The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-12-14
cspron at Santiago.


At the engagement at Las Guasimas
Capt. Allyn K. Capron, Of the Rough
Riders, son of Capt. Allyn X. Capron,
Sr., was killed. His body was left for
a time where it fell. His hat was placed
to cover his face and a black rubber
poncho thrown over the body. Only
the rough, mud clOtted shoes prOtrud-
ed from beneath the poncho. Word
was sent to Captain Cspron, Sr., aud
he soon reached the scene of the en-
gagement. White faced but upright,
he stood f,ra moment looking down
at that black, forbiddiDg outline Of the
last of three promising sons. Stoop-
ing, he lifted the hat from the dead
boys face aud, gazing at him with
moist eyes, said
"Well done, boy p
Then replacing the hat he turned on
his heel and marched stifiiy away.
One morning ON Misery Hill, wit
messed sample of Captain Capron's
methods with his men. It is a time
hOnored custom in the regular army to
give a rookie, or new new recruit much
more than his fair share Of fatigue duty.
The regulations protect each man, but
it takes the recruit some time to learn
his rights. On the morning in ques-
ton CaprOn's men had received orders
to build their intrenehments higher.
A corporal had put a lone private at
work carrying gunny-saeks Of sand
and piling them along the battery
trenches The poor fellow staggered
back aud forth with the heavy bags,
fairly dripping with perspiratiOn. The
other men Of the battery were scatter
ed about in the shade of the trees, TAX
ing their ease. Captain CaprOn emerg-
ed from his tent, and, with grim
smile, surveyed the scene. Then he
shouted; /;
"YOu, sir Come here, sir p
The rookie marched up, sack on
back. As he said himself, she was
scared stiff" Capron looked him over
serenely."
drop that sack, sir -
The recruit dropped it as fit had
been red-hot.
"Stand at attention, sir ~
The order was obeyed with evident
apprehension as to what was coming
next.
"Don't you know your rights, sir?
Because you are a willing horse they
are working you to death. One man
sir, doesn't do ali the work Of a battery.
The first sergeant will instruct you.
That will do, sir.n
By the time Cspron had completed
his reprimand and re-entered his tent
dozen prlvates had carried a sack each
to the trenches, and the rockies morn
ing task had been completed in about
three minutes.
Captain Capron always appeared
pleasant with the enlisted men Of the
volunteers. He usually had a CHEEKY
'GoOd day" for them. He would stop
and respond to a remark or question
that was respectfully put. But he did
not seem To consider them in the same
class with his own men. His attitude
towards the volunteers was as if he
looked on them as a lot of promising
young cubs. In fact, he said of the
lads who loafed around his tent:
"rhe cubs have good stuff ia EN- 1
wouldn't mind whipping some Of the
whelps into shape myself"
But his own men he treated as ifthey
were herd of full grown roaring lions,
seeking that which they might devour.
His simplest order was delivered in n
hOarse below. Not that his men were
a noisy lot, for they were singularly 81
lent and self-contained. But they one
and all seemed to approve Of CaprOn's
attitude toward them. Big, brswny
and hairy-chested, they were in COM
parison with the volunteers like a lot
of untamed grizzly bears besides
litter of white mice. And they SEEM
ed happy to be treated as grizzlies by
Capron.
In my memory Of the men and events
of the Santiago campaign there will
always stand out clean-eut the image
Of Captain Allyn Capron-msn, and
soldier. His creator forgot to put a
hinge in his back. And he deserves
from his eountrymen monument in
scribed
"Well done, Captain Capron r'-
New York Sun.