The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-16

A Failure to Capture n Spanish Gun-How
Two Hills Were Held.

Two Hills Were Held.
CHAMBERsBuRo, Pa. Dot. 16-Throueh the
mistake Of an oflcer OF the regular army an
attempt which would probably have been suc-
cessful to capture a Spanish cannon = the
fighting before Santiago was spoiled. The
Spaniards had one great advantage over the
Americans In those engagements. They knew
the range OF every hill and sent bullets along
the orests whenevera soldiers head appeared,
so that 1t was exceedingly dangerous to adj
vance toward the enemy's position. Then. too.
the ground was covered with small trees and
thick underbrush. except In patches of about
twenty feetin diameter. and Of these the Span
iards had the range also. Accordingly 1t was
impossible for the Americans to march in any.
thing like order. Tho soldiers scattered out
and often lost themselves. Sometimes they
would come to q thick bush which they would
skirt. When they got around 1t they frequently
lost their direction, and confusion resulted.
On July 1 the First United States Cavalry
was thus picking its way to the front and was
ordered to deploy its skirmish lines. All the
men had not kept their relative distances, and
there was q humping together OF companies
here and wide separation there. At one time
Troop D was pushed across the San Juan
River. then recalled. when the line was straight
ened out and again forced over 1t. Finally all
struck out to reach the crest of the next hill,
each in his own way. Among those hurrying
forward was First Sergt. John Tritle of
Troop D.. He II q native of Cham bersburg,
Pa, and has been fifteen years in the
army. Sergt. Tritle had charge Of q squad Of
sixteen men Of his troop. When he reached
the crest OF the hill he had only q few OF his
squad with him. He didn't have time to hunt
for the missing ones. Instead he organized q
second squad from among the unattached soil
diers there. some from his regiment and some
from other regiments. Ea stationed his men
On the NJ. and soon saw q party q about forty
sSinSg1 q feidpiece 1WitR them. a O'0'Nh0uSe' drag
Here was an opportunity not to be lost. The
sswenty r regulars were lying on the ground.
ordered them to fire at will and dropped down
alongside them and began shooting. The squad
Colonel Of another regiment called out:
hSerGssntc cease firing thorel Do you know
The Standards. sir" seret. Tritle replied.
They're not Spaniards:, That's Col. Roose-
welt and his rough riders"
that pocket. ,i,ssw them a few minutes ago."
You're mistakenly Withdraw your menp'
t aPS sof B1t t thsre t Sas al disa n5poR p @eR h IN t6 5ss
squad OF soldiers. As one Of them said after
We had an excellent opportunity of captur-
90 on? II we could have killed half OF that
made the other half drop their big gun and run.
And, IL we once got that gun. maybe we
One Of the incidents of the fight at San Juan
Ssf f the th9aId dgb 3 Of R 89S Of 18th the sh hills tI In front nj. Of y
PROOFS aleq 3. Firsst u ii iReddkss5 sate sS9 CAVITY sw q % Ilsu {.
Berkeley is from West Virginia and has as .
wife q Lancaster SGunty girl; About 2 O'clock
ofthe crest ola hill with a firing front Of about
900 yards and there they, remsined until the
was able TO go to their assistance. They had .
terrible time Of They gould not retire and
every, time head showed. Once Lieut.. Ber-
let Missed near his left ear. After a briefinteryal
he nI thrust this his \ & I'd, up again and a bullet
men endeavored to locate the starting point Of
the bullets. and Mt last determined. that It was
4 ars SdG a. tT e sn some me d aht a5s away, A yoileS was
long to the ground. That danger was averted.
but the Spaniards in front kept banging way
bullet. The Lieutenant and his men did as
much execution as, they could, but that was not
there, they had to guard 500 yards Of hill from
wnen their regiment rescued them.
One OF the notable feats in the operations be-
Wittis Of the Thirteenth United States InfSn.
try. whose home is. In Adams county, Pa. He
gas Gafli IN se e%ns Hs Of ana e i SIs so SISEad Of pn men and tSdi z
gun alter them. cutting the barhed wire fences
from the SHaniards. Many men would have
turned back and dragged the gun down the hill
again. or. possibly, let 1t remain to be used by
SpRniards. for the bullets from the Mauser rifles
were cutting through the air with an u%npleas-
ant persistency. But the Pennsylvania German
Sergeant was not TO he kept from the crest. OF
the hill. He and his men were often compelled
to holt and screen themselves in theE under
brush, some were wounded, it seemed that all
must be shot own but the progress Of the
and pushing II the soldiers got it TO the crest
and then what vengeance they took upon the
the gun upon them Sergu. Wittig be.
gan. pouring into their broken ranks 500 shots
u minute and they scattered IN quick confusion.
so bravely did Wittig and his few men de-
fend their position that the Spaniards were un.
able to dislodge them.