The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-20
SMELLING MEN In THE FIGHT
LETTERS FROM SANTIAGO RE-
CEIvED AT THE FORT

Has Been Relieved--CoI. Page
Had Two Horses Shot-Privates
Hoppe and Warner Killed-Fred
Geriach's Luck-Capt. Hannay
Praises the Courage of His Men.
There Is much rejoicing at Fort
Smelling. The long lost Third regiment
has at last been heard from and those
who have had letters have willingly
and each letter received has been read
and reread for the benefit of every Of
| ficer's family at the fort.
| Capt. Gerlach is especially happy, for
| a letter received from his son, Fred,
| who had complained that he was to
see none Of the fight, having been left
| behind with the commissary wagon,
brings word that the boy managed to
| get to the front, and though a bullet
| unframed. The hat will be at once
sent for by the family and saved as a
| trophy of the war with Spain.
Fred Gerlach saw the first of the
fighting, was overcome by the heat and
carried to place of safety in the
shade but recovered and was able to
get back to the front and was present
WI liit COlUlS were CdlIIGU ONSI Tie
Spanish works. A shell burst near him.
from the effects Of which he was over
come and was carried back this time
for dead. He is we'll, however, having
recovered from the shock.
A letter received from Capt. Bunty,
who had started home on unlimited
leave to allow of his accepting a COM
mission as regimental major, states
that he was unable to send his accept
of the nncitinn n tinop tO
the poor mail service, and the commits
sion was given to another. He is now
in quarantine at Pot Seneca.
Capt. Gerlach was seen by a G o
reporter last evening and said that the
letters received at the fort stated that
the heat and heavy rains were very
hard on the men, They were march
ing in their underclothing.
THE Third was in the heavy fighting
the second day of the battle" said
Capt. Geriach. Capt Hales' battery
waIs out in the front fighting line While
the Second battery, under Capt Han
nay, was held in reserve. Col. Pages
horse was shot from under him and
the men saw considerable fighting.
Prvates Hoppe and Warner were kill
ed and Others were wounded. Private
Hoppe vas tie company tailor and
leaves his wife better off than some
CT the privateS' wives find themselves.
L have not discovered any of his rela-
tives yet, but hope to make some in
quiries tomorrow.
My son, who was left behind, man
aged to get to the front and saw some
of the heavy fighting. He says
Spanish bullet went through his hat
We will send for that hat Immediately
The men are tolerably well.
Lieut.. French, who is now captain
of the Fourth, is sick with fever, and
Lieut.. Humphrey is i'll from a sun
stroke. They are at Fort Mcpherson
and will be sent home as soon ais they
can travel.
THE pajamas being made by the
women Of the Red Cross are excellent
things for the men in the hospitals,
but I fear that much that is sent will
never reach those who most need it,
There We're many leaks in such matters
during the Civil war; he remarked
and human nature is the same now
as it was them
Mrs. Hannay has received two let
tiers from Capt. Hannay, of the Third
in which he says among other things
that the conduct of A and D companies
was splendid during the fight, and that
he knows they can be relied on for any
thing. He tells of the death of Privates
Warner and Hoppe, the latter of whom
was shot in the head. Col. Pages two
horses were killed. Capt. Hannay gives
an excellent description of the scenery
and of the dead as they lay quiet in
the moonlight as the regiment passed
over the hill where the big fight took
place. He saws he is in good health
and spirits. The following letter was
received from one of the most con-
sentative officers in the Third regiment
and out of respect for his extreme
modesty his wife wished his name
withheld:
NEAR SANTIAGO. Cuba, July g. 1885,
Our brigade commissary is going into Siboney
this afternoon and I sending this letter
with him, trusting he may get a chance to
send it off. After the letter I sent you on
the Both, we received orders to move from
Siboney to the front We got started about
O'Clock at night, and after very pleas
ant march of about six miles in the bright
moonlight camped for the night After about
two hours, sleep we were routed out and
then near the Spanish lines and soon heard
the firing in our front. We moved to the
right Of the line and after several delays
along the road, about / o'clock on the list.
moved into position to attack a block house
and the village of Caney, strongly held by
the enemy. We very soon got under fire,
sation of an actual battle. We were placed
In position to the right of the block house.
while In A. the village, about 300 yards from
were the enemy They made it hot for us for
while, but our men acted splendidly, and
we soon had them out. but not until they
inflicted considerable loss on our troops.
l had bullet pass through the edge of my
campaign hat and another strike and throw
up the dirt at my feet. Pat Warren, of
Company A, was killed right near. Two
more men were killed while moving up into
position: All our officers were under fire,
most of them while moving into position,
while on the firing line we had Col Page,
Rartack Capt Hannay, Bundy. McRae,
well, and none were. injured. l feel very
proud of having my campaign hat cut by
Spanish bullet. After the enemy ceased
firing we Oates brigade) withdrew and were
headquarters and to the position we now
hold. 1t was another march by moonlight
and about 2 o'clock in the morning before
to move up the hill where the charge had had
been made that afternoon by the other por-
ton of our >lines The Spanish posi-
ton was strongly entrenched and it
would seem 1t needed all the courage
and pluck of the American soldier to carry
it. After but two hours sleep night before
last they woke us UP at daybreak by a heavy
hrirg Hales battalion had to go out in
the morning to reinforce the position of the
trenches held by the Second infantry, and
were in the trenches all day. 1t was very
uncomfortable because of the heat and the
entire day. We had seven wounded, but none
killed, IN the Third. Last night we We're
again Weakened by a heavy firing, but it
seemed to come mostly from our men, ard
connaissance by the enemy and not real
attack. 1t stirred up the Spanish batteries.
however, and they dropped a few shells very
close to our lines. One that exploded near
our camp killed Col Pages two horses. Nj
McRae's horse that stood between escaped un-
injured. we got back to sleep in about an
hour hour; and ISL, slept sou1dly and well until day
marching tho