The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-06

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the showering bulieta solemnly "a n
tently wigwasging 10 tho dis6ant Dol
phinl II wes necessary that this man
should stand 1t tho very top Of the ridge
In order that his da0 uri0ht nnnaay IA
relief against the sky, and the Span
iards must have concentrated mo Of
at least 30 rifles upon him. His society
was at that moment sought BY mono.
We gave him wide berth. Presently
into the din came the boom of the DOL
phin's guns.
The whole thing was IN internal din.
One wanted to clap ones hands to ones
cars and cry out in Gods name for the
noise to cease; 1t was past bearing. And
-look-there fell Cuban, great
hulking negro, shot just beneath tho
heart, the blood staining his soiled
shirt. He seemed in no pain; it seemed
as IL he were senseless before he fell
He made no outcry; he simply toppled
over, while q comrade made O semi
futile grab at him. Instantly one Gu
ban loaded the body upon the back Of
another and then took up the dying
mans feet. The procession that moved
of resembled O grotesque wheelbarrow.
No one needed it much. A marine re-
marked, well, there goes one Of the
Cubans.
Under bush lay d company pri-
vate shot through the ankle. Two COM
rades were ministering to him. He, too,
did not seem then in pain. His express
sion was Of man weary, weary, weary.
Marines, drunk from the heat and tho
fumes of the powder, swung heavily
with blazing faces out Of the firing line
and dropped painting two or three PAGES
to the rear. And still crashed the Lees
and the Mausers, punctuated by the
roar Of the Dolphin's guns Along our
line the rife locks were clicking inces-
sanity, as IL some giant loom was run
ming wildly, and on the ground among
the stones and weeds came dropping.
dropping rain Of rolling brass shells.
This terrific exchange Of fire lasted o
year, or probably 1t was 20 minutes.
Then strange thing happened. Lieu
tenant Magill had been sent out with
40 men from camp to re-enforce us. He
had come up ON our left flank and taken
q position there, covering us The Dol
phin swung little farther on and
then suddenly turned loose with fire
that went clean over the Spaniards and
straight as die for Magill's position.
Magill was immensely anxious to move
out and intercept q possible Spanish re-
treat, but the Dolphin's guns not only
held him in check. but made his men
hunt cover with great celebrity. It was
no extraordinary blunder on the part Of
the Dolphin. It was improbable that the
ships commander should know Of the
presence of Magill's foroe. and he did
know from our line of fire that the ene-
my was in the valley. But at any rate
in the heat and rage Of this tight little
fight there was good deal Of strong
language used ON the hill.
Suddenly some one shouted: There
they goi See 'eml See 'emv' Forty
rifles rang out Anumber of figures had
been seen to break from the other side
of the thicket The Spaniards were run
ming.
The Cubans, who cannot hit even the
wide, wide world, lapsed into temporary
peace, and line Of q score Of marines
was formed into firing squad. Some
times we could see whole covey vanish
miraculously after the volley. It was
impossible to tell whether they were all
hit or whether all or part had plunged
headlong for cover. Everybody on our
side stood up. 1t was vastly exciting.
"There they goi See 'emi See 'em"
DI. Gibbs, Sergeant Major Goode.
shot at night by hidden enemy; Dun
ply and McColgan, the two lads am
pushed and riddled with bullets at ten
yards; Sergeant Smith, whose body had
to be left temporarily with the enemy
all these men were being terriflcally
avenged. The marines, raw men who
had been harassed and harassed day and
night since the first foot struck Cuba
the marines had come out in broad day,
met a superior force and in 30 minutes
had them panic stricken and on the gal
lop. The Spanish commander had had
plenty of time to take any position that
pleased him. for as we marched out we
had heard his scouts heralding our ap-
proach with their wood dove oooing
from hilltop to hilltop. He had chosen
the thicket. In 30 minutes the thicket
was too hot for his men.
At last it was over. The dripping ma
rines looked with despair at their empty
canteens. The wounded were carried
down to the beach on the rifles Of their
comrades. The heaven born Dolphin
sent many casks Of water ashore. A
squad destroyed the Spanish we'll and
burned the commanders house. The
heavy tiles rang down from the caving
roof like the sound Of q new volley.
The Cuhans to the number Of 20 chased
ON for q mile after the Spaniards A
party went ont to count the Spanish
dead. The daylight began to soften.
Save for the low murmur Of the men q
peace fell upon all the brown wilder
ness Of hills.
Possible stragglers were called in. AS
the dusk deepened the men closed for
the homeward march. The Cubans ap-
peared with prisoners, and cheer went
up. Then the brown lines began to wind
SLOWLY hopeward. The tired men grew