Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-08-24
amp DOUGLAS BOYS TO CONE noMr,

nua ioo6 omone Will lno pioESI ohloin'S'
The Second and Third regiments, now
in Porto Rico, will, as stated last week,
the secretary of war to hold for indefi-
mite service all troops now on foreign
stations, ia Cuba, Porto Rico, the Ha
waiian islands aud the Philippines.
But the First regiment is now receiv-
ing the solicitude of their friends, owing
T., the prevalence of disease among at
10 ,st one-ffth of their number. On
nj )nday afternoon Governor Scofeld
sent telegram to the secretary Of war
asking that the regiment be moved to
a more northern location, or that the
| sick members thereof be given furlough
II. order that they might be brought
b me and cared for. Letters and tele
6 ANS have been pouring in on the
governor, asking him whether he can
not do something about the condition
of the sick Wisconsin boys. In addi-
tion to these letters, however, he has
received letters from privates 10 the
regiment, taking different view of the
situation than do the officers. Some of
the letters are signed and some anomy
nous, and they say that sickness is on
t le increase and ask that the regiment
b moved, Or that SO ne action be taken
remedy the con dtion of affairs. The
greatest pressure is brought to bear
upon the governor by parents of the
SOL iers who receive letters from their
sons and become much worried over the
condition of affairs IS indicated TAX
ing all reports and impartially judging
from their various statements, it is more
than probable that over one fifth of
our Wisconsin boys Of the First are ill.
Admiral Sampson called on President
Mckinley, Monday, and spent some
time in discussing the Cuban commits
sioner's plans and other matters. The
plan of the commission to arrange for
the evacuation of Cuba were talked over.
and Mr.. Mckinley told the admiral that
written instructions would be given the
commission in few days.
The Sentinel's 1t IF correspondent.
in writing from the outpost of the Third
Wisconsin regiment near Como, Porto
Rico, thus desert bes some of the thrill
ing incidents of the engagement of
August 18th:
For nearly four hours the Spanish
regulars who ara guarding the noun
tain pass, leading to Aibooita, poured
shot and shell into the Portage, Maus-
ton, Sparta and La Crosse boys en-
camped here, and when it was over the
first Wisconsin man in the Porto Rican
campaign had been killed. y Y Il
WAS battle fierce enough for a tried
regular, and the loss on the Spanish
side must have been many times heavier.
While The Spaniards raioed 10 torren
their Mauser bullets, shell and shrapnel,
our forces sent storms of she'll and
shrepnel from the artillery. Tonight
b 'stilities have temporarily ceased, but
they are to be reopsned tomorrow morn
ing. To charge the hills
with infantry was considered imp SSH
BILE. The mountains are coved with
chapperal in many places and the trails
could easily be defended This morn
ing scouting party was fired upor,
and soon after General Wilson ordered
Major l. N caster, of the Fourth artillery
to take fiv9 pieces to dislcdge the en-
envy. Battery f, Third artillery, left
Coamo shortly before roon Capt Puts
was cheered as be passed through g
,'Second and Third Wisconsin camp.
"Give them hell" was the chorus as the
artillery rolled along the San Juan road
The arrival of the artillery caused
JOY among the Wisconsin boys. They
were confident that the battery would
Gear the path and allow them to march
on to San Juan. While thus discussing
the question boom from the enem, s
hill tops attracted attention. Though
fully 1900 yards from the entrench-
ments the Spaniards had brought their
guns into play. AS the firing by the
enemy continued the battery advanced
up the road. Though shells were fall
ing about them, the Badger troops
could not RESTRAIN themse YES from
cheering the artillerymen. BLOW them
to kingdom come" they shonted. "Give
them hell" cried another. The battery
men all this time were equally firm.
They understood that the fire was Ii
rected at them, but they paid no atten-
tion to the shells which flew around
them. ''They can't shoot worth cent"
said one brown faced regular. "As
NJ as they aim at us we are safe"
said another. 1t was only few min.
utes when the artillery had passed the
infantry.
The fire from the Spanish now b. d
changed. All efforts of the enemy
seemed to be turned on the ifantr, -
al Wisconsin men. She'll after shell
fell among the Badger soldiers Most
of them exploded when they fell, ssnd-
ing hundreds of pieces of lead flying IN
all directions.
In all dozen shells had been thrown
by the Spaniards when the fatal one
came. The artillery was still ad var cling
and had not yet opened fire, when
Spanish shell struck in the midst of Capt
McCoy's company on the hill, sloping
toward the outpost headquarters. Capt
Mccoy, Corporals Swanson, King, Boyle,
Burroughs and Prvates McAuliffe, Ba-
con, Anderson, Edwards, Hogue and
! Looerg were lying under tree, believ-
ing themselves in II safe position because
the hill shielded them from the entrench-
ments, when the approach of she'll was
heard. Palmer and palmer came the
noise, but still the boys were not fright
ened. The other shells had sung the
same tune aud had passed on over them
This one, however, was lower. 1t struck
the tree under which the man lay
There was roar and cloud of smoke
AS it exploded. The fragments of the
shell fell with deadly effect. II was all
over in fraction of second. Before
the smoke had cleared here was panic
among the little group OF blue-clad men
and stampede down the hill followed.
Four remained behind. Their comrades
soon recovered from their temporary
fright and the wounded were thought of.