Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-18
1115-1117 Farnaft1 Street.

under them, distinguished themselves In
the fight for bravery and daring. and never
took q backward step until the blockhouse
was In their hands, with a large number OF
prisoners. 1t was while leading this as
sault that Captain Haskell and his beard
caused the enemy to waste 30 much Of Its
ammunition.
other Companies in 1t.
The captain says that Company e, Cap
tain Evans. and Company G, Lieutenant
Baker, also made q record for themselves
in the assault upon the town Of Ell Caney.
They charged into the city without knowing
how many Of the enemy might be en-
trenched there, and carried everything be-
fore them. They surrounded a detachment
Of the Spaniards, among whom were sew
eral officers, and called upon them to sur
render. This the Spaniards refused to do,
when the Americans fired a volley into
them. 1t was this volley which killed Gen
eral Vera del Rey and three members Of his
staff, after which the others surrendered.
The American officers further distinguished
themselves by their humane treatment of
the wounded Spaniards, and the care for
the prisoners. Lieutenant Baker was put
in charge Of 131 prisoners, kept them over
night, and the next day marched them to
LAX ACd II IuIucu tueLu over 10 GeueTdl
Shaftef.
Captain Haskell mentioned a fact, which
to him seems remarkable, and which has
been heretofore recited in the accounts OF
those battles, that not an American officer
or man was taken prisoner by the enemy in
the three days engagements.
Among the sad events connected with the
campaign Of the Twelfth infantry in Cuba
was the loss OF Lieutenant Elliott and Lieu
tenant Wood from fever. Captain Haskell
says both men were we'll thought of by
everybody at Fort Niobrara, and Lieutenant
Elliott was particularly popular there and In
Valentine, as he was a great lover of horses
and dogs, and took an active interest in all
outdoor sports. Lieutenant Woods father
was captain Of Company A..
Another incident he mentioned to show the
temper Of the mon composing the Twelfth
infantry, was the wire cutters. Volunteers
were called for from the regiment to cut the
barbed wire, which had been stretched across
the way leading to Ell Caney. From among
those onering their services, two were Sc
lected from the captains own company.
They were young men, without experience
under fire before, but they went at those
wires like veterans. The captain said they
seemed to be the target for every gun the
enemy had all the time they were engaged
In the work, but escaped without a wound,
and are now with their company at Jefferson
Barracks. This incident was described by
Captain Lee. the English army attache, In
an account published in the Century Maya
zine, and he called 1t one OF the most daring
feats Of the campaign.
Too Much for the s%paniard.
After the battles the captain had con-
versatlons with several Spanish officers and
numerous amusing incidents were told. He
said one OF these prisoners accused the
Americans OF not fighting fair because they
fired and then moved forward. They had
been accustomed to fighting from ambush
and retreating. Another officer said they
would shoot one Americana and four would
take his place; then they knocked those
down and twenty would put In an appear
ance. whereupon the dons found business
elsewhere.
After the surrender OF Santiago Captain
Haskell was taken with fever and was i'll
for some time after landing at Montauk.
At one time his life was despaired OF and
Mrs. Haskell says when she reached Montauk
to care for her husband the first information
she received Of his condition was that the
chances were against his recovery. But he
pulled through and after gaining sufficient
strength to travel the captain was granted
a leave OF absence, and, accompanied by his
wife, went to San Francisco. where they both
report having had a pleasant time. The cap
tain said he read the order about his regi-
ment being slated for the Philippines In
The Bee while coming east Tuesday even
ing aud SO he lost no time in getting TO
his regiment, to which he has been attached
for thirty-two years. taking the train from
Omaha Wednesday afternoon.