on their hands
and knees. The Spanish soldiers were in
rife pits at the top, neck deep, but instead
of showing themselves, they held their
rifles over their heads, pointed the muzzle
downward. and kept pulling the trig
ger until every shot in the gun was fired.
They would then reload and repeat the per-
formance. With such fortified place. Ser
geant Texton was cf the opinion that few
hundred brave men would have held out
for some days against an army of $1,000
men.
COlored Troops Fought Well.
In the charge up the hill he had only one
narrow escape. He carried a small tin cup
on his side. attached to his belt and
rifle ball went through It, This he keeps
as souvenir. His blankets and other ma
terial he had thrown away, as did many
of the other soldiers. The men In the hos
p!tal. he said, were lying on the ground,
and every time it would rain the water
would run on the ground beneath them,
soaking their only blanket and making
things exceedingly uncomfortable. In his
wounded. In the attack a regiment of
colored soldiers were next to his regiment,
and the colored men fought we'll. The
American boys seemed to have the great
est contempt of the Cubans AS Sergeant
Texton stated, they ware good only to draw
rations from the commissary take what
ever blankets and clothing they could steal
and all other rations they could purloin
from the troopers. The regulars seemed to
have the greatest contempt for the alleged
bravery of the Spaniards who never sought
a close hand-to-hand fight, but kept at a
distance.
Lieut.. Shorts Gameness.
Lieutenant Short, who while stationed at
Fort Myer conducted the Cossack drills
in the riding hall, the sergeant stated was
shot in the wrist. He was placed aboard
a transport and taken to Key West, but
he refused to remain there, coming back
on the first boat out and joining his troop
again. The troop of Sergeant Texton, with
forty-three men. left Santiago over three
weeks ago. remaining five days in quar-
antine and seven days at Montauk Point.
From this place he secured leave on ac
&C unit of sickness and came on to visit his
family. During the campaign he lost over
twenty-five pounds in weight, while other
men suffered worse in this respect than he
did.