The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-05
THE 7Isr IN TnE rom
A Private Tells How Three Companies Of
the ReEimept ChnrGed Uphill.

INC HeEluhenL GnhFkeu ophhAs
Private Francis Nichols OF Company I. Sew
enty-hrst New York Volunteers. has written to
his fnther. In this city. the following from the
breastworks in Santiago. under date OF July IL:
"A. NJ. on July 1 we broke camp and
moved forward to battle. The firing COM
menced at $3.50 while some distance away. and
shortly aftcrword tho wounded commenced to
20 to the rear. first tho Cubans, then our own
mon. We were marching through tho woods
and the Spanish sharpshootors hidden In trees
killed and rounded n great many. Our regi-
ment lay in the woods for about an hour with
tho bullets killing and wounding our boys and
we not daring to fire a shot for fear OF hitting
our men diminishing ahead. Whom we
could stand II no longer and just as our eompn-
ny passed the Colonel. he ordered Capt. Meeks
to take tho company forward to the creek and
II he found he was under q cross-flre to retreat.
We went to the creek. and, Notwithstanding
that our men were being hit while we were
standing up to our waists In the water, we did
not retreat but went forward across the open
field. barb-wire entanglements and all. and
reached the top Of tho hill as soon as tho regu-
lars. The Sixteenth. Sixth. Twenty-fourth and
Thirteenth regulars and Companies 1. T and NJ
OF the Seventy-frst we're together.
A we reached the top OF the hill our second
battalion broke through the woods and followed
us. The creek. field and hill were covered with
killed and neutrality-suspicious.. Cubans and
Spaniards. The Spanish trenches were filed
four or flve deep with their killed. Fourteen
killed. sixty wounded and about forty missing
was our regiments record for the day. Our
company had one killed, Joe Decker Of my
squad and my terminate at Camp Black being
the unfortunate one. Ho and several others got
in the blockhouse on top OF the Hill and were
doing such good work sharpshootinR that
the Spaniards shelled them and drove them
out. He was hit while inside by o
Mauser bullet, which struck tho sight Of
his rifle. glanced and went through his lung.
He walked out OF the blockhouse and dropped.
Wo buried him on the hill the next evening
with a board for a headstone. Twas struck
twice during tho day. had a scratch on the left
shoulder while lying behind the b~lockhouse.
and discovered q flesh wound In the calf OF my
left leg that evening. The firing continued the
next day Saturday. and in the evening about
10 o'clock the Spaniards tried to surprise us by
a charge in the dark. It lasted about thirty
minutes. and report says they lost $50 men.
We did not lose more than two. with several
wounded.
On Sunday at noon the firing recommended,
we having moved around to the right and be-
tween the batteries. 1t was quite hot for a
sharpshooters and artillery. The Spanish shells
sailed over our heads pretty lively. but little
damage was done by them. Our shells evil
IDENTIFY played havoc with them. as their firing
ceased toward evening. Last night and this
morning It rained very heavy and We are wet
through and like a lot OF drowned rats. All
hands want to charge the Spaniards and have
1t over. Tho regulars think the Seventy-frst
is all right"