Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-08-03
AMERICANS|N BATTLE
Military Attache Praises the
Bravery Of Our Men,
SAW The SANTIAGO FIGHT
Amid Storm OF Mauscr Bullets Shaft
ttr's Troops Pressed On. Driving
the Span'ards Back From
Their Trenches.


Captain Webster. the military attache
to the legation of Sweden and Norway
at washington, who With other at
iaches to foreign legations, viewed the
movements of the Spanish. American
and Cuban armies at Santiago has ar
rived IN this city to accompany Gener-
al Fred ID. Grant when the troops en-
bark for Porto Rico today Captain
Webster came here from Tampa. Fla.
having just been released from quar-
antine. The other attaches did not ac
company him.
To reporter for the Daily Press.
who saw him at Hotel Warwick las,
night. where General Grant is stopping.
Captain Webster gave his views on the.
three days fighting around the city
of Santiago de Cuba.
was astonshed at the bravery OF
the Americans" he began. The vulley
firing of the Spanish army was most
deadly. but the Americans never fall
tered They pressed on to their object
i've point and never stopped till they
captured it. During the lighting I uc-
cupied a good point from which to
watch the progress of the battles. and
American and Spanish officers What
pleased me was the magnanmous
manner in which the United States hos
pltal corps ministered to the wounded
Spaniards that We're found lying on
the battlefield. They We're picked up
and placed in the ambulance wagons
and carried to the rear, where they re-
ceived the very best medical attention.
Surgeons on the battlefield would stop
and bandage the wound of a Spanish
soldier to prevent the loss of blood till
the ambulance wagon arrived. The
hospital service in the American army
is worthy of the highest communication.
1t was reported that American soldiers
cut the threats of wounded Spaniards.
but that ii is not true. i was told.
though, by American officers that the
Cubans killed wounded Spaniards with
their macthetes. but this harbarous
practice was stopped by the officers and
men of the United States army
Questioned regarding the conduct OF
the American soldiers when under
heavy fire. Captain Webster replied:
The regulars. of course. are the best
soldiers. They are trained militiamen,
but the A-cond uets Mt hesryol utyteers \ is
highly praiseworthy. especially as re-
cards the Rough Riders. The Rough
Riders fought well and their charging
was excellent. I saw the Scventy-first
New York regiment go up one side o.
the san Juan hill under Il rakinG fire.
and ii was IA beautiful charge The
Second Massachusetts regiment of VOL
unteers also did good service. Still
there is difference between the volun
leer and regular soldier. General Shaft
erS campaign was carried on under
trying conditions. His men had to c,1t
their way through jungics, ana the
commander deserves credit for what
he accomplished"
In contrasting the two armies. Can
tain Webster said:
The Spaniards had but 5000 men in
the city of Santiago who were able to
bear arms, while General Skaters
forces numbered nearly $4,000. How
ever. the Spaniards occupied the want
age ground. They were behind
trenches, while the Americans were In
the open and at all times exposed to the
fire of the Spaniards. The attacking
army always has the disadvantages and
sustains the heavier losses. After tine
Surrender a Spanish colonel told me
that the losses on his side in the three
days fighting aggregated between six
and seven hundred. including the killed
and wounded. General Shafter's report
shows the losses on his side to have
been over 800. The heavy loss on the
American side is due to two causes
the fact that it was the attacking army
and because voley firing by the Span
iards was steady and deadly. At times
the lines We're very close, only 4 few
hundred yards apart That was when
the Americans were driving the Span
iards from the trenches. The best evil
dence that General Shafter won a vic
s 81 M to him. If the Spaniards