The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-03
STILL ANOTHER ROUGH RIDER

I
Cuba July 2. 1893. p. m.-Dear Father.
IL am alive at this writing, sound in
body and mind-untouched. l am writing
this under fire and may never mail it.
Our brigade has three trenches we threw
up last night We have them packed with
men, and the remainder of the brigade
lies al the base of the hill. guarding and
supporting our intrenchements. We keep
the boys in the intreuchements supplied
with provisions and ammunition. Every
time q detail goes 10 the entertainments
the Spanish open FIRE with a machine gun
and small arms. The machine gun reaches
the reserves. About one and half hours
ago the whole push formed several lines
one behind the other. with two gattlings
and one dynam mite gun in front 20 support
our tntrenchemnts. The fire in front was
so hot that our lieutenant colonel thought
that the Spanish inended sorm our in
trenchemnts. While we were in the line
one fellow was wounded in the head The
charge was not made. I took a platoon
OF men at noon after the utter Spanish in
trenchemnts had ben taken. within COO
yards of the Spanish barracks and gave
them hot fire. One of our boys ID troop
was shot at this point and died in few
minutes. His body Hes unburied between
the lines. The buzzards are thick over
head Spaniard lies unburied behind
our intrenchments. In the bushes and tall.
grass yesterday morning, the battle hav-
ing opened at 6:45 a. m, July l. by our
batteries. I found myself separated from
nd al
got into a creek up to myar mpits be
hind one OF our machine guns that was
worked dnfront OF the outer Spanish in
trenchments to its fullest extent The
Spanfards were trying to silence IT, The
fire was terrific. / cooled off and rest ted
a few minutes, waiting for another hne
to get into thu creek. 1t did not come.
Wounded and stragglers lined the banks
/ made break for the froSt Climbed
a very steep hill and ran into the 10th L.
s. Vol. (colored). Their white officers
were forming them for rush up the next
hill where the spaniards had their in
I got in among the negroes
waving my carbine and yelled: Come on
boys" The ''nigS' with the officers be-
hind them lit out along with me for the
Entertainments. We stopped to open fire. |
A line of our men were ahead. We fred |
over their heads while we were on high
ground and thy on low. Some officers /
ordered to fire, and some said our men
While we were Insulating, 1 looked be- |
hind me at an officer on foot who was !
yelling commands into the ears of the men,
and observed the stars of general upon |
d6T-c Il \
and up the next. We saw the intrench- |
ments with the Spanish dead. One EEL |
low was breathing heavily upon two 9TH
ers who were dead Just beyond a few |
feet was a blockhouse that had been |
for Spanish officers. Fine |
wines, provisions. etc, were abundant. |
The men stopped no forage. Lieutenant |
Colonel Roosevelt drew his revolver and |
ordered them forward and away from the |
stores. He said that he would shoot any
man who disobeyed his order. There were
present in the crowd troops from many
regiments. Tt was after that and on the
hill that we shot into the city and the
barracks. We had to retire about fifty
Yards, and made our stand between the
olockhouse and the enemy, where we laid
Ill afternoon while the battle progressed
elsewhere. We commenced on the in
a little after dark. We were
1red upon once or twice, but the work
vas not stopped. 1 stayed up all night as
'isting the lieutenant in charge. The men
we're worked by details. At dawn the
spanish opened and I ordered our Skin
nish line into the trenches and we slid
mil Ixy ha, /
n every fight so far. Our captain is in |
of the squadron, first lieutenant
n the hospital. second lieutenant in COM
nand and three sergeants in command of
'latoons. The detail of our troop came
ut OF the ditch at about one O'clock No
me was hurt We had six of our troops
hear that one boy upon Cas-
ack post this morning in advance of the
Inc did not get back when the bail opened
nd has probably been taken prisoner.
shell burst just in the rear of the
rench I was in this morning and just
yer regimental headquarters, which was
n the grass. I expected that many Off
ers were killed and wounded. but none
we're hurt Last night I ate beef soup
nd cooked dried peas and boiled rice
hat the Spanish had cooked, but did not
top long enough to eat. 1t tasted all
ight- We went into the fight in shirt
leeves, with canteens, carbines and belts
nd 100 rounds of ammunition. found
lanket that a fellow left in his hurry
D slide into the Entertainments. It was
irty. bloodstained, and I suppose lousy
kept me warm. however. The nights
.
lost a rain. hope this will reach you
~ address IS First Sergeant, L. S vo'-
nteer cavalry. 1st L. S. Nil Station. New