The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-06-28

| d HtlSI III Ao0AAs 80
easily have been a disaster. AS IL was,
| Troop L, the advance guard under the
unfortunate Captain Capron, was al
most surrounded, and but for the re-
enforcement hurriedly sent forward,
every man would probably have been
killed or wounded.
There must have been nearly i, 500 span
iards in front and TO the sides OF US
said Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt to-
day when discussing the sight. They
held the ridges with rifle pits and ma
chine guns, and had a body of men in
ambush in the thick jungle at the sides
of the road over which we were ao-
vancing. Our advance guard struck
the men in ambush and drove them
out. But they lost Captain Capron,
Lieutenant Thomas n about fifteen
men killed or The Spanish
firing was accurate, SO accurate in
deed tina 1t surprised me and their
firing was fearfully heavy"
TT want to say a word for our men,
continued Lieutenant Colonel Roose-
welt. Every officer and man did his
duty up to the handle Not a man
finched." s--~
A GALLANT CHARGE.
From another officer who took part
in the fighting more details were OBJ
tanned.
When the firing began" said he,
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt took
the right wing, with Troops G and K,
under Captains Llewyn and Jenkins,
and moved to, the support of Captain
Capron, who was getting it hard. AT
the same time Colonel Wood n Ma
jor Brodie took the left wing and ad-
vanced in open order On the Spanish
right wing. Major Brodie was wound
ed before the troops had advanced 100
yards. Colonel Wood then took the
right wing and shifted Colonel RoOSe-
Welt to the left.
In the meantime, the fire of the
Spaniards had increased in volume,
but notwithstanding this, an order for
a general charge was given and with
a yell the men sprang forward. Col
onel Roosevelt, in front of his men,
Snatched a rifle and ammunition belt
from a wounded soldier and cheering
and yelling with his men, led the ad-
vance. For a moment the bullets were
singing like a swarm of bees all
around them and every instant some
poor fellow went down. On the right
wing, Captain McClintock had his leg
broker by a bullet from a machine
gun, while four of his men went down.
At the same time Captain Luna, of
Troop F, lost nine of his men. Then
the reserves, Troop K and E, were or
dered up. Colonel Wood, with the right
wing, charged straight at a blockhouse
GU away oIu NolollC II
on the left, charged at the same time.
Up the men went, yelling like fiends,
and never stopping to return the fire
Of the Spaniards, but keeping on with
a grim determination to capture that
blOckhouse.
THAT charge was the end. When
within 500 yards of the coveted point
the Spaniards broke and ran, and for
the first time we had the pleasure
which the Spaniards had been expert
encing although the engagement, of
shooting with the enemy in sight"
HOW NEWS OF THE BATTLE WAS
RECEIVED.
Copyright by Associated Press.)
On Board the Associated Press Dis
patch Boa Wanda, Off Guantanamo,
Friday, June "a, 2 p. m, viz Port An
tonic, Jamaica, Saturday, June 25, 8 p.
m.-The tidings of the first land fight
in which the American soldiers took
part in uba was quick to reach the
camp at Juragua, and to travel thence
to Baiquiri, then to the cruisers and
battleships and within a few hours to
the and and sea forces at Guantana-
mo. The interest rouse by the fight
ing was very great and the almost uni
versal query was Did we VIM"
Great sorrow was expressed for
those who fell.
Speaking of Captain Capron, who
had left Clusters old fighting Seventh
cavalry, to join the rough-riders,
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt remark
ed on the battlefield: He was one Of
the most accomplished officers I ever
knew
The ounde were being brought
down the steep hillside to Juragua
when the Wanda arrived in the road
stead.
Already two regiments Of the REIN
forcing brigade were moving away
over the hills, carrying their dog tents
in a roll over their shoulders with their
haversacks and canteens. The horses
of the cavalry and artillery were only
partially d~isembarked at BaiQuiri, six
miles away, yet three cavalry COM
riands had pressed forward, dismount-
ed, without artillery support, instead
of waiting for an attack.
The Wanda left Juragua at 4 o'clock
in the afternoon, with an accurate list
of the dead and wounded furnished by
the Associated Press correspondent
who had just arrived from the scene of
the fight, for Guantanamo, forty miles
away, to file a bulletin over the cable
at the point. Night was closing as the
yacht entered the harbor. A run was
made alongside the M~arblehead, the
flagship of Commander McCalla. Flag
ship ahoy," shouted the officer on the
bridge. Compliments of the Wanda,
serious engagement near Santiago; re-
quest permission to cable accurate list
of dead and wounded" Three hundred
jackets pressed to the side of the ship,
peering at the yacht in silence until
the officer of the deck had reported to
Commander McCalla and had resumed
his walk. Did we VIM" Then came
from the sailormen. When told that
the Americans held the field and that
the Spanish had retreated, a fierce
cheer came over the water.
ConmaD6er McCalia took the nreCS-
men to his cabin and quickly read their
short account of the battle, remarking
grimly as he said:
First fight, Spanish retreated, that's
right. List of dead; yes, men must be
killed Artillery not up, that's bad.
Machine guns very effective against
Spanish blockhouses; scatters Span
iards like ants"
After fixing his signature to the ca
] hIo moSSaCo Corron1or n,Callo