The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-19
A BRAVE ACT,

A BRAVE ACT.
This volunteers comrade told the story Of
negro sergeant whose name he did not
know
ut was in that same fight" said he
land, as bunkie here has told you, we took
turns in the trenches with the Twenty
fourth. You must understand that we held
both sides of the hill, and that the trenches
were high up on the one side and the place
where the reserves were pretty well down
on the other; the Spaniards were firing on
our line from the be tom of the hill so the
bullets went over the crest low down, and
II was a darned dangerous place to be-
When we were relieved we had TO get over
that spot to reach our reserve position
There was no cover, and the Spaniards had
the range down fine, and, what's more, they
knew just about when they could get US
there.
We'll, there was a blockhouse on the top
of the hill, with a door in the side of it.
That door was in sight from both sides; SO
1t took nervy man to dodge in or out of
1t. One morning, when we were about to
go back to rest, negro sergeant, who was
in charge of the relief squad, lodged in
from behind without getting hit. We were
waiting to make a run for it when we saw
him. The Spaniards caught sight of him
as he ran in and fired hot Out he jumped
and yelled
Now's your chance. boys. Come on
Then he got in again.
"a couple of the boys ran out and over,
and the shooting went on. They were firing
in volleys, and every time that sergeant
would hear volley he'd be out waving his
:" They can't hit yo'i They can't hit yoP
Now's your chance!'
II thought I'd see him drop every time
but they couldn't hit him. 1 tell you, he
helped us out He was like baseball coach
er, trying to rattle the other side, and get
ting his own men around the bases. 1t was
so like it that L could pretty near hear old
Bill Joyce yelling Lead off, there; lead off.
Now! Slide Slider And l swear / could
q orr dc
Well. we only lost one man woun1ed. Say
are the New Yorks at home now?'
ONE MANS TROPHIES.
A strapping negro, who had a silver
bracelet on his thick, black wrist, and an
other in his pocket, because 1t was too
small to go round" and some gold and sill
yer trinkets hanging on his bosom. was rid
ing towards the station en- a mule wagon
yesterday. He was strong man, with
slight mustache and a wcoly chin beard.
and he was as black as any.
See THAR ne said, taking the small
bracelet from his pocket. Il got that from
a Cuban lady. She was one of these re-re-
recon-cen-trados We were on a forced
march, and she come along-and stood by
the road. She grabbed me by the arm and
made signs that she was hungry. Then she
handed this thing out. l had six bareback
and gave her three. And. say. she kissed
sister. That's how got IL; and that's how
lots or the boys come by theirs What you
lafffn' at MANI En-
Didn't you see that mule wag its ears?"
ooh! huhw
Then the man continued: ut was dan
g'rous work In them fights. Sho ii was.
Some OF the boys says they wasn't scared.
| don't say so. When them shells come
buzzin' 1t was mighty hard. / seen one
go right down between two of our lines.
maxim bad noise. l thought it was goin'
TO bust but 1t didn't If IL had, IL would
ha' killed us dead. Sho' II would It looked
dang rous-mighty dang 'rOus-as II went
by"
A private in volunteer regiment told
friend that the first time under fire was "a
nasty experience he felt as though he
was up against a new job that he didn't