Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-07-27
LETTER FROM LIEUT.. WILLARD.
Account Of the Hard Fighting Before San
tiago-Now In CoIumbus-Wound
Healing Nicely.

Healing Nicely.
SIBONEY, SANTIAGO DE CUBA, 9TH
CORPS HOSPITAL, July D, 1898.
.y Dear Parents-I will try and
te you a few lines to let you know
n still alive. On the Both of June
moved out of our camp at Sevilla
advanced on Santiago de Cuba.
camped for the night on a hill,
Y $500 yards from the barracks in
city. Two of our light batteries
taken up positions there, and the
ut and Tenth cavalry tmy regi-
IT. and Rough Riders were to de-
these batteries during the night
ase of attack. We did not arrive
he hill, called the San Juan ridge,
ii about 1920 p. m. We had to
ie across creeks where the water
waist deep, Chamber through the
kets and underbrush, with the
Spanish daggers" sticking into
t every step, a terrible march in
1. Also we had to carry very
Wy packs, consisting of our ra-
IS for four days in "a haversack,
a little bedding. 1 carried u
iket. a h~aversack, slicker, saber,
Extra pair of trousers, a canteen
a h~aversack filled with all the
ons / could take, besides my re-
,er and belt of ammunition, a
} heavy load when one had to
v it over the terrible trail we had
travel and the rapid march we
to make. Finally we arrived,
! out and hungry, on the San
4 hill, being only 500 yards from
enemy's outposts. No lights
e allowed at all, sc we could
ke no coffee, nor even light a pipe.
had to lie down on the grass, wet
dew, and our clothing wet, to
lit the break of dawn and to rest
pest we could. About 3 a. M,
/, we were up, packed up our
things and awaited the order to
kance. Our infantry early in the
ding made a gallant attack on a
n called Cannal, and some of our
llery began to shell some block
SEES on our right. Then the bat
IS on our own position began to
4 fire, and the Spanish were not
in replying, and soon a perfect
storm OF solid shot and shrapnel
menced to drop around us. We
aimed here, exposed to this ter
fire, for about forty minutes,
d we ordered forward. We
came down and commenced to
Fance on the Santiago trail, pre-
d by II balloon, which was up
raj hundred feet in the air. When
had gone about 100 yards we met
D a terrific fusilade. The enemy
IN to fire on the balloon and we
we'd the effect. We then deployed
lay down behind the bank of q
k, while the Rough Riders and
t cavalry made an advance. We
p ordered to support these regi-
is. There we began to lose our
Several yer killed and quitea
Der wounded. Col. Baldwin's
was severely wounded. Thecon-
from this on was terrible, but we
e the Spanish back. Our losses
very heavy. The Spanishfought
fiends. Night found us ON a
e, only 1900 yards from the bar
s at Santiago. There, afterdark,
%ntrenched ourselves. During the
! had been wading in water up
BY waist and all night had a high
i, and by morning vas quite sick
had to go to the field hospital.
lie lying down in the hospital i
struck by Al shot from a Spanish
fpshooter just below the right
cap. The wound is not danger
but very painful, and | was sent
n here to the corps hospital.
t write me any more here. i
" had a line from any one
E we left Tampa, Don't worry
lt me, l am doing well. With
,'your SON,
HARRY .. WILLARD.