The age-herald., 1898-07-19
The Wounded Rough Rider Gives
 a Graphic Description of
THE BATTLE OF LA QUASINA
General Wheeler is the Idol of the Entire Army, But the Tree Climbing is Bosh, According to the Story of
 the Lieutenant.

Speclal DlSpatcn 10 The Age-Herald.
 Selma, July 1S.-Perhaps no engagement in which the. forces of the United States were in around Santiago caused more talk at the time and is yet of greater interest than the battle of LaQuasina, or as it is best known, the ambuscade of the Rough Riders.
 Hooper Adams, the wounded Rough Rider, home on a. furlough, talks enter tainingly of this, the American's baptismal fire. He says:
 I've disembarked from the transports on the afternoon of June 22, getting off the ships in small boats and being lowed to land by launches. About eight regiments had landed before we did, and we marched about mile inland where we camped for the night. Here we remained until the next day at 3 D. m., when camp was struck and until Il o'clock at night we marched, passing regiment after regiment, until we were far in advance of anything that had previously landed"
 ',rhe next morning before sun up we were on the march again, and this time we knew that we were to have a "go' at the Spaniards. The Rough Riders were or dered to take the trail on the left and General Young's divson were sent up the main road about mile and a half across from us and running almost parallel with the trail. The bushes and brush just left a path wide enough for one man at time to pass through. About twenty-five Cuban guides led the column. The left of the line being in front, Captain Capron's com pany, Troop L, being next to the guides. K, my troop, was second and so on down the regiment"
 "We were marching along, the boys laughing and talking, and some "cussing' the heat when all of a sudden came yolley from the dense underbrush on both sides of the trail The Spaniards had let the guides pass through the ambuscade before opening fire and Capron's company got the first volley. The gallant captain and Hamilton Fish, and the rest of Troop L, that were killed never left the trail. Our officers immediately gave the command by the right flank and we scrambled through cactus and briars at double quick, get ting out of that trail. Half of the com- panies went to the right half to the left Walton Stewart and Hal Patterson were on the left of the tfail while I was on the right. We then commenced pouring lead into the enemy which they returned with will, and it looked as if we would have to retreat for we couldn't see what we were shooting at Finally came the command to charge and both wings of the Rough Riders moved upon the unseen foe. Just about that time from off the extreme right came lusty yoice
 "Who is that firing?"
 Troop K, United States Volunteers, Rough Riders" answered our captain.
 "And soon through the brush we could see the welcome faces of the Tenth Regu- lar cavalry, the negro regiment, and as they came puffing and blowing from the double quick they had been put to for the mile and half that separated the Rough Riders and General Young's men, no more welcomed mortals could have come to I never was half as glad to lot of negroes in my life and it was possibly their coming that saved us, for the enemy thought the whole army was reinforcing us and they made a fly for it. Then we had fun, compared to what had gone on before. for we could see something to shoot at. tel you the way those negroes fought was A caution. and you may rest assured that we were right along with them too.'
 How do the regulars like General Wheeler?" He is the idol Of the entire army regulars, volunteers and all, and is everywhere at once However, that story about him climbing tree is all bosh, like a good many other tales that have come from the front
 "How did you feel, Hooper, when you heard that volley from the enemy? l didn't have time to think how I felt. We went to fighting and somehow every one of us knew we were going to whip the Spaniards Now in the attack on San Juan Heights it was little different not in the feeling that we would whip them, but we had time to think about going against their bullets long time before we finally met them. I. was a little nervous, natur- ally, but at the first fire forgot all about myself and only thought about how fast I could shoot, keeping a sharp lookout for good bead on willy don.'