The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-06-28

AIRY men forced their WAY over the rough +
mountain trail this morning and en-
counteTed the Spanish infantry in Il dense I
thIcket on Il high plateau overlooking the
city Of Santiago de Cuba, and routed I
them after a sharp battle lasting one |
hour
Practically two battles We're fought ut !
the same time one by the Rough Riders /
under the immediate command of Col /
ood on the top of the plateau and the |
other on the hillSides. several miles away
by the regulars with whom was Cen
Young
The expedition started from .Iaragua
marked on some Cuban maps as Al
tares-a small town on the coast. nine
miles east of MORO Castle. and which
was the first place occupied by the troops
after their landing at Baiquiri last Wed
nesday
The first part of the journey Of the
Rough Riders was over steep hills sew
! eral hundred feet high. The men ear
RED twentyfour rounds of ammunition
ana heavy camp equipments. Although
TINS was done easily III the early morning
the weather became intensely hot and
the sun beat down upon the cowboys
and eastern athletes as they toiled up
The grade with their heavy packs and fire.
| quent rests were necessary. The trail
WAS 50 narrow that for the greater part
OF the way the men had to proceed sin
! gle file. Prickly cactus bushes lined
both sides of the trail and the under
| brush was so thick that it was imposs-
/ bic to ten feet either side.
ENEMY'S CUCKOO CALLS.
The Rough Riders entered into the
! spirit Of the occasion with the greatest
enthusiasm. 1t was their first oppor-
| eager for it. The weather grew swell
teringly hot and one by one. the men
threw away blankets and tent rolls and
emptied their cantccnS. The first init
nation had by Col. Woods command
that there We're Spaniards i'll the vicin-
| ty, WAS when they reached point three
or four miles back from the coast. when
/ the low cuckoo calls of the Spanish sol
| dierS We're heard i'll the bush. 1t was
difficult to locate the exact point from
which these sounds came. The men
were ordered to speak in whispers and
frequent halts were made. Finally Il
| place was reached. about eight O'Clock
whore the trail opened into IL space GOV
| cred with high grass on the right hand
side Of the trail. and the thickest kind
of bramble and undcrbrush on the other.
| y harbed wired fence also ran along the
i left side. The dead body of Il Cuban
was found on the side of the road and
| at the same time Captain Capron 5
troops discovered the outpost the heads
of several Spaniards being seen III the
bushes for moment.
1t was not until then that the meT
were permitted to load their carhincS
When the order to load was given they
acted on it With will. and displayed
the greatest eagerneSS to make an at
tack. At this time. the sound of firing
i was heard Il mile two to the right
apparently coming from the hills beyond
the thicket. 1t was the regulars reply
ing to the Spaniards. who had opened
on them from the thichet. In addition
to rapid rifle fire the boom Of HOtchkis>
guns could be heard. Hardly two minu
tes elapsed before Mauser rifles com
menced to crack in the thicket. and !;
hundred bullets whiSted over the heads
of the Rough Riders. cutting leaves from
the trees and sending chips flying from
the fence posts by the side Of the men
The Spaniards had opened, and they
poured i'll y heavy fire. which soon hat
Il most disastrous effect. The troop
stood their ground with the bullets
singing all around them. Private Colby
caught sight Of the Spaniards and fire,
the opening shot at them
HISS AND SHREK OF BULLETS
Sergeant Hamilton Fish, .Jr.. was the
first man to fall. He was shot through
the heart and died instantly. The
SpaniardS were not more than 2W
yards off. but only occasional glimpses
Of the could be seen. The men coH
tinued to pour volley after yolley into
the brush III the direction of the souno
Of the Spanish shots, but the latter be
came more frequent and seemed to h'
getting nearer. Colonel Wood wallleo
along his lines, displaying the utmost
coolneSS. He ordered troops to deploy
into the thcket. and sent another de
tachment into the open space on the left
of the trail. Lieutenant Colonel kooSe
welt led the former detachment and tore
through the brush. urging his men on
The shots came thicker and faster eyerN
moment and the air seemed filled witt
the singing and Shriekiny of the Mauscl
bullets. while the short pop OF the Span
ish rifles could be distinguished easily
from the heavier reports Of the Amerl
can weapons. Sometimes the fire wouo
come in voleyS. and again shots wouo
follow each other in rapid succession
for several minutes.
; DON'T MIND ME. BOYS
; Captain Capron stood behind his men
revolver in hand. His aim WAS sure
and two of the enemy were seen to fal
under his fire Just aS be WAS prepar
ing to take another shot anft shouting
orders to his men at the same time, his
revolver dropped from his grasp. ano
he fell to the ground with a bullet
through his body. His trool
was badly disconcerted for 2
moment but with all the strength
he could muster he said: Don't mino
NE. boys. 90 on. Lieut.. Thoas of tbs
same troop received i wound through
the leg soon afterwards and became dc
lrous.
The troops that E"fe III the thicl"i
were not long in gel IT,. n,to the GrGS1
of the fight. After ten OF hfteeE mlnut"@
of hot work the firing fell oil some. ana
Lieut.. Col Roosevelt ordered his men