Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-15

and
Twenty-fourth pushed their way along
tho trail blocked with halting volun-
teers. First an aid, running full speed
and swinging his hat, signaled the col
umn to hurry forward; next staff
officer galloped up with Kent's second
message to Wikoff to rush his command
to the field. Eager to do something,
even at the risk of disobeying orders.
part of one battalion of the volunteers.
and Rafferty,, with F company of am
other battalion. fell into line, anywhere.
anywhere, touching elbows with blacks
and whites, so long as they could be lin
the SWIM" Individual volunteers also
broke loose from the stationary ranks
and elbowed to the front among recu-
lars. One of these independents was Aus
tin Pardee, a boy of II, son Of n former
officer of the Thirteenth, who had cried
TO take his fathers place and fight for
the flag until his widowed mother
yielded
Fording tho creek and giving their
burning heads cooling dip as they
passed, the men of the brigade lined up
on the bank. leaving Wikoff dead and
Worth lying in his blood, the last and
most shining sacrifices to the Moloch Of
"Hell's Crossing" In the broad field
OH the left of Hawkins two regiments
| Wikoff's column struck zone of pitt,
less fire, and there the third commander
of the brigade, gray haired Liscum Of
the Twenty fourth, went down. Staff
| Officer Tayman of the Twenty fourth
told me that his eyes were riveted on
the noble leader, whose form could be
seen cutting its way through the tall
grass with giant strides. Like fash of
lightning he was seen then disappeared
| In the van Of the column the Thir-
teenth regiment led by Colonel Worth
as far as "Hells Crossing, climbed up
the bank and went through the wire
fence, where gaps had already been
made. Major Ellis was at its head. bus
was soon shot down. There was an open
field stretching away up to the block
house. This regiment had lost heavily
at the crossing particularly by Spanish
shrapnel, but moved resistlessly on I'M
til CALLING volley fire compelled il to
seek shelter under bank some hundred
yards from the fort
The Ninth regiment. on the left OF
the Thirteenth, passed the ordeal at the
crossing with but little loss In climb
ing the bank it was struck by heavy
Mauser fire from San Juan heights and
from the trees, left. right and in front.
Pressing ON in line with the Thirteenth.
the regiment halted at the bank and de-
livered it's fire upon the Spauiards in
the trenches at the blockhouse.
When the Twenty fourth regiment Of
blacks appeared in view above the crest
of the river bank, the SpaniardS APP
parently turned all their fire upon them.
hoping, as they said afterwaId, TO de-
moralize them and precipitate panic.
Tho blacks didn't scare. however.
Just how long these men halted at the
bank is uncertain, for there was no ces-
sation of fighting, and lapse of time was
not noted 1t was krag JorSenseu
against Mauser in the attempt to subdus
the Spanish fire for charge This stage
of the infantry fight was about coiuCi-
dental with the capture of kettle"
,hill by the cavalry. which has already
been described, and took place probably
between II 80 aud O'Clock Mean
while Grimes battery, no longer ham
pered by the balloon. was vigorously
Smelling the blockhouse aud trenches, as
was also Parkhurst's battery. Second
artillery, which had taken position &c
the left and front of Grimes, near Il
Poso. The success of the cavalry IN
clearing kettle" hill. really an adj
vanced position of the Spanish line. had
allowed the Hotchkiss guns and PARKER
Gatlings to cross San Juan river at the
ford of the main road and GET to high
ground ON the southern slope of the hill.
Parker 8 advent upon the scene mar keC
crisis in the attack. He had three
guns with him and opened them al
upon the blockhouse which Captain
8oughton OF the Third cavalry poipte>
out to him. Grimes and Parkhurst, be II
remembered, We're pouring in theii
shells, but che Spanish fire did not abate
Starting with Il low rate of speed
Parker gradually turned his guns up Il
their highest capacity, and IN the space
of ton minutes, the muzZles Of the guns
\ sweeping gradually along tho Spanish
trenches, sifted 20, 900 bullets into tn,
crowded works Before the enemy real
| lied what the horrid hail meant tn,
ominous sound of the machine guns haC
already terrified them. and they began
a to leave theiI pits, preferring possible
, death outside to certain slaughter with
0 in. Then silence fell upon the block
. house, upon its loopholed chambers
a upon its batteries, upon its trenches I'LL
ed with men.
, But all this time neither the cavalry
= nor the infantry bad stood idle waiting
0 FOR the artillery To 40 tnelr work. l.,
: cavalrymeu, who had not been ordere,
s by Sumner to remain on Kettle hill
formed lines of troops and battalion
and plunged down the slope, across tn
valley and mp the tarthsst slope towar'
a the Spanish second position When thi
: movement began, San Juan blockhous
o was still belching fire, and part of TIN
Third cavalry. together vita the Sixth
Q under Major Lebo, struck ont in dl
. agonal line for the stubborn fortress
!, Hawkins men, nearest the cavalry a
that time and separated from Wikoff
! regiments by shruhbery and trees an
q the elevations Of ground between, start