Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-06-27

threw away blankets and tent rolls and
emptied their canteens.
The first intimation had by Col.
Wood S command that there were Span
| iards in the vicinity was when they
reached a point three or four miles
| back from the coast. when the low
| cuckoo calls of the Spanish soldiers
| were heard in the bush. 1t was difi-
cult to locate the exact point from
which these sounds came The men
were ordered to speak in whispers and
frequent halts were made
Finally place was reached. about S
O'Clock, where the trail opened into n
space covered with high grass on the
right hand side OF the trail and
thickcst kind Of bramblc ana under
brush on the other; IA barbcd wire
fence also ran along the left side.
The dead body of n Cuban was found
on the side of the road. and at the
same time Capt. Capron's troops COW
cred the outpost, the heads of several
Spaniarda being seen in the bushes for
u moment.
1t was not until then that the men
were permitted to load their carbincs,
and when the order to load was given
th"y acted On it with u will and dis
played the greatest ea@crncss to make
an attack. Vt this time the sound of
firing vas heard 4 mile or two To The
right. apparently coming from the hills
bcyond the thicket. 1t was the rcau-
lars replying to the SpaniarGs who had
opened on them from the thicllct In
addition to rapid rifle fire the boom
Of Hotchkiss guns could be heard.
Hardly two minutes had elaspcd be
fore Mauser rifles commenced 10 crack
ia the thckot. and II hundred bullets
Whistlcd over the heads of the Rough
Riders cuttinS leaves from the trees
ana sending chips dying from tn" fence
posts ~ the side of the Non.
The S''auiards had opened and they
poured III Il heavy ire. which soon had
a n, st disastrous effect The troops
stood their ground with the bullets
singing around tncm. Private Colby
caught SIGHT Of the Spanlards anG fired
the opening shot ut thcm.
S,1~t, Hamilton Fish, Jr Was the
first man 10 fau. He was shot through
The heart and died instantly The
5laniards We're !Iot over -0n Yards off
ana occasional Glimisca of them could
be seen. The men continued To- pour
veiloy after volov into the brush in the
direction Of the sound IF the Spanish
shots, but the latter seemed more fire.
qucnt and seemed to he getting near.
Col. Wood walked along his lines, dis
playing the utmost GOODNESS. lie or
dercd the troons to dcploy into iii"
thicilet, ana sent another detachment
into the open space on the left of the
trail. Lieut.. Roosevelt led the former
detachment and tore through The brush
urging his mon on.
The shots came thicker and faster
every moment, and the air seemed filled
with the singing and ahrickinS sound
of the Mauscr bullets. while the short
pop 81 the Spanish rifles could be dis
tinguished easily from the heavier re-
ports of the American weapons
Sometimes the fire would come in
vollcy. and again shots would follow
each other in rapid succession for sc>-
cral minutes.
Capt. Capron stood behind his mon.
revolver in hand, using it whenever Il
Spaniard exposed himself Ills aim
was SURE and Two of the enemy Wcr,
seen to fall under his fire. Just as h,
was preparing 70 take another shot and
MAS shouting orders to his men at the
same time. his revolver dropped from
his grasp ana he fell to tn ground
with a bail through his body. HIS
troop was badly Disconnected for 4 mo-
mont. but with all the strength h."
could muster, he cried: Don't NINA
me- boys; 90 on and fight"
lie WAS carried from the field as soo4
as possible, and lived only a fcw hours.
Lieut. 7 homas Of the same troor re-
ceivad a wound through the ~: soon
afterwards, ana became dcl4rous from
pain.
The troops shat were in the thickrl
were not long in getting into the h%h;,
The Sraniards; located them and press
"a them hard. but they sent deadly fine
IN return. even though most of the time
hoy could not soc The enemy
After 10 or Il minutes al hot work.
he firing fell off somewhat, and Lieut.
CD. Roosevelt ordered his mon back
from the thickct into the nail him
self narrowly escaping a bullet, which
struck tree alongside his head.
| 1t vas evident that the Spanish were
| falling back and changing their posi-
ton, hut til II FIRE continued at inter-
walls. Then me troops bore to the front
and into more open country than where