The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-07-26
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listed in Guthrie-Full and
Explicit Details of the
Battle, and Some Fresh
Incidents.
r. w johnson, of Gushing, who
Joined sthe Guthrie troop Of Rough
Riders, writes the following letter to
mis- father, which is reproduced from
the Cushing Herald. II is the best
letter that has come TO Okl ahoma.
Cuba, June 20, IS. Dear Father,
Mother and Sisters have received
no letters from you since / left Tampa
but will take for granted that you
received my letters written from
there and that you received large
part OF my experience from Frank
Delaney and the UMPIRE, up to our
landing in Cuba on June 90, That
was a grand spectacle. The place Sc
lected was little village built at the
landing of q short railway connecting
with American mines few miles
from the shore sni about 25 miles
esst OF the city Of santiago de Cuba.
A force of 1000 Sp lnisrds with two
batteries occupied the mills behind
and fred the u Acbine shops there.
Then followed the grandest spectacle
] ever saw. The cost is a narrow
str D, perhaps a b NJ mile wide, while
behind a range D, mountains over 1000
feet high rose abruptly from the plain
beneath We were standing out 25
miles from shore commanding a view
- oh naarlU tlag
Away off to the left was the harbor OF
santiago, with the American fleet
lying around IL In semicircle Di
rectly In front was our convoy feet,
reinforced by the New Orleans and
Minneapolis. Behind this lay the
transport feet, in faultless arrange
ment, 80 great steam ships rocking on
the pillows. About o'clock we ad-
vanced to about four miles Of the
shore, when our convoy left us and
closed IN TO within 20OO yards and
examined The shore for batteries
They soon found them and for two
hours thsy Kept their guns busy she'll
ing the woods and blockhouses, They
exhibited superb marksmanship and
soon had the Spaniards on the run,
leaving their artillery behind them
They then shelled every suspicious
point TO prevent surprise. The New
Orleans did most OF the work and il
was excellent. At one int, a block
house l2 feet square was situated on a
kill about 1900 feet high and a mile
and a half away. II was hit by three
shells and emptied OF occupants.
Immediately on conclusion OF the
areeSs landing began. 1t was effect
"A 10y an immense Il let OF small boats
from the warships, transports and
gunboats. A heavy surf was rolling
and several boats were overturned,
arc. <N two negroes. Our first
night onvtpban soil we slept on our
arms Tbs was very uncomfortable
as the nights here are as cold as in
Oklahoma.
At4 o'clock on the 23d, we were
ordered to pack up and begin the
long march over the mountains. Our
pack weighs about 60 pounds, consist
ing OF blanket, tent, pouch, under
wear, haversack, two days rations
muskit, knick lInacks, gun, belt, i0l
shel a, and canteen OF water. In ad-
dition 10 this / carried the company
books aud sick sergeant's haversack
Oar road was but IA mountain path,
up one ridge AMI down another
across gourge, over rocks aud through
little streams, and walking at rate
that showed we were on forced
march.
After the frst two miles the "parlor
ornaments" and those who eane To-
fun begai to drop by the wayside.
Much OF the way was nearly perpen
dicular, and with our heavy packs IL
required superhuman eXertion to keep
the pace set by mounted officers, as
you will remember we were acting ms
disnounted troops, our horses being
left at Tampa. Not over third Of our
men were In their places, and we were
staggering along ready TO drop. We
were ordered to sleep on our arms
under cover OF the war ships. The
stragglers we're coming In until morn
ing.
At 4:3O o'clock we breakfasted, and
Immediately afterward resumed the
: march up the mountain over a Jungle
pdth, Edvaneing slower and more eau
tiousiy. After travelling about six
miles we were halted and ordered to
Load our guns and keep silent. as q
Spanish outpost had been found just
ahead We had crossed the summit OF
the ridge and we're coming down on
the other side, going northwest, with
one Of Weyler's bRrbed wire fences on
our left. We were In a lane about
eight feet wide. On our right was a
jungle OF Spanish sword cactus vines
and palm trees. In about Eve minutes
few scattering shots were fred In
front then a few volleys from the
right, and Spanish bullets were whis-
tling over our headG. In a minute our
advance guard was fercely replying,
and we were ordered TO deploy 10 the
left. We got over the wire fence some
how. formed a skirmish line, and fred
couple Of volleys 10 our left front,
from which point heavy fire was
coming.
We were the sixth troop in the line,
and were now we'll toward the rear in
deploying. BY the time we hred our
first volley the action was general l.
troop, Captain Capron, our mastering
caicer, was the advance. They ran
into an ambush, the enemy being 10
the right parallel TO the road, about 50
lds away. In addition, they had
40 rapid fire guns In the road about
roo yards ahead. Capron's men saw
the enemy and soon routed them out
not, however, until Captain Cspron
and Sergeant Hamilton Fish were kill.
ed aud several others wounded,
/ will now follow ID troop. After the
fret fire the two troops behind us were
ordered to dep'oy to the right OF the
road, leaving US 70 the extreme left