Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-30
GAVE STANDARDS A SURPRISE.
Rough Riders Did Not Fight Like
Men Spanish Were Used to Meet.

Orchard Harding Davis in New YORK
Herald)
The first report sent to you OF CcloAel
Woods fight was written Immediately
after the firing ceased. 1t has since been
possible to obtain fuller details from
Standard who was in the fight. and was
later captured by Cubans. Ihis pfisohei
said Of the volunteers:
'They did not fight as other SOLDIERS.
When we fired a volley, they ADVANCED
instead of going back. The more we
fired the nearer they came to US. we
are not used to fighting with men VINO
act So" .,e..
This comment touches the most gratlfy-
ing feature of the engagement. rive
hundred volunteers, surprised in narrow
trail. successfully drove back four times
their number. under a fire which killed or
wounded every tenth man. Ths is What
is called a decimating fire, and one under
which, according 10 military tacucs'
troops are expected 10 retreat. Credlt
for the engagement, therefore. Is all the
greater for the reason that instead of
retreat there was a steady, cool advance
which only ceased when the enemy's base
had been taken and the Spaniards were
seen retreating, carrying their wounded
Forty dead SpaniarGs have since been
found.
AIDED BY THE REGULARS.
The charge Of the Tenth Cavalry or
regulars and the First Cavalry. who,
coming up by another trail. cleared a
ridge upon which the enemy was intrench-
ed. assisted equally in the repulse.
The Spaniards had selected their posi-
ton with care Two trails from Siboney
approached La Quasimas like the two
halves of a wishbone. the Spanish posi-
ton being at the meeting point The
enemy, accordingly, was so placed that
| the men were able TO see down the valley
| and cover the approach Of the Americans
| whichever way they came.
General Young arranged TO meet Colone
Wood at this spot. and as his trail was
| longer he started from Siboney with the
regulars half an hour in advance OF the
! volunteers. His scouts saw the Spaniard:
| on the ridge long before those in thu
brush were discovered by Colonel Wood
| and the losses in killed and woundet
were. for that reason. greater amons
| the volunteers because Of the ambush
which brought them to within thirty e
| fifty yards of the enemy.
SPIRIT OF THE MEN.
| One feature OF the fight which Illus
! trates the spirit shown by the men wa
| that when one fellow dropped out wound
| cd three or four others did not fall out L
| helm him TO the rear-a service which Is
! as a rule. the most popular. on the con
trary the wounded were left lying wher
| they dropped. unattended, except by tn
| hospital corps.
In three cases men wounded in an arm
or leg cared for others who were fatall
wounded. There was no one else 10 nell
| them. for no one OF the volunteers VIII
was able TO shoot did anything else.
The spirit of Mr. Marshall, correspon
| dent of the New York Journal, was a
admirable as that of any soldier on IN
| acid He was shot in the first firing line
| and though the bullet passed within al
inch of his spine and threw him int
freauent and terrible commissions. he con
tin,,ed in his intervals OF consciousness
10 write his account OF the fight an
ave n 10 q wounded soldier to be Tor
| warded TO his paper.
This devotion TO duty by a man "h
knew he was dying was as nne as an
nj The many courageous and insplrin
deeds that occurred during the two hour
of breathless. desperate fighting.
EVERY MAN A HERO.
The conduct Of all the men In the hgh
cannot be overpraised. 1t must be re
membered that not for one minute durin
the TWO hours did the strain slacken no