La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-09-10
'GATLING GUNS WORK
VERY EFFECTIVE in BATTLE.
Hattie Of san Juan-Nsw Dynamite
0un In Action.

Of San Juan hill:
1--WE disembarked June 25th. and on
I, that day had to procure all the neces-
sary outfitting for the battery and
organize the detachment, with an eigh-
teen-mile march ahead Of us, over
road which had never been traversed
by a wheeled vehicle. This battery,
organized in n hasty manner, was to
demonstrate the practicubility for mill
tary service Of the road from Baiquiri
to Sevilla. My remaining twelve men
reported for duty June 26th, and on
the same day we reached the extreme
front and halted until July 1st. Those
four days were employed in drill and
inspection, the only opportunity We
had for this kind of work.
"On the morning Of July LIST we re-
ceived orders to take a position back
of Grimes battery. which was In POSI-
ton on Ell Poso hill under cover. We
got there ahead of the battery. and
the second shell fired by the enemy
broke in the midst of our battery, but
fortunately did no harm to the guns.
We remained under shrapnel fire and
then were ordered to the rear. We re-
turned later to our former position,
and received orders to take the best
position we could find In order to make
the best use OF our guns.
.Soon afterward firing began at our
front, and ! rode forward on mule
to reconnoiter and selected favor
able position for firing. We moved for
ward to the advanced position at
gallop. When about 200 yards from
the spot we were stopped by Colonel
Darby, who told me that our troops
were not sufficiently deployed to take
advantage of our fire. and advised me
to wait, promising to let me know
when the proper time came. We lay
down under our guns. swept by per-
feet hell OF fire. both from the enemy
In front and sharpshooters In trees
around.
''At :15 p. m. we got the order. Go
in and we went at a gallop to our
position. This was about 100 yards
ahead of the line of skirmishers in
fire-swept gap: we went into battery, 1
gave the range from 400 to 600 yards.
and ordered Commence firing Two
men fell mt the right piece. leaving
only one man to operate the gun. and
I took the gunner's place. At the same
time firing began from all our guns,
and the enemy at once concentrated
his fire on us, thereby relieving our
other troops for the time. About two
minutes after we began firing l heard
the cheering of our own men around
to the right and left, showing they rec
ognized the sound OF our guns. Five
minutes after we began firing the
Spaniards began to Chamber from their
trenches. We concentrated our fire
upon the fleeing groups thus presented
and could plainly see them melt away
rs 1000 shots a minute went through
them. Eight and n half minutes after
we started In our own troops had
climbed so far upon the hill that l
gave the order to cease firing.
II took stock at once of our losses,
and found one-third of the detachment
had been put ont Of the fight. IAmber-
ing up. we started to the front Mt
gallop. Climbing up the captured ridge
we pushed our guns into action on the
skirmish line, compelling the skir-
mishers to give way right and left to
make room for us. They were lying
down for cover and protection. but my
men had to stand up and fight It out
on that line.
I'VE did fight 1t out. in spite of the
fact that the enemy turned his 16-cen-
timeter gun on us. to which we replied
by drying his gunners away from the
piece with Gatling-gun fire at n dis
tance of 1.JOO yards, the first time
such artillery ever was silenced by ma
chine gun fire. The gunners left the
piece loaded, and we devoted our at
tention to it during all the remainder
of the engagement with such effect
tha: the piece Is still loaded. A Spanish
officer told me after the surrender that
they lost fifty men trying to man that
16-centimeter gun and had not sue
ceeded.
ION the night of July 4th we put all
an in trnnsh tnl nN
wheels. and they participated In all
subsequent fights. keeping silent n bat
terry OF seven pieces of artillery and
firing upon the enemy's trenches every
time head was seen.
From July 4th to July 11th the two
Colts rapid-iire guns and the Rough
Riders dynamite gun Were placed
with my Gatlings, and were used to-
gether thus: The dynamite gun threw
u shell Of dynamite ut some predeter-
mined point, which invariably resulted
in n scattering of the enemy ut or near
that point. All six of the machine
guns Immediately were concentrated
on the fleeing groups with terribly ef-
fective results. The dynamite gun with
the expedition was hastily construct
ed piece and in some minor details OF
mechanism is faulty, but in principle
II is all right, and l should call the
gun a success. 1t certainly terrorized
the Spanish soldiers. 1t threw shell
containing four and one-half pounds
Of explosive gelatin. equal to nine
pounds OF No. l dynamite. 1t was in
charge of Sergeant ii. A. Barrowe OF
the Rough Riders and the Colts were
in charge of Lieutenant Tiffany OF
New York. In this campaign the Cat
ling guns were used on the offensive
l.f. to- Al
outposts. and in every way proved
their sterling worth as most efficient
and potent arm. Its future is assured,
for Il has successfully m sscd fhrouyh |