The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-06-30


instant the Hotchkiss guns were fred
from the hillsides commanding the
read, came volley after volley from the
Mausers of the Spaniards.
"Don't shoot until you see something
to shoot at, " yelled Gen. Young, and
the men, with set jaws and cleaning
eyes, obeyed the order. Crawling
along the edge of the road, and pro-
tecting themselves as much as possible
srom the fearful fire of the Spaniards,
the troopers, some Of them stripped to
the waist, watched the base of the hill,
and when any part of Spaniard be-
came visible, they fired. Never for an
instant did they falter.
DID NOT STOP FOR A woUNE.
One husky warrior of the Tenth Cav
airy, with ragged wound in his thigh
coolly knelt behind rock loading and
firing, and when told by one Of his
comrades thathe was wounded, laughed
and said: ooh, that's alright That s
been there for some time.
In the meantime away off to the left
could be heard the crack of the rifles
of Col Woods men, and the regular,
deeper toned vOliey firing of the Span
ish.
Over there the American losses were
the greatest. Col. Woods men, with
an advance guard we'll ont in front. and
two Cuban guides before them, but ar-
parently with no flankers, went square
ly into the trap set for them by the
Spanisrds, and only the unfaultering
courage of the men in the face of fire
that would even make veteran quail.
prevented what might have easily been
a disaster. As it was, Troop L, tn 2
advance guard under the unfortunate
Capt. Capron, was almost surrounded,
and but for the reinforcement hur-
riedly sent forward, every man would
probably have been killed or wounded.
"There must have been nearly 1900
Spaniards in front and to the sides Of
us, :" said Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt today
when discussing the fight. "They hello
the ridges with rifle pits and machine
guns, and had body of men in ambush
in the thick Jungle at the sides of the
road over which we were advancing
Our advance guard struck the men il
ambush and drove them out But they
lost Capt. Capron, Lieut.. Thomas, anC
about fifteen men killed or wounded
''The Spanish firing was accurate, Sc
b accurate, indeed, that it surprised me
and their firing was fearfully heavy.
'T want to say a word for our owl
men," continued Lieut. Col. Roose
veIt every officer and man did hi
duty up to the handle. Not mai
finched."
OIIIOEIs pIohI We INN EIphl'
From another officer who took
prominent part in the fighting NOR,
details were obtained. "When the fir
ing began" said he, 'Lieut. Col
Roosevelt took the right wing will
Troops G and X. under Capts. Llewe
Ign and jenkins. and moved to the sup
port Of Capt. Capron, who was getting
it hard At the same time Col. WeoG
and Mai. Brodie took the left wing
and advanced i'll open order on The
Spanish right wing. Maj. Brodie was
wounded before the troops had ad
vanced 100 yards. Col. Wood ther
took the right wing and shifted Col
Roosevelt to the left.
SIN the mean time the fire of the
Spaniards had increased in volume
but, notwithstanding this, an order foi
, ageneral charge was given, and with 6
yell the men sprang forward. Col
Roosevelt, in front of his men, snatch
ed rifle and ammunition belt from 6
wounded soldier, and cheering an0
yelling with his men, led the advance,
For moment the bullets were singing
like a swarm of bees all around them,
and every instant SEINE poor fellow
went down. On the right wing Capt.
McClintock had his leg broken by q
machine gun, while four Of his men
went down. At the same time Capt.
Luna, Of Troop r, lost nine Of his men.
Then the reserves, Troops K and e,
were ordered up There was no more
hesitation. Col. Wood, with the right
wing, charged straight at blockhouse
800 yards away, and Col. Roosevelt, or
the left, charged at the same time. u
the men went, yelling like fends, and
never stopping to return the fire Of the
Spaniards but keeping on with grim
determination to capture that block
house.
"That charge was the end Whei
within 500 yards of the coveted point
the Spaniards broke and ran and fer
the first time we had the pleasure which
the Spaniards had been experiencing
all through the engagement of shooting
with the enemy in sight.
SURGEON cHURCH's HERoIsM.
In the two hours fighting dur ng
IALL WOMEN
Should know that tina