The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-27

along which Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt's men and eight troops of the
First and Tenth cavalry, with bat
terry of four howitzers, advanced. These
roads are but little more than gullies,
rough and narrow, and the places al
most impossible. In these trails the
fight occurred.
Half mile separated Roosevelt's
men from the regulars and between
them on both sides of the road, in the
thick unoerbruSh, was concealed a force
of SpaniardS that must have been large,
judging from the terrific and constant
fire they poured in on the Americans.
The fight was opened by the First and
Tenth cavalry, under General Young.
A force of SpaniardS was known to be
in the vicinity of La Quasina, and early
in the morning Lieutenant Colonel
Gus bluff back of Siboney to attack the
Spaniards on their right flank Gener-
al Young, at the same time, taking the
road at the foot of the hill.
About two and one-half miles out
from Siboney some Cubans, breathless
and excited, rushed into camp with the
announcement that the Spaniards were
but little way in front, and were
strongly intrenched. Quickly the Hotch-
kiss guns, out in the front, were brough
to the rear, while a strong scouting line
was thrown out Then, cautiously and
In silence, the troops moved forward
until bend in the road disclosed hill
where the Spaniards were located. The
guns were again brought to the
front and placed in position, while the
men crOuched down In the road, waiting
impatiently to give RooSevelt's men,
who were toiling over the little trail
along the crest Of the ridge, time to get
up.
At 1880 a. m. General Young gave the
command to the men at the Hotchkiss
guns to open fire. The command was the
beginning of a fight that for stubborn
ness has seldom been eQualed.
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, speak
ing of the fight said:
1.-The Spanish firing was accurate, SO
accurate, indeed, that it surprised me;
and their firing was fearfully heavy.
Il want to say a word for our own
men, continued Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt Every officer and man did
his duty up to the handle. Not a man
finched."
From another officer who took
prominent part in the fighting more de-
tails were obtained. When the firing
began" said he, Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt took the right wing, with
troops G and K, under Captains Lew
elyn and Jenkins, and moved to the
getting it hard. At the same time Col
onel Wood and Major Brodie took the
left wing and advanced in open order
on the Spanish right wing. Major
Brodie was wounded before the troops
had advanced 100 yards. Colonel Wood
then took the right wing and shifted
Colonel Roosevelt to the left.
I'm the meantime, the fire Of the
Notwithstanding this, an order for a
general charge was given and, with
yell, the men sprang forward. Col.
Roosevelt, in front of his men, Snatched
a rife and ammunition belt from a
wounded soldier and, cheering and yell
ing with his men, led the advance. 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 Capt Nc
Clintock had his leg broken by a bullet
hi hill hi
men went down. AT the same time,
Capt. Luna, of Troop F. lost nine of his
men. Then the reserves, Troops K and
E, were ordered up.
Colonel Wood, with the right wing.
charged straight at a blockhouse. 500
yards away, and Col Roosevelt, on the
left, charged at the same time. Up the
men went, yelling like fendS, and new
er stopping to return the fire of the
Spaniards, but kept on with a grim
determination to capture that block
house.
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 all through the engagement, of
shooting with the enemy in sight.
I'm the two hours fighting, during
which the volunteers battled against
their concealed enemy. enough deeds of
heroism were done to fill a. volume. One
of the men of Troop E, desperately
wounded, was lying squarely between
the lines of fire. Surgeon Church hur-
ried to his side, and, with bullets pelt-
ing all around him, calmly dressed the
mans wound, bandaged it and walked
with two men and litter. The wound
ed man was placed on the litter and
brought into our lines.
Another soldier of Troop L, conceal
ing himself as best he could behind a
tree, gave up his place to a wounded
companion and a moment or two later
was himself wounded
Sergeant Bell stood by the side of
Capt Capron when the latter was NOR
tally hit. He had seen that he was
fighting against terrible odds, but he
never f1inched. Give me your gun
minute, he said to the sergeant, and,
kneeling down. he deliberately aimed
and fired two shots in quick succession.
At each q Spaniard was seen to fall.
Bell, In the meantime, had seized a
dead comrades gun and kne1t beside
his captain and fired steadily. When
Capt. Capron fell, he gave the sergeant
a parting message to his wife and faith
er and bade the sergeant goodbye in a
cheerful voice and was then borne
away. dying.
Sergeant Hamilton Fish, Jr., was
the first man killed by the Spanish fire.
He was near the head of the column as
it turned from the wood road into the
range of the Spanish ambuscade. He
shot one Spaniard, who was firing from
the cover Of a dense patch of under
brush, when a bullet struck his breast.
He sank at the foot of a tree, with his
back against 1t. Capt. Capron stood
over him shooting, and others rallied
around him, covering the wounded man.
The ground was thick with empty
shells where Fish lay. He lived 20 min
uteS.
with the exception of Capt. Capron,
all the rough riders killed in the fight
were buried on the field of action. Their
bodies were laid In one long trench.
each wrapped in a blanket. Palm leaves
lined the trench and were heaped in
profusion over the dead heroes. Chap
lain Brown read the Episcopal burial
service for the dead. and, as he knelt