The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-20

nave Sdlu lndl II Was a !-lOSl loi A4iO S1--
CINE OF destruction. while others have
called it a toy. With the bullets winging
their long flights not very high overhead.
Barrowe and his crowd. at sight of US.
began their little hymn Of praise. the
chief note which was one almost pa
thetic irsistence- I they ever get that
gun into action again. they VIII make her
hum.
The discounted Spaniards recovering
rom their panic opened rom their sec
ond line a most urfous fire. II was first
directed against ono part Of our line
and then against another, as II they were
feeling for our weakest point. furnoling
around after the throat of the army.
Somebody on the left caught It for a
time, and than suddenly the enemy ap-
parently devoted their entire attention to
the position occupied by the Rough Rid
erS Some sharpnel, with fuses cut too
long. passed over and burst from 100 TO
200 yards TO the rear. They acted pre-
cisely like things with strings to them.
When the strings were jerked. bang!
went the hurting explosive. But the in
fantry fire was very heavy. albeit high.
The American reply was in measured
volleys. Part of a regiment would re-
main on the firing line while the other
companies rested nearby under the brow
the hill. Parties were sent alter the
packs The commands knew with what
other organizations they were in touch
on the two tanks. Otherwise. they knew
nothing. save that they were going 20
hold their ground. They said so.
From our Inc could be seen long, gray
yards away. according to from what part
Spanish entrenchment, from 400 to 1000
Of our line one measured from. From il
hoated no smoke and no men appeared
there. but it was making noise like a
million champaign corks
Back Of their entrenchments, perhaps
another thousand yards was a long build
ing Of masonry tinted pink. 1t flew many
Red Cross flags and near IL were other
smaller structures also flying Red Cross
flags. In fact, the enemy's third line of
defense seemed to be composed of hos
pitfalls
The city itself slanted down toward the
bay. just a glimpse of silver. In the clear.
white sunshine the house of the suburbs,
the hospitals and the hong gray trenches
were 50 vivid that they seemed far closer
than they were.
To the rear over the ground that the
army had takersa breeze was gently stir
ring the long grass and ruff1ing the sur
The army took It's glory calmly
Having nothing else TO do. the army sat
down and looked TRANQUILITY at the seem
cry. There was not that exuberance Of
which surrounds the vicin
ity Of a candidate for the assembly.
The army was dusty. dishevlled, its hair
matted to it's forehead with sweat, Its
shirts glued to its back with the same,
and indiscribably dirty, thirsty. hungry
and a-weary from its bundles and its
marches and it's fights. 1t sat down on
the conquered crest and felt satisfied.
'EWell, hell! Here we are
News began to pass along the line.
had taken Caney after long
fight and had ost heavily. The siege pieces
were being unoded at Siboney.
At dusk a comparative stiffness settled
to little nervous outbursts. In the trench |
es taken by our troops lay dead Span
ards.
The road to the rear increased its ter |
rors in the darkness. The wounded men, |
along in the mud, miasmic |
mist from the swampish ground filling |
their nostrils, heard often in the air the |
sound of bullet that was |
meant for them by the lurking guerrillas. |
A mile, two miles, two miles and a half |
10 the rear, great populous hospitals had !
been formed.
The long lines of the hill began to |
under cover of night, each reg
ment for itself, still. however, keeping !
n touch on the flank. Each regiment |
lug in the ground that it had taken by |
IS own valor. Some commands had |
wo or three shovels, an axe or two,
maybe a pick Other regiments dug with
heir bayonets and shoveled out the dirt
With their meat ration cans.
Darkness swallowed Santiago and the
lew entertainments. Thelarge tropic
stars illuned the sky. On the safe side
# the ridge our men had built some lit
lie red fires, no larger than hats, at
essed. There was no sound save to the
ear, where throughout the night our
tickets could be family heard exchang-
ng shots with the guerrillas.
On the very moment. it seemed, of the
freak of day. bang! the fight was on
gain. The firing broke out from one end
# the prodigious V-shaped formation to
he other. Our artillery took new ad-
-anced positions. but they were driven
way by the swirling Mauser fire.
When the day was in full bloom Law
on's division, having marched all night.
-ppeared in the road. The long, long |
olumn wound around the base of the
idge and disappeared among The woods
nd knobs on the right OF Wheeler's line.
he army was now concentrated in
pendid position.
It becomes necessary to speak Of the
mems opinion of the Cubans. To put it
nortly. both officers and privates have
he most lively contempt for the Cubans.
hey despise them. They came down
ere expecting to fight side by side with
n ally, but this ally has done little but
,ay in the rear ard eat army rauons,
lanifesting an Indifference TO the cause
+ Cuban liberty which could not be ex-
eded by some one who had never heard
I it
In the great charge up the hills OF san
uan, the American soldiers. who. for
heir part, sprinkied a thousand bodies
1 the grass. were not able 10 see a single
uban assisting in what easily might turn
Ut 10 be the decisive battle for Cuban
berty.