Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-08-18
REGULARS IN BATTLE.
TOM DAVIS WRITES OF THEIR
WORK.
Dickinson County Boy Who Was
Through the Thick Of the Santiago
Fight Tells Reflector Readers
About It.
Special Reflector Correspondence,
Tn CAMP. near Ell Caney, Santi,

Qe CuDa, AuR. l.-My lasU lettcl was
written while in Tampa harbor and
there is but little to say of our voy-
age, except that we landed safely and
from that time | shall write.
Landing at Baiquiri June 2S we
went into camp for the rest of the
day, except one squadron Of the 10th,
one Of the 1st and Rough Riders, who
at 4 D. m. were ordered to move
toward Santiago. Here let me say
a squadron is four troops and each
squadron is in command Of a major.
The band, hospital corps and rest of
our brigade was up early the morning
of the oath and after forced march
Of about y miles came upon the first
battle ground. The men who had
marched out the day before had met
the enemy 4,00O strong near Sevila
and had driven them back with loss
of 16 killed and about 40 wounded.
Here fell "Pete" Dix Of Herington
whom | had known for a number of
years, and others whom the cords Of
friendship had bound together We
came up at about Up. m. just in time
to receive few scattering shots OF
the Spaniards as they retreated. The
dead Of the 1st cavalry had been laid
to one side, wrapped in their blank
cts. and at dusk we buried them.
This probably was the first American
military funeral on the island. As
we stood at the head Of the graves
and played Chopin's beautiful funeral
march for those who had heard it SO
often in Riley we M Mittle'thhought enat
one week from that time scene far
worse would be before us.
We went into camp near Sevilla un-
til the entire army came up when on
June 80 we moved up to our respec-
tive positions for the coming battle.
Our brigade under command of Brig.
Gen. Young and consisting of the lst,
10th and Rough Riders moved under
cover Of darkness to position in the
rear Of Capt. Grimes battery of light
artillery. Here on wet ground, in
wet clothes and hungry, we slept till
4 a. m. At $50 the first shot was
fired from Capt. Capron's battery at
FL Caney and near where we are now
camped. For six hours we were
under heavy fire from the Spanish
batteries and being attached to the
hospital corps were in the rear Of our
firing line and exposed to all the stray
bullets. Here it would be well for me
to explain what band men had to do.
Nearly all bands carried their instru-
ments and we had ours up to the
time the wounded had to be brought
off the field when we stacked them
together with our packs etc. and
then advancing carried the fallen
back to the division hospital which
was at least three miles from our fir
ing line the afternoon Of the 1st and
road was lined with Spanish sharp
shooters who cared not whether one
wore the red cross or not.
1t is impossible to 60 into details Of
the battle. The papers have given
very accurate account Of it. Our
work was very heavy and more dan.
gerous than on the firing line as the
Spanish invariably over shot and the
shells from their batteries falling
short were very much too close for
comfort. In the morning while we
were blocked up in the road a shell
burst directly over us and scattered
grape shot all over us. have a ball
which struck me on the arm and sew.
eral OF us have holes in our clothing
stray bullets passed through. For
two days we carried the wounded and
Sunday were ordered to the hospital
for duty.
The scene here was one never to be
forgotten. But few surgeons, few
assistants and very, very poor accom-
modations, the nurses Of the Red
Cross society being at Siboney far
from the scene Of action. Men were
lying in the sun which is simply ter
rifle, and without any shelter what
ever from the rain wich falls in tor
rents. An incident which occurred
that memorable third Of July hsunts