Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-06-29
FRIDAYS FIGHTING.
Americans Drive Spaniards
Through the Bush.
ROUGH RIDERS ARE ROUGH FIGHTERS

The Pluck of Our Soldiers Has Not
Observation-Disclosures a Distressing
March Under Broiling Sun In
a Strange Country, Volunteers
Stand Their Ground Like Vete-
rams.
Compiled From Most Authentic Cables.
The dispatches to the second edition
of THE ENQUIRER last Friday after
noon, told of the progress of the
American troops from Baiquiri to Ju-
ragua, sweeping the Spaniards before
them as they went, and left them oc-
cupying tableland overlooking San
tiago, and only seven miles from MORO
castle.
The press dispatches of Saturday
morning gave more detail !; but it was
not until Monday morning, that COM
plete story of the exciting event of
Thursday and Friday was published.
1t appears that the American soldiers
acquitted themselves most handsome
ly, and that during the day the Rough
Riders especially received fierce bap-
tism of fire, during which they sus-
tanned themselves as only brave and
gallant men can.
One after another Spanish detach-
ments had been driven into Juragua,
until the aggregate force there amoun-
ted to about 1900 men. General Lii
mares was in command, and the Amer
leans expected to fight; but were dis
appointed. As already stated, the
Spaniards left the town in such haste
that they could not burn it. The
Americans came in as the Spaniards
went out and secured several locomo-
tives and a number of cars. After this
they made their arrangements to spend
the night.
During Thursday afternoon, Cuban
scouts brought information that forces
of Spaniards had collected on pla-
teau few miles distant for the pur-
pose of checking the march of the
Americans toward Santiago. General
Young promptly decided to attack
them, and arranged with General Cas-
tillo a plan of operations to be carried
into effect the next morning.
Friday morning, at daylight, Gen.
eral Young started out on his expe-
dition. He took half of his men along
a trail leading around the base of the
hills to come upon the enemy's flank,
and sent Colonel Woods's Rough Ri
ders over the hills to make an attack
in front. The plan worked nicely, all
except the cooperation of General
Castillo. He failed to come up with
his Cubans until after it was too late
to be of assistance.
The route of the Rough Riders lay
first over a series of hills, along trail
which, by the most severe stretch of
courtesy, could hardly be called road.
To the top of the hills the trail was
rocky, uneven and exposed to the
fiercest rays of the sun. On the pla-
teau it was walled in on either side by
a thick growth of thorns and creepers,
so interlaced as to be impenetrable,
and at times the overhanging vines
and limbs gave the narrow passage
the appearance of regular tunnel
through the jungle. Here the ground
underneath was sticky with mud and
the close, almost overpowering heat
was made ten times more unbearable
by myriads of mosquitoes and other
annoying insects.
When the men started out in the
morning, in addition to their rifles and
200 rounds of ammunition each, each
had on his back his heavy camp equip
ment. The ascent of the hills was
made in the "coor' of the day, and
safely, with all membranes but not
until after there had been several brief
halts for rest. Later on, as the lanes
and tunnels through the underbrush
were reached, the fierce heat was un-
bearable, and camp equipments began
to fall by the wayside. 1t was not
long either until the water in the can
teens we're exhausted and most of the
canteens also were thrown away as
useless membranes.
Holding on only to their rifles and
ammunition, and forced on account of
the nature of the path to march single
file, the Rough Riders proceeded
through the jungle for something like
two miles. 1t was a splendid place
for murderous ambush, and for this
the men were constantly on the watch !;
but they did not falter. Every man
was nerved up to the point where he
intended to do or die, and all were
eager for the discovery of the enemy,
whether in ambush or in the open.
Presently the calls of cuckoos be-
gan to come from the thicket some dis
tance away. The sounds could not
be located; but the men already knew
what they meant. The marines had
already learned the lesson at Camp
McCalla. 1t was the signalling of am
bushed Spaniards, and the Rough Ri
ders realized that at last they were
about to enter upon the real business
of the day. Just here the trail opened
into q comparatively clear space with