The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-06

called out with the militia in Colorado
several times, but had never been un-
der fire. and I had always wondered
how I oul act in such an emergency.
I got the opportunity and 4 now know
why II Is that soldiers Will face a hail OF
lead and never think Of such a thing
as fear.
The climate was terribly hard on
Us. the weather being so hot we would
fairly roast. Then the commissary de-
partment seemed Inadequate TO the
emergency and for days hard ack and
bacon were our diet. Ii was very hard
on the men. therefore. while we were
pushing forward, on Santiago. and the
spirits -, the men were fast getting low
when the wcrd ran through camp the
night OF July 2 that the battle OF the
campaign would be fought the next day.
The news was electrifying and ! tell you
you never saw such a change come
owe a body OF men. We laid In the
renches that night. but there was little
sleeping done. every man seemed so
for the morning to come. At last
day broxe and we were soon I'm readi-
ness. About 6 o'clock the order Ia
charge came. Roosevelt had about 500
mea in the line and IL did not take long
to get under way. Colonel Roosevelt
shouted. Come IN. boys; let's make a
record for ourselves and led the
charge at the right OF the line. Up the
hill we dashed as fast as we could go.
] had forgotten all about the thought |
had had SO often as To how ! would
act. Such excitement I never witnessed.
At Colonel Roosevelt's words the men
began to cheer. Every man in the line.
as far as I could see at least. caught
the Infection and yelled like a maniac
as he ran. In the excitement our men
outstripped the rest Of the troops and
W. were n long way in advance and
alone when the Spanish bullets COM
menced 10 fly. We had virtually run
into an ambush. The trees were filled
with sharpshooters painted green and
using smokeless powder. n we were
therefore at their mercy and could not
reply because we could not tell where
the shots came from.
The Spanish kept up n perfect rain
of bullets and our men commenced to
drop by the dozen. Still no one faltered.
but went forward in the face of that
merciless fire. The great majority. Of
wounded. and these would keep going
till the reaction set in and they would
drop. Our ranks were thinning at a
terrible rate. when the colored troops
saved the day. We should have been
wiped out but for them. There were
two full regiments OF them. the oath and
25th. and I want to say to you IL was
these regiments that won the fight. /
had previously had very little use for
the colored troops. but 1 have changed
my mind. They are The greatest fight
ers I ever saw. They came with the
most marvellous dash, a rush that MOTH
ing but vastly superior numbers could
ever have stopped. and we were simply
carried over the hill In the rush and
captured the principal blockhouse Of the
enemy. Our men were deserving of
great credit. ] think, but It was the
colored troops who won the fight. To
give you an idea of how thick the bull
let's came. we had 800 men; the battle.
or rather the charge. which was the prin-
cipal part OF the battle. lasted about 10
or IL minutes. and we had 200 men
killed and wounded. That was all the
fighting experience ! had"
p Mr.. Robinson said the soldiers at San
suffered frightfully from the in
competency of the medical department
and he said there was never any occa-
sion for lack Of food had the right men
been at the head of the commissary.
Plenty of food and medicines were fur
nished by the government. hut incom-
petent officers failed 10 properly dis
tribute them.
Mr. Robinson was more fortunate
most of his comrades. as he not
only escaped being wounded, but sick
ness as well. except a slight attack Of
malaria which did not lay him up. He
lost about 30 pounds in flesh during the
campaign. but now does not feel or
any i'll effects of his experience.