Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-07-02
BRAVE rough Riders.
Their Fighting Was Sim
ply Amazing.
MANY ACTS OF INDIVIDUAL HER0ISM.


That Will Figure In History.
In the last issue of THE ENQUIRER
was published the fullest account of
the battle of La Quasina possible up
to Tuesday. Since then there have
come some more interesting and i'm
portant details. According to official
reports, the total number of Rough
Riders engaged was only 244. The
enemy numbered not less than 1,5O0-
probably 5000. Edward Marshall,
the newspaper man is pronounced by
two surgeons to be out of danger,
while two others say his condition is
very doubtful. Since the fight, the
Rough Riders have been on active
duty daily. The following account of
the battle is from the New York Her
aid of Wednesday, having been writ
ten by Richard Harding Davis, the
correspondent of that paper and of
the London Times.
The first report sent you of the
Rough Riders fight was written soon
after the firing ceased. 1t has since
been possible to obtain many interest
ing details. A Spaniard who was in
the fight and who later was captured
by the Cubans, said of the volunteers !:
"They did not fight as other soldiers.
When we fred volley they advanced,
instead of going back. The more we
fred the nearer they came to US. We
are not used to fighting with men who
act so."
This comment touches gratifying
feature of the engagement. The vol
unteers, surprised on a narrow trail,
successfully drove back four times
their number under fire which killed
or wounded every tenth man. This is
what is called decimating fire, and
one under which, according to mill
tary tactics, troops are expected TO
retreat.
The credit of the engagement, there
fore, is all the greater for the reason
that instead of retreat there was a
steady, cool advance, which only ceas-
ed when the Spaniards' base was taken
and they were seen retreating, carrying
their wounded. Forty dead Spaniards
have since been found.
The Spaniards had selected their
position with care. Trails from Sibo-
ney approached La Quasina like the
two parts of wishbone, the Spanish
position being the meeting point. The
enemy, accordingly, was so placed that
they were able to see down the valley
and cover the approach of the Ameri-
cans whichever way they came.
General Young arranged to meet
Colonel Wood at this spot and as his
trail was longer he started from Sibo-
ney with the regulars half an hour in
advance of the volunteers. His scouts
saw the Spaniards on the ridge long
before those in the bush were discov-
cred by Colonel Wood. The losses in
killed and wounded were for this rea-
son greater among the volunteers and
because of the ambush which brought
the volunteers within about so yards
of the enemy.
One feature of the fight which illus
trates the spirit shown by the men was
when one fell out of ranks wounded,
three or four others did not fall out to
help him to the rear, a service which
as rule is popular. On the contrary,
the wounded lay where they dropped
unattended, except by the hospital
corps. In three cases men wounded
in the arm or leg cared for others IA
tally wounded. There was no one else
to help them for no one of the volun-
teers who was able to shoot did any
thing else.
The spirit of Edward Marshall, the
wounded newspaper correspondent,
was as admirable as that Of any soldier
on the field. He was shot first in the
firing line, and though the bullet pass,
ed within an inch of his spine and
threw him into frequent, terrible con-
vulsons, he continued in his intervals
of consciousness to dictate an account
of the fight and gave it to wounded
soldier to forward to his paper. This
devotion to duty Of man who knew
he was dying was as fine as any of the
many courageous, inspiring deeds that
occurred during the two hours of des-
perate fighting.
The conduct of all the men in the
fight cannot be overpraised. 1t must
be remembered that not for one minute
during two hours did the strain slacken
nor the officers call halt. The move
ment was fast and incessant. The
ground was uneven and the advance
impeded by vines an inch thick, trail
ing bushes and cactus plant, known
as the Spanish bayonet, which tears
the flesh and clothing. Through these
the men fought their way, falling and
stumbling, wet with perspiration,
painting for breath, but obeying Colo
mel Wood, their commander.
The cowboys observed perfect dis
ciplne, and the eastern element in
troop X, from clubs and colleges, acted
with absolute GOODNESS and intelli-
gence. Among the cowboys, Row
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