The herald., 1898-06-26
The DONS ARE
DRIVEN BACK
CONTINUED from Page One.)

| IOuIS anu the regulars was SOLiidi oeiNSiS
level and easy of travel Three Hotchkiss
guns were taken with this command
| The first part of the journey of the rough
riders was over steep hills, several hun.
dred feet high. The men carried 200 rounds
of ammunition and heavy camp equip
ments. Although this was done easily in the
early morning, the weather became in
| tensely hot, and the sun beat down upon
the cowboys and eastern athletes as they
toiled up the grade with their heavy packs
and frequent rests were necessary. The
trail was so narrow for the greater part OF
the way that the men had to proceed single
file. Prickly cactus brush lines both sides
of the TRAIL and the underbrush was Sc
thick that it was impossible to see ten feet
on either side
The Cuckoo Call
All the conditions were favorable for a
murderous ambuscade, but the troops kept
a close watch and made as little noise as
possible.
The rough riders entered into the spirit
of the occasion with the greatest enthusi-
asm. 1t was theG first opportunity for a
fight and every man was eager for it. The
weather grew swelteringly hot, and one by
one the men threw away blankets and
tent rolls and emptied their canteens.
The first intimaton had by Col Wood s
command that there were Spaniards in the
vicinity was when they reached a point
three or four miles back from the coast,
where the cuckoo calls of the Spanish sol
diers were heard in the bush. 1t was dill
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 a place was reached
about o'clock where the trail opened into
a space covered with high grass on the
right-hand side of the trail and thckets.
A barb wire fence also ran along the left
side The dead body of a. Cuban was found
on the road, and at the same time Capt.
Caprons troops discovered the outposts,
the heads of several Spaniards being seen
in the bushes for moment.
Anxious to Fight
1t was not until then that the men were
permitted to load their rifles. When the
order to load was given they acted on 1t
with will and displayed the greatest Gag
erness to make an attack. AT this time the
sound of firing was heard mile or two to
the right, apparently coming from the hills
beyond the thicket. 1t was the regulars
replying to the Spaniards, who had opened
on them from the thicket. In addition to
a rapid rifle fire, the boom of Hotchkiss
guns could be heard. Hardly two minutes
elapsed before the Mauser rifles COM
menced to crack in the thicket and hun
dred bullets whistled over the heads of
the rough riders, cutting leaves from the
Nd from
fence posts by the side of the men. The
Spaniards had opened fire, and they poured
in heavy fire, which soon had a most dis
astrous effect. The troops stood their
ground with the bullets singing all around
them. Private Colby caught sight of the
Spanish and fired the opening shot at them.
Fish Shot Through the Heart
Sergt. Hamilton Fish, jr., was the first
man to fall He was shot through the
heart and died instantly. The Spaniards
were not more than 200 yards off, but only
occasional glimpses of them could be seen.
The men continued to pour volley after
vollsy into the bush in the dire ction of the
sound of the Spanish shots, but the latter
became more frequen. and seemed to be
getting nearer.
Colonel Wood walked along his lines, dis
playing the utmost GOODNESS. He ordered
troops to depioy into the th!ckst, and sent
another detachment into the open space on
the left of the trail.
Roosevelt Leads His Men
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt led the
former detachment, and tore through the
brush, urging his men on. The shots came
thicker and faster every moment and the
air seemed filled with tn singing and Shrek
ing sound Of the Mauser bullets, while the
short pop Of the Spanish rifles could be dis
t!nguished easily from the heavier reports
of the American weapons. Sometimes the
fire would come in volaeys and again shots
would follow each other in rapid succession
for several minutes.
Captain Caprou stood behind his men, re-
volver in hand, using it whenever Spaniard
appeared. His aim was sure and two of
the enemy were seen to fail under his fire.
Just as he was preparing 10 take another
lshot and shouting orders to his men at the
same time his revolver dropped from his
grasp and he fell to the ground with bullet
through his body.
Brave Capt. Capron's Cry
The troop was badly disconnected for a
moment, but with all the strength he could
muster he cried: Don't mind me, boys; go
on and fight"
He was carried from the field as soon as
possbl and lived only few hours. Lieu
tenant Thomas of the same troop received a
wound through the leg soon afterward and
became delrious from pain.
The troops that were in the thicket were
not long in getting into the midst of the
fight. The Spaniards located them and
pressed them hard, but they sent a deadly
fire in return, even though most Of the time
they could not see the enemy. After ten or
fifteen minutes hot work, the firing fell off
some, and Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt or
dered his men back from the thicket into
the trail, narrowly escaping bullet him
self, which struck tree alongside his head
The Retreat
1t was evident that the Spaniards were
falling back, and changing their position
but the fire continued at intervals. Then the
troops tore to the front and into more open
country than where the enemy's fire was
coming from. About this time small squads
commenced to carry the wounded from ths
thicket and lay them in more protected
spot on the trail until they could be re.
moved TO the field hospital.
Colonel Wood ordered his Hotchkiss CUR
into action but the trooper who rode the
mule upon which part of the gun was
packed had been stampeded. His ANNA
broke into the woods in the opposite direc.
ton from the Spanish fire and the gun con-
sequently could no; be used.