The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1898-12-16
OUR SANTIAGO HERO.
John B. Walker Gives Graphic Account Of
That Memorable Battle.
SHAKES THE PRESIDENTS HAND
a Touching Incident Described Wherein
Dying Spanish Officer Presents
Him With His Gold Watch.
Battle of Ell Caney.

The following letter has been re-
ceived by The Mail from our former
townsman, J. B. Walker, who earned
laurels for himself in the field of battle
before Santiago, and as reward for
his bravery and meritorious conduct
has been placed in charge of the United
States recruiting station at Milwaukee,
Wis:
Fort Smelling, Mimi, Oct, -.
Editor Philipsburg Mail : Just Il
month today l arrived here from Cuba
and am just getting practically on my
feet again. l was taken sick at MORO
Castle with Calentura fever or in plain
English, yellow jack" / am pulling
through all right but am only a shadow
of my former self. l weigh only 1870
pounds and am as weak as cat. The
fever takes all the life and energy out
of man. This is my first letter to any
one since my return home from the
campaign, and to tell the truth don t
feel hardly able to write this. am as
nervous as a baby and have not got
proper control of the Faber, SO if there
are some words in the following nara
tive or sentences that you do not under
stand, charge it up to the trenches in
Cuba and yellow jack combined. The
following are absolute facts, with no
highly colored eXaggerations or embel-
lishments OF the English language:
On the 18th day of April, 1898, the
Third United States Infantry, the old
est regiment in the American service,
and to which have the honor to be-
long. left Fort Smelling for the front,
our destination being Mobile, Ala. Our
trip through the country, especially the
south, was one continual round OF
pleasure. We We're deluged with exhi-
bilious of loyalty to the soldiers and
covered with flowers. l shall always
admire and respect our southern friends
for their loyalty and true affection dur
ing our progress through the southern
states.
We camped near Mobile until the Sd
of June, when we embarked for Cuba
in transports, numbering $500 regular
troops under the immediate command
of Major General Shafter. The feet
was conveyed through by portion of
the navy. No finer navy Of it's size ex-
lists today in the whole universe On
the 22d of June our feet was opposite
the little town Of Baiquiri. At 10 a. IN.
the guns OF the navy opened fire for the
Commandment Of the town, and at D.
l., n1 (t,1b ha
fire from our guns. The enemy had
burnt up most of the town and blown
up the arsenal and retreated for the
hills toward Santiago We bivouacked
that night near the town and next day
made forced march to Siboney where,
we camped several days, doing outpost
duty on the railroad running from
Siboney to Santiago. We heard the
firing at La Quasenia but did not parti-
cipate in that fight but helped bury
the dead which was not very pleasant
under the rays of tropical sun.
On the eve of the Both of June came
the long expected and wished-for order,
Bates brigade, get to the 'front.' We
marched all night carrying three
days rations, our blanket and rubber
pouch and 200 rounds of ammunition
We reached Wheeler's headquarters at
A a. m. of the 1st of July, laid down in
the wet grass for two hours, when we
forged ahead again on the main road
for Ell Caney. Soon after we pulled out
we met the ambdia.c3s coming into
the division hospital, and men afoot
wounded. We could see patches OF
blood all along the road, where the men
would sit down to rest. At 10 a. m.
we came out Of the hills onto beauti
full valley. Here the battle was raging
almost at every point Of the compass
Our division was held in reserve fol
about three hours, out of line of fire
Capron's battery Of light artillery was
pounding at the block house three
miles away, and one lucky shot brought
down the crimson and gold flag OF
Spain, and in short time our own flag
was raised in it's stead. Capron had
avenged the death of his son at La
Quasenia. y 4 Il
October 21st.
Well, you know the old saying of the
governors of North and South Carolina
''It's a long time between drinks
Well, it's so with this letter Since
writing the above l had relapse Of
the fever and have been very sick but
am better now but terribly weak; car
hardly make walk of it,
To continue my story. l think / left
the American flag flying from the
block house, and then the fighting be
came general all along the line. The
Spaniards were entrenched along tht
ridge of the San Juan hills. Our lines
were formed in the shape of large
horseshoe, LaWton and Bates division
to which our regiment belonged, being
on the extreme right. In charging
the idea was to make the horseshoe
smaller, as it We're. You see the point
and it worked admirably. We gath
cred them in beautifully. But, Lord
they fired some lead at us.-a continua
roar 1t was awful; men falling al
around us-yet no man tiinched, don