Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-08
both by file and volley.

both by file and volley.
"Suddenly," says Colonel Egbert "the
blockhouse and trenches burst out with can. !
non and musketry, and the whole fire OF the
hill was developed on my regiment Mt short
range. Here was to be seen the value OF dis.
ciplino. Our line was torn with shot and
shell men were falling everywhere. Captain
Walker, commanding the right center com.
pany, and his lieutenant Gross Captain Tor
rey, commanding the left center company,
and his lieutenant, Purdy; Lieutenant Tur.
man Of Company and one quarter Of my
mon were down in ten minutes from the time
the heavy fire of the Spnniards commenced.
Yet no one blcnchod, and all kept steadily fir.
ing without any thought Of stopping until the
order should come. This it now became riy
reluctant duty to give. saw that the force
on the hill, in its intrenched position, was en-.
tirely too strong for mine, and that II we re-
NAMED another ten minutes the regiment
would be destroyed. therefore, with my ad-
jutant, Lieutenant Bennett, walked along tho
line and cautioned the company commanders
to move by the flank quietly but rapidly to
the road again, which was done in excellent
order, carrying our dead and wounded along
with u.s. As soon as we Ind bestowed these
in safety under the ovcrhaneing bank Of the
river we resumed the fire from the road
In this plain language soldier tells
the story of the first encounter with the
Spaniards at San Juan blockhouse. The
range was less than 500 yards. The Sixth
lost the highest percentage of any regi.
ment at Santiago, and the greater part
of it was incurred in this attempt to
reduce tho Spanish fire by answer in
kind. Colonel Egbert, and Captain w.
II. H. Crowell, commanding one bat
talon, were war veterans, ERbert Of
the regular service and Crowell of the
First Ohio, light artillery.
With the Sixteenth as support the
Sixth held ON. The Cuban negro drifted
over to the sixteenth, thinking perhaps
that it was about to lead fresh attack,
Wikoff, with the Ninth, Thirteenth
passing the San Juan at the trail ford
and proving that "Hell's Crossing" de-
serves its CHASTITY name. The cavalry at
this hour, still back behind the fringe
of trees, thought that the infantry had
been repulsed in an attack on the block
house. Perhaps others took the same
view of it, for soon after that the sick
and pain racked leader on FL Poso hill
sent urgent orders to Lawton to leave
Ell Caney and move to his position as
planned on FL Caney road heights,
north Of San Juan ridge. Twice Shafter
sent this order, proof that in spite of
bodily torture the brain had q full grasp
of the situation at the front. Lawton,
striking on the flank of San Juan ridge
soon after midday, might have made
the battle masterpiece.
Meanwhile the artillery had not been
idle in its efforts to help Kent and Sum
ner reduce the San Juan stronghold.
Grimes battery had perfect view OF
the blockhouse at 2, 600 yards and struck
1t at the third shot, say at s o'clock.
The Spaniards replied, and at the
fourth shot killed two gunners and
wounded four at one piece. Shafter',
adjutant general, Colonel McClernand,
staid with the battery and directed it:
firing. He had telephone wire tC
headquarters. Grimes once caught sigh
Of the flash of Spanish gun and, with
that sole guidance, the Spanish usine
smokeless powder, pounded away fol
three hours with intervals. The black
powder of his own guns hung like {
cloud about them, making a perfec
target for the Spanish artillerists. Some
of their fire was from batteries in theil
second line, near the city. The balloon
trailed along his line Of fire and stopped
action for time. Another rifle battery
under Captain Parkhurst, got into posi-
ton near Grimes, ready to unite its tirt
} with his at the supreme moment.
! Parker, whose troubles in landing tn,
Calling outfit have been mentioned
, found his way to the front blocked by
stationary volunteer regiment, which
after opening ranks for the guns, cheer
ed wildly and drew fresh shower o
Mausers and shrapnel. AT last he reach