The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-02
IT'S NOT ALL MURDER
Funny Things Happen on the
Field of Battle.
BULL PUP ON THE FIELD
Marines in Full Retreat From
a "Submarine Mine"
BULL PUP ON THE FIELD

| this city mis- morninge taoinetaoln etaoll
| this city yesterday from the field of war
in Cuba He and others have already told
in full of the heroism of United States
soldiers, but not the least interesting of
his memories and observations OF the
struggles preceding the surrender OF
Santiago are his stories of individual ad-
venture, OF personal courage and reck-
less daring which in the rush of greater
events appeared too trivial for mention.
Yet they are the sidelghts which cast a
halo around then American soldier and
make him the unique fighter of the world
Ambuscades and surprises he encountered
and were he less intelligent and indivdu-
ally resourceful pluck might not nave
awaited him to overcome obstacles and
grasp victory. 1t was this characteristic,
and not a great stra tegy. Mr.. Reach says,
that astounded the Spaniards.
Unwilling TO speak of any dangers or
adventures personal to himself, Mr.. Beach
has unstnted praise for the newspaper
correspondents. and particularly for those
from Chicago, with whom he was with
continual touch. They were always tot
be found in the front, and the advance
firing line never was too close to the enc
my for their post of duty. They escaped
the Mauser bullets which Missed around
their heads, as many others in the shallow
trenches and in theh open did. and that
is the W onder of it.
ct cannot tell exactly how I felt In the
first fight" said Mr.. Beach; probably
wished 1 was back in Chicago. but the ex-
element and intensity Of the situation
were not conducive to cool thought any
way. There was nothing for those 20 do
in the scrimmage but stand their ground
and hurl lead and explosives at the dons
or run away. Somehow the latter thought
after the first moment or two, seemed to
occur to no one. AS oneof the marines at
Guantanamo said to me: My first i'm
pulse when l heard the bullets whistle by
me was TO skedaddle, but then l became
so mad at theh rascals in the brush that
1 lost all feeling except to get a crack at
one Our soldiers, too, soon became i'm
pressed with the bad craftsmanship Of
the Spaniards, and this added recklessness
to their bravery. They changed their
opinions, however, at FL Caney. when the
Spaniarls showed their bravery unsur-
passed, and when their bullets did deadly
work. Had they fought at San Juan as
they did then, Skaters advance would
not have been so rapid, nor the capture Of
Santiago so easy and speedy.
'In the little entrenced camp at the top
of the hill at Guantanamo some amusing
incidents occurred. A short distance from
our trenches the grass and weeds and
chaparal, which had been cut in making
from rifles and rapid-fire guns, caught fire
and suddenly there was a ush into the
camp of an advanced detail of marines
shouting, A submarine mine,' Into the
trenches where their comrades were lying
and watching for an attack they rushed,
still yelling Submarine mine!' They saw
saw the fire and everybody having been
thinking about and fearing these mines
thought the blaze was the premonitory
symptom of an expulsion. One of them,
exhausted, sat on me, and I had some
trouble to convince him that we were on
dry land and that even the explosion of
a submarine mine a quarter of a mile
away could not hurt him.
"An incident that caused almost as
much JOY as diversion occurred after a
very hot engagement, when the Spaniards
were driven in defeat from the neighbor-
hood Of the fort. On their way to the
front the marines had stolen a little bull
pup from a slaughter house in Key West
for a mascot and chrstened him Dewey
Right after the fight. with tale erect and
painting tongue, Dewey marched up the
slope and over the parapet and was re-
ceived with cheers. How he escaped from
the fire from both sides was a mystery"
Mr.. Beach and Mr.. H. j. Whig.ham Of
the Tribune had a narrow escape the dav
after the fight at Cuzco Hill, when the |
marines drove the Spaniards 70 Caiman-
era They had started TO reconniter a lit
tie on their own account, when suddenly /
bullets began 20 whistle about them. They /
beat hssty retreat. but bullet overlook /
Whigham and grazed his nose. Il never /
felt so mad in my life said Beach, but /
as we had no arms and could not see the |
Spaniards, discretion was the better part /
of valor"
Mr.. Beach tells many instances Of per- |
sonal bravery; in fact. the exhibitions of /
individual bravery were so numerous as
to cease TO attract especial attention. |
Lieutenant Wise. son Of John S. Wise.
Of Virginia, while leading his command Up |
the i1ih at San Juan stopped three times
TO take snap shots with a camera. while |
his men were resting preparatory 10 an
other forward and upward rush.
Captain Philip Reed. once a resident Of
Chicago when General Miles had his head
quarters here, displayed on frequent oc-
casions The greatest gallantry. As inspec-
tor general on the staff OF General Kent
he was generally found where the nght-
ing was hottest
OF the humor and rscklessness OF the
Rough Riders Mr.. Beach t.lls q story
about Captain Ilewnyn and another off,
Ger Of that command. Captain LIaweIiyn
was once elected speaker Of me assembly
n Dakota by one woke over his opponent
Both men we7e now lying n The trenches
hear e Caney and the Mauser m.sseIs
were whistling above and about them.
Suddenly MS opponent n the legislative
Jumped up and shouted ar Speaker
The gentleman from Brown coun-y.''
said Llewellyn with dignity. i now move
he previous question
You are out OF order. squat" promptly
decided Captain LlewIIyn. and down they
iQuated sn The trenches jast in tine 70
escape = YoI3ey aimed s. taer heads
IN R0Ap0 Tue CONHH0