The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-09-14
CLovERPoRT KENTUCKY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER H. 1898.


courted it. No one had any thought Of
turning back. All seemed impelled to
move toward the crest OF FL Caney, and
the block house and trenches with their
Reaming guns seemed hideous magnet
that was drawing them TO destruction.
Company Il, Of the Sixteenth rgi.
ment, is commanded by Captain McFsr-
land. He has a heart that is 30 I as a
womsn's, a voice that rings with manly
vigor, and courage that rises superior
to fear. He kept in front Of his men
Bullets seemed to fly thickest about him
and soon one shell came hurting through
the air and exploded just over his head
A fragment Of steel struck him at the
base OF the skull and inflicted a cruel
wound The Captain fell and four men
were detailed to bear him to the rear
When the detail reached place Of safety
they bandaged his head as best they
knew how and then ran back to the fir
ing line to plunge into the vortex OF bat
tie, leaving the captain to his fate.
After few minutes OF unconscious
nebs Mcfarland came to, and being Of
the fighting kind, he staggered to his
feet aud made for the 'front.' He had
lost his sword and other side-arms, and,
wrenching the bayonet from the gun Of
a dead soldier, he fastened to his men.
The bandage about his head was
sodden mass of blood. The fluid had
stresmed down his breast mingling with
the hair on his bosom and staining his
shirt and uniform. His was a sublime
figure, as with eyes cleaning with the
blazing fires Of enthusiasm, he waved
his bayonet and his old white hat aloft
and yelled
Company E., follow mel"
Nothing could nave held his men back
then. Devils could have opposed them,
but they would have followed McFar-
land to hell.
Company L. was among the first at
the block house of Ell Caney. The men
mingled with the Rough Riders and
others and fought the fortified SOaniards
like tigers.
The awful charge Of the American
forces up the hill of FL Caney, their
fercely obstinate persistence in counting
death in front of the block house and
trenches was an exhibition of reckless
ness that seemed to make the soldiers
engaged in it Euperhuman.
The charge was contrary to the rules
OF war. 1t was fragrant abuse of prece-
dent. Tacticians and military authori-
ties OF all lands and chimes would have
sworn that it would never succeed. 1t
was the incarnation Of heroism; it was
the approximation Of audacity; it was
the height of insanity; it was the fanati-
cism OF exalted patriotism and the awful
elements that entered into it democrat
ICED the foe and made them fight with
the blind desperation of beasts at bay
Their efforts were unavGiling. The
| block house and trenches were taken.
The victors when they gained the fort
and trenches saw the bleeding bodies Of
800 dead Spaniards lying about in all po-
sitions. Blood poured in rivulets. The
floors OF the block house was slippery
with it. Thick red streams flowed slug
gishly in the trenches and splotches on
the brown earth told of the work done
by the vengeful bullet that bore its mes
sage Of death.
The sun was blazing in the heavens
when the battle Of FL CaneY was over
A lull came in the firing and the men,
their enervies spent, became apathetic.
and silence fell over the battlefield that
was deeper than the stiffness OF death.
Buzzards, with outspread piniOns, sailed
lazily in the air and gloated over the
human carrion that promised a glorious
feast for them on the morrow.
The next day Walter King marched
with his regiment back to Siboney. On
the way he witnessed sight that was
more cruel to him than all the horrors
OF the battlefield.
A few days previously, three Of his
comrades who had been killed at Sibo-
ney, had been buried alongside the road
to Santiago. The men who inferred the
soldiers had no shovels or trenching
tools. They had to use their bayonets
TO scoop out the trench that served as a
common grave for the three dead men.
As the ground was hard, they could not
dig deep, and the men were laid side
by side in shallow grave and a scant
coat Of earth was thrown over them.
In the three days that had elapsed,
their bodies had contracted and the
hands, knees and feet OF the unfortun-
ates protruded from the earth. The
worms were banquetting upon the bodies
OF Uncle Sans dead heroes.
The passing soldiers turned their eyes
away and sickening feeling Of depres-
sion came over them.
They were now veterans. They had
witnessed the glory and the hideousness
OF war.
This is part Of the story that wai
tolk by Walter King. II was uttered
rapidly when he recalled the scenes that
had inspired him with enthusiasm, and
slowly and reluctantly when he recalled
the incidents that will ALWAYS live in hil
,, memory as mosaic forming a hideous
horrible nightmare.
Walter is modest. OF himself he onl,
said: