New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-13

P''N' AAS ia" 'SVh pduiy Wouuucu Ia the DeCh
early Friday, but had not yet reached place
where he could receive anything like proper
care.
The dead Of yesterdays battle had not all
been buried. One lay under a bush In plain
view. cloth covering his face A lot Of SOL
ders stood about doing nothing
why don't you bury him." was asked
We've got the tools all right" answered a
private. but don't want to do anything without
an order from officer
And the dead man remained unburied.
GRAvEDIGGERs ORDERED TO THE FRONT
Just beyond ford of the San Juan River. a
few hundred yards from the blockhouses capt
ured yesterday. lay four corpses A grave had
been begun for them in the rocky soil. and was
unfinished. pick lay near by. Evidently the
gravedggers had been ordered to the firing
line.
Along the bank Of the river the chaplain Of
the 1st Volunteer Cavalry buried Captain
O'Neill. with the help Of two privates.
The ford Of the river at this point seemed to
be the especial mark Of the enemy's fire. al
though 1t was a distance behind the trenches.
The 7th Massachusetts had gone hundred
yards beyond when shrapnel shell came whiz-
ling by. There was scattering and lodging be-
hind banks until the order came to advance.
Apparently the sharpshooters in the trees knew
that this place would be common hating
place for soldiers who wanted to fill their can
teens and therefore took perches that would
command view Of 1t. The result was that the
bullets sped by there regularly. clipping the
foliage with a nasty zip" Some Of the shots
struck the water near the ford. and within
about an hour four Of them hit a live mark
physician who accompanying wounded
man was killed. and so was soldier. The phy-
sician was DR.. Danforth. Of the 9th Cavalry.
and his brains blown out He had prevl-
ously been in Cuba in the service OF the United
States Government.
Two other privates were shot One was SIT
ting on the bank Of the river with fr1end' cha'-
ting Both heard the bullet strike near by ana
thought It just well to move on one OK
them walked lame. and his companion asked
him what the trouble was.
FoRTITUDE OF THE WOUNDED.
IT don't know" was the answer, but my leg
feels weak" He looked down and saw blood
streaming from 1t. He had been shot without
knowing It, Instances Of this kind. where a
bullet was not discovered until the blood was
seen, were not unusual Indeed. remarkable
/ feature Of the battles around Santiago mas
been the stodty and pluck OF the wounded
The writer saw perhaps two hundred OF them
and heard not groan. At times. IN moments
Of agony some would utter sound OF pain. but
it rare
| One incident Of the sort was touching. Four
litter-bearers were carrying a soldier who had
been shot in the back. For some reason he was
lying face up. Hating to rest. they. without
noticing It. set the litter on stone. which just
happened to press In on his hurt. He uttered
| cry and said:
For Gods sake, boys. move me little;
there's a stone under me-"
With heartiest expressions OF regret, they
lifted him up and put him in more comfortable
place In his death struggle one cavalryman.
boy OF nineteen. shrieked. Mother. oh. my
mother" but that was the end.
The expression that most common on the
faces Of those painfully or mortally hurt was
one Of weariness-an intense longing for rest
It seemed to proceed not so much from the
pbysical pain Of the wound itself as from
general depression Of the entire vital powers.
The look seemed to ask that the man be let
alone. be not dragged in a rough wagon or
shaky litter but simply be allowed to lie In the
shade, with no one to look or to ask Ques-
tions or to touch the injured spot. Rest seemed
to be what was craved. But passing cruelty
was lasting kindness. and the tired frame was
moved on to where the surgeons could give IT
proper attention.
LITTER BEARERS FIRED ON.
The Spanish sharpshooters had no respect for
the Red Cross flag They fired continually on
| litter bearers and from time to time on nos
pitals OF course. in some cases this was not
| Intentional but IN others It certainly was. 1t
became dangerous to carry the wounded out OF
I the trenches and for this reason some were
! left there until night. Another reason for not
removing the injured was that 1t took so many
men. There was great risk returning to the
trenches after the wounded man had been taken
to a field hospital. Often the soldiers who had
| horne away a comrade remained IN the rear
! until nghtfall, so the regiments would have
been unduly weakened had all who were struck
! been carried away at once.
Major Bell. surgeon Of the list New-York.
| made the trip along the road seven times ana
was fired at on each occasion. Several litter
bearers were shot. and so were some soldiers
who had previously been wounded
| For the four or five miles from General Shaf-
ter's headquarters to the front there was con-
slant danger from the sharpshooters In trees:
Not only did they infict many wounds some OK
/ them fatal but they harassed the troops great
w. Some Of the wounds they inflicted were al
most directly from overhead. one artilleryIhda.
was shot In the eyebrow and through the heart
nv a single Mauser ball. Another ball passed
| through a mans skull and out at his chin
| Some o. the best marksmen OF the marching
regiments were detailed to walk six PAGES apart
| and TO keep a sharp watch so as to shoot when-
| ever a rifle was fired from a tree Hair dozen
Spaniards were killed in trees long way De-
lind the American lines in the afternoon. When.
/ ever one could be seen he was certain to meet
his fate. 49, -.
| These deaths horribly dramatic one OF
the fellows was discovered by keen-eyed IN
fantryman His rife was brought to the
shoulder instantly. There was pause that
seemed to last seven or eight seconds. then
|
and then a man. his legs and arms sprawling In
all directions. He struck the ground with a
crash.
FOUR GUERILLAS SHOT.