The sun., 1898-09-25
WAR HONORS FOR A MULE.
A CAVALRY CAPTAINS STORY or THB
SANTIAGO TRENCHES.

Alarm Caused Among the American TroOpo
by Mule just Before the spRpinrdp
Made an Attack - Its Effect In Get.
ting tho Men Into shape to Fight.
Ever hear how an old army mule saved the
Fifth Army Corps at Snntiavo2" asked Cap,
tain in the Third Cavalry. There was . gem
eral murmur among the Captains auditors
that signihed that he couldn't tell too much
about une wonderful exploit OF the muor-
thaliGned animal, and with a few moro puffs
at his cigar he began:
We had taken San Juan HILL and our line
holding IL was too thin for safety. though the
talk about Withdrawing came only from peo-. /.
pie who gave all the orders but were not At
the front There was a feeling OF nervousness
and restlessness among the men that didn't
help tho situation. An order to retreat would
probably have meant n friRhtful panic and all
the officers we're filed with anxiety and send.
ing back urgent MESSAGES that the line should
be held at all hazards but that reinforce
ments must be pushed forward at once In
order to hold the position. This was the situas
tion when an army mule began % get in his
work. ...
Perhaps it was n snake or one OF those big
land crabs that started him. but whatever u
was he began TO kick as though determined q,
to level the whole camp. Crash after crash
sounded through the camp in his Immediate j
vicinity az camp chests. kettles and accoutro. (.
ments went flying In all directions from, the !,
force OF his rapidly working heels. Some re- 2
cruits near by were awakened and thrown into
confusion and they rushed about yelling and
screaming In the full bellefthat they had been
surprised by night attack Of the Spaniards. I
In their terror they began firing in all direo-
tions and In ten minutes the aroused officers
had the whole camp under arms and ready tor
the momentarily expected attack. .., -
THAT blessed animal could not have been ,
more timely IN commencing his work OF de. /,
struction. It seemed providential and I'm
fully convinced that heaven inspired the act, /,
for the Spaniards did attempt a surprise Q ,
short time afterward. but the mule had tho ,
camp under arms and fully prepared for the
enemy ten minutes before the scared sentrieS
came tearing In with the news and found to 9
their surprise and Joy that the officers had !,
the men we'll In hand and with their faces to
the enemy. ,s
Coming after the defeat Of the day before.
1t must have taken all the heart remaining
out Of tho Spaniards to find us oil up and 4,
ready for them A storm OF bullets met the
first rush, and they were thrown back. ut
terly defeated and demoralIzed The attack
was we'll planned. and with our mon worn out
with their constant fighting for days and lack
OF sleep. 1t would not have been difficult to
start panic that might have ended in the
utter rout OF the Fifth Army Corps. Once ,
started. nothing could have stopped the de- p.
moralization. and with only the narrowest y
kind Of road on which to retreat. it is not too
much to say that 1t is more than probable
that the whole corps would have been crushed.
There. were scores Of us in camp that might
ate abter the the Tsppss oo Of the h Eh9 beeyd
old army mule saved the Fifth Army Corps.
think hs 5t9Fy Eys Of the San h 4
1t after the surrender. Gen. Linares was
present in person, during our charge at San
troops occupied one. OF the strongest positions
were to hold the position to the last. and It
was was his intention 70 strike US on the flank
and crush us then and there. The cavalry
" the S IN We tha T9Sd the ss
self watched .!he charge from this place Of ,
AT aTst b" vas 9yerioyed at the. prospect. :
intrenched positions could hurl down and de.
he commanaed JAN American Sfc "os troops t think his hiS
hope would have been sustained, but his first
besn f WITH onS steadS se
their awfulicharEe:uP to Il the erests from which
y at every STEP Needless SGT q thess hsR Who fe BE-
As regiment after regiment broke from cover
and followed those in advance and the perfect
lines hadn't the sligtest effect in checking them,
Linares's'heart sank. and he quickly changed
saying that the hill must be held as long as
possible. and il 1t was necessary to retreat to
the second line of defence to do so. He him.
self ordered the fanking movement by the
cavalry TO be abandoned and retired to the
second line.
when the fighting was going on up the hill.
Lieut., Parker. with his battery OF machine
guns came up and exclaimed to one Of the
officers: Where In hell are the Spaniards?
I've been fGhting all day and haven't seen q
damned onen A Captain volunteered to point
out the Spaniards to the Lieutenant. and soon
Parker's guns were sending torrents OF bull.
a position nv where he could sweep t6e trenches.
Each gun fired 800 shots minute and think
Parker's guns killed ten times the number OF
the enemy that the Krag-JorRensens OF the
regulars did. When we got to the top Of the
hill the trenches were full to the top with
dead and wounded. 1t was war in its most
hideous aspect" ,,,J..