The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-16

bacon and bareback, and a short sup
ply oft hat Many of the officers are
without blouses, and wear shoulder
straps on their shirts. 1t has been i'm
possible to bring up any private property
from the ships. The Cuban campaign has
thus far been quite as remarkable Tor
hardships as the civil war was A shore
where there are no harbors and no roads
practicable for vehicles has afforded no
chance for the introduction of even mill
tary luxuries. Very few horses were
brought with the expedition, and all that
are now ashore have been landed through
the surf at Baiquiri or Siboney. In one
day fifteen horses were drowned in thus
pushed out of the ships into deep water.
and are stored ashore by men in boats.
Sometimes the roughnes of the water
forces the men to let go of the horses.
and they swim wildly out into the sea,
beating about, become so much exhausted
that they drown before they can be res
cued. Some of them were so much re-
duced by the long journey that they were
unable to swim as far as the shore.
The camp of the advance brigade on the
high hill at Sevila, from which the city
of Santiago could be plainly seen. was not
struck until about O'Clock yesterday af-
ternoon Earlier In the day 1 had an
opportunity to go on a very interesting
reconnaissance with General Lawton and
General Chaffee. These officers, with
their Cuban staff and guides called at
OP In "a nj a
about o'clock in the morning, and called
for a company of that regiment to act
as escort during a reconnaissance. Cap
tain Chynoweths company WAS desig-
mated, and the party set out at once.
Until after the outpostS were passed,
General Lawton and General Chaffee and
their staff, mounted on horses and mules,
rode in advance. Beyond the outposts
the company was divided. with Captain
Chynowth and twelve men in advance,
and Lieutenant Reeves and the balance
of the company in the rear. The Cuban
guides led the way on a. trail which takes
the general direction of MORO Castle.
We went on cautiously for d mile or
two, winding by narrow path through
a characteristic Cuban country, now
thckly wooded and now open, with fine,
grassy slopes. A halt was made, and the
Cuban scouts went on in advance little
way. During the wait Captain ChynOweth
had every one of his soldiers guns care
fully inspected and the magazines loaded.
He cautioned his men not to fire except
at the word of command. The scouts re-
turned, and reported to the general that
they had no doubt that there were Span
ish outposts little way ahead. Our lit
tie column advanced again, quite eau
ttously, watching the woods and expect
ing to be red upon. In this way we pro-
ceeded at least two miles, but not trace
of a Spaniard could be found. After a
height had been reached which enabled
General LawtOn to make sure that there
were no Spanish outposts in that direc-
ton, we marched back again, over an
other and d much longer route. which
our Cuban guides assured US was the
shortest.
The bearing of the regulars on this lit
tie expedition was one of the most ad-
mirable things that 1 have ever seen.
The soldiers were strong but quiet men,
we'll trained, and evidently fond of their
work. When they were permitted, on
the little halts that we made, they chat
tereh in low tones and laughed. On the
march no talking was permitted. The
men walked silently, expecting to be fired
upon as the soldiers had been the day be-
fore further back on the road; but there
was not one scared face in the company
I studied the faces from time to time
and was delighted with the strong and
brave and ready look in them. One young
fellow of twenty-one or Whereabouts wore
on the front of his shirt a picture Of his
mother, reproduced photographically on
a large button. His mother would have
reason to be proud of the cool bearing Of
her son under danger.
The reconnaissance proved how CON-
pletely the Spaniards had withdrawn
from the hills which seem to command
Santiago. That they promise 70 defend
the place at its gates is clear enough.
Meantime the artillery creeps slowly over
the road-it could hardly come otherwise
over such road.
Our Cuban contingent increases stead
lily. Fully eight hundred insurgents hover
about the advance line all the time. As
fast as the outposts are moved forward
the Cubans come up and hang their ham
mocks among the trees. and cook and gcs
sip and sing, and apparently enjoy them
selves greatly. They are friendly and
hospitable, and of course extremely pic
turesque. They have gathered up an i'm
mense amount OF clothing and blankets
thrown away by the American troops on
the road. One battalion OF the Second
Aassac husetts started up this Cuban road
under the midsummer heat 0: = tropical
sun, carrying excellent overcoats and
knapsacks. Every overcoat and KNAPP
sack was thrown away before the com
ma1d reached Sl5oney. Hundreds OF
soldiers threw away their wooilea bla2-
kets; they lightened themselves OF bot
ties Of medicine. and evn OF s. Ier money.
which they threw out beside the way
Many soldiers were unable 70 keep "
with their regiments. and the path was
lined with strasElers. TIE ciothing that
they thus threw away was promptly gath
cred Up BY the Cubans. who. though
they could And 10 horses % sell % Isass
TO American officers. found horses ou
which 10 pack thts material % a ssfa
place. Not one = the Cuban inss1rzea-s
by the way. lcoks ll-f-d, they seem 90
have abundance IN eat They cook cora-
meal and coffee. and have meat q some
sort az least once : day, sad 4 great
deal Of fruit, and On ire whole fare be-
ter TIM the American troops do
Prom tie SPOT zhere ! 81 AZ this E-o-
neat. ~ The poln, where the broad ard
fire avenue % tle old p-atrsro q = Poo
leads down 10 the nazoz and quilted hls>-