The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-28
A ROUGH RIDER AT HOME
GEO. Z. VINNEDGE, SUFFERING FROM
FEVER AND AGUE, IS HERE.
A Participant I'm the Battles and
HRrdships, but Has No Word
of Complaint.

George r. Vinnedge, one OF the Rough
Rider heroes of Santiago, reached his home
in this city a few days ago, suffering from
a violent attack of tropical fever and ague
He is still very weak and ill and is not
able to talk much Of his trying experiences
with the Roosevelt regiment of Rough Rio
ers. The young man is a brother of c. A.
Vinnedges auditor of the Union Railway
Company. Two years ago he went to New
Mexico, where he thought his health would
be benefited, and most of his time in the
southwest was spent on the cattle range.
At the opening of the war with Spain he
enlisted for Rough Rider service, and be-
came member of Troop +, which was one
of the first companies to reach Tampa
Mr. Vinnedge is net inclined to criticise
the government for it's management of mill
tary affairs in Cuba. He says every man in
charge of the army did the best he knew
how. The only trouble was, he says, the
hurried manner in which tile troops were put
on the island. The men were not prepared
fOr the hardships they had to endure. VIM
edge was in the first battle of the Rough
Riders at Sevilla. He says the Americans
were not led into an ambush The presence
ef the Spaniards was discovered by the Gu
ban scouts, who gave the alarm. During
this battle Vinnedge says he did not see
single Spaniard while the firing was going
on, but after the battle the grass was full
Of Spain's dead soldiers. While he did not
actually see the enemy, he heard the whiz
of the Mauser bullet--a most unpleasant
sound to the ear of the American 1t was
in this battle that Hamilton Fish, jr., of
New York, was killed. Vinnedge was not
wounded. but had some close escapes. Once
curing the battle comrade, riding at his
side, shot from his horse. The day was
very warm and just before he was killed,
the trooper turned to Vinnedge and re-
marked that 1T was getting very hot" AS
ne spoke the last word the top of his head
was shot off. Vinnedge says the Rough Rid
ers are very loyal to Roosevelt and they all
love Colonel Wood.
The regiment took part in the great bat
Tie of Santiago and left the city about
week after the surrender. The regiment
was brought to Montauk Point New York
on board the Miami Vinnedge en1oved good
health until after the battle OF Santiago,
when he fell Ill with the fever peculiar to
Inc climate. He thinks that one cause of
so much sickness in the American army is
due TO the digging of trenches. The loos-
ening of the miasmatic soil filled the air
WIN the germs OF disease. Vinnedge says
that one of the greatest hardships the sol
diers had to endure was going for weeks
without tobacco. The Spaniards seemed to
have plenty of cigars and cigarettes. and
the day after the first battle at Santiago
the soldiers searched the pockets of the
dead Spaniards and supplied themselves
with tobacco.
Ninnedge does not think much of the ma
tive Cubans He says that what he saw of
them led him to believe they are worth
less set. One of the worst features about
the Cubans is that many of them will steal
Ninnedge says the American soldiers were
mt ch annoyed by petty thieving. In going
into a battle the soldiers threw off all their
unnecessary accoUtrements. which gave the
CUbans an opportunity of going through
the luggage of the Americans. vinnedge
relates story of gre 1T hardship and dan
ger which the Americans experienced in
unloading the transports. He thinks the
lack of food for several days after the land
ius was made was due to the inability of
nose IN charge to unload the supplies.
he is hopeful the Rough Riders will be
shortly mustered out of service lie is un-
der the care Of DR. Theodore Potter who
says the yourg soldier will be all right after
a fem 1x-.