The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1898-09-01

Mr.. W. r. Crockett, who was iii Go.
ID of Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and
who was wounded in front of Santiago
de Cuba, arrived home on last Thurs
day afternoon, on furlough. His ex-
perience as a soldier has not only been
rough" but is full of events suffi-
cient to have tried the nerve and con-
stitution of the bravest and best. 1t
was with some difficulty that he got a
place in the regiment of Rough Riders,
and it was only after second effort
that he succeeded, and that was partly
through the influence of Capt. r. W.
Boone, of this place, who knew Col.
Roosevelt personally, and communities
ted with him by letter
When Mr.. Crockett arrived in Tam
pa, Fla, and was greeted by Colonel
Roosevelt, the question was asked him
what troop he wanted to join; he re-
piled he didn't care which one, so
he could see service. He was placed
in Company d, Captain Houston, OF
Oklahoma, commanding.
The sea voyage was made in the Yu-
catan, and was without even the Incl
dent of sea sickness. Landing at ST.
honey, they slept on the ground until
next day 8 O'Clock, when they made
forced march Of eight miles. Being
cavalrymen, 9hey were not used to
footing it, and the journey was very
fatiguing
The first engagement found them
hardly rested The thick, impenetra-
BILE chaprel, the undergowth being of
cactus thorny, poisonous weeds and
other forest vines and trees not even a
rabbit could go through. were barriers
to progress. Trails were the only pas
sages the soldiers had to march in.
Suddenly they were surprised by bull
lets coming thick and fast, whistling
ard cutting through the forest with a
noise that made mans hair on his
head almost stand erect. The Span
iards were invisible, and the American
soldiers were being shot at by guess
work as to the location of the trails
They were ordered to lie down, and did
so in hurry. In few minutes thew
were ordered to the left in the opening
where there were only bushes. The
light began in earnest. The Tenth COL
ored cavalry were on the right. and
fought manfully, holding their ground
stubbornly. If they had fallen back
the Rough Riders would have been cut
to pieces, but the enemy was charged
and routed They could not stand the
lire OF the dynamite gun that was
brought into play. From one ridge to
another they drove the Spaniards and
il the men had not been SO worn ont
they could have pushed on and captur-
cd Santiago.
The three days fighting was terrific.
The rapid fire guns proved destructive
on both sides, and but few men can
stand before the deadly volleys that
NOV men down with raking fire.
Mr.. Crockett was wounded on a Cos
sack post, where three soldiers $50
yards in advance of the entrenchments
did what is known as picket duty. He
was shot just below the calf of the left
leg, Mauser rifle bullet clipping or
splitting all artery as it passed through
lie managed to walk back to the
trenches, bound up his wound as best
he could and stopped the flow of blood
The bullets were being sent in show
ers, but after some time he was placed
on blanket, and four brave men oar
ried him back some fifty yards inst
over ridge, where he was left on the
ground, wet and suffering. For thirty
six hours he lay on the ground without
anything to eat. When he reached ST
honey and had his wound dressed Inv
an incompetent doctor, they offered