Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-08-25
OUR SOLDIER BOYS AT PONCE.
Under Fire for the Firsl Time on Aug. 9
Chas. PodawiItz at the Capture of
c0amn.

Coam0.
A correspondent to the Sentinel il
issue of Aug. % makes the following
remarks concerning the battle of Coamo
''The members of the Second and
Third Wisconsin regiments were in
their first battle today. Several con-
panies were under fire but none Of the
| Wisconsin BOYS were wounded In
fact the Badger soldiers were disap-
pointed. They attacked Coamo from
in front, drove the enemy out of the
city, and gave the Sixteenth Pennsyl-
valda boys chance to do all the fight
ing. as a result the keystone bows won
ali the glory, killed six Spaniards,
wounded a dozen more, took l50 pris-
oners and received the credit for having
won the battle Of CoamO. The Wiscon-
sin soldiers had to content themselves
with being the first to enter the city and
with raising the stars and stripes over
! the town.
"But while the Wisconsin BOYS were
not actively engaged IN the firing and
while not a shot WAS fired by them, the
! Badger boys did excellent work All
! behaved like true soldiers. went Wher-
ever ordered, 10 matter what danger
|
! had to be held back, so eager were the V
to get into action. They were getting
their first experience N real warfare.
! They fOrded streams, climbed hills and
| descended ravines so steep that they
had to climb down on vines hand over
hand. When it was all over and the
! United States forces had possession of
| COamo, there was bat one regret-that
there was no more fighting to be done
today SO that they might get 8 chance
to try their new Krag-J Jorgansens.
Chas. A. Todawiltz, "a brave boy in
blue from Grand Rapids, was in the
midst of the whistIing bullets and shells
at Coamo, and with the great majority
of Americans passed through uniDjured.
Charles has written a good letter on
souvenir paper upon which is printed
i'll large letters the Spanish words,
"Gaceta OfciaI-Anos This paper
was formerly the property of Spanish
general. Charles says.
At the Front, Porto Rico, Aug. 10,
'98-Friend Ed We have been in
Porto Rico some time, bat | did not
wish to write again until we had expe-
rienced some real service. After disem-
barking at Port Ponce, the Second Wis
consin was marched a isle 10 the north,
east OF Ponce. q distance of five miles
from the Port. in heavy marching order.
That means all the traps posse ssed.
about 100 lbs. each. There the repiineut
went into camp and Company 4 was
ordered back to the CITY where we were
stationed to guard and patrol the town.
| Remained here until the night of the
| 9th. then reioined our regiment.
While in Ponce we ,,icEcd up about
500 Spanish volunteers and as many
arms and equipments. These we g0t by
aid of the natives. who wonId TeDort
them to us and we would 90 out and
search the houses. Spanish Volunteers
are not dangerous for they were forced
to enlist-on penalty a severe torture
by Spanish authorities, so after We held
them prisoners a few days they were
given the privilege Of signing papers
not to take arms against Uncle Sam and
! then allowed 10 go free. While the
! signing was going on Laramie, Bramsted
and myself were placed on duty at
Division Headquarters. The SpauiaTds
were SO eager to sign that they crowded
and pushed and fell over one another
to get III first, SO cur business was to
liIC y III <ttItL lb-St4 tttiAI
tematic order. We had them in double
column, packed close; the line often
reaching two blocks. IAe natives cheer
US every time they sae us march IN
squads in company or regiment forma-
ton, and when they meet us alone they
remove their hats and salute. This is
what the Spanish soldiers made them
DO and if they dlsObeyed a stick was
put through between their fingers and
the ends tied together.
Company A left the city Oh the light
OF aug. 10 JON me regiment, where
rifles with 106 ronnGs If ~ ., orsa "a IN
each. On the morning Of he Th wa W.,
marched y milss and encamped, but
onIy WlEn haF5'Ffaoh' G canteen3 gHn, belt,
noon of the STh WE marahoa t'o me, ne aIter- 1
and halted within two Mills of i''ti9e tbe
enemy. Went into silent camp, awokt;
. c'oCh on the Yyth, marched mile
fsheIIIlng,o Spanlsh1, troop! we're driven