The times., 1898-07-15

~NCH iOi ~ jury IA COfIt5pOiIucsib vi
the Herald. writing from Siboney gives
accounts of many incidents of suffering
and distress among the American SOL
diers after the battle before Santiago.
He had been a witness to attempts OF
wounded soldiers who after the fight were
making an effort to reach the general
hospital at Siboney, and says:
'E4ry wounded soldier, whose injury
did not affect his legs was compelled to
walk to the hospital. There was more
than enough of hauling of entirely dis
abled soldiers to keep the carts busy
''The trail from Siboney TO San Juan is
so difficult of passage that one can realize
the hardships of our troops encountered
only by personal visit. There are two
parts of the trail. one being used for
wagons end the other for men afoot. Both
are as narrow as canal towpath. In
many places it is impossible for two
wagons to pass. and the trail used by the
soldiers is little wider than a railroad
track. with wild pineapple and other trop-
ical plants growing close to the edge of
each side
For miles along this trail one has to
wade through mud up TO the knees, and
the only variety in this experience is fur
nished when one gets to a stream of
water. There the mud is not so thick
but in the five streams | forded in walk
ing to the headquarters at the front there
was mud enough for all practical pur-
poses. 1t is this water that the troops
have TO drink, and the wonder is that
many of them can tell whether they are
| taking a drink or eating a mud pie.
1T was most pitiabIe to see the wound
ed we met while passing along this trail.
| Some had hand shot off. others had
! lost few fingers. and stiu others were
| mourning the loss of their teeth Many
! had slight flesh wounds. Ali were great
! ly depressed. and complaining because
| they had 10 walk from the battlefield to
| the hospital. But in making this COM
| plant they were not justified by the more
unfortunate who had been totally dis
| abed by Spanish bullets.
I II talked with quite number of these
! poor fellows riding along the rough road
+ in carts without springs. With every
step the mules took the carts jolted and
| the wounded groaned. These sufferers
were complaining because they could not
| get out and walk
y
| honey l noticed an American soldier lean
hing over a small Stream bathing his head
with the muddy water. When l reached
his side / saw that his front teeth had
been knocked out by bullet that had en-
tered there. and had come out again
through his ear. After giving him what
| little help was possible. l tried TO cheer
| him IN
.oh.'that's all right. he said sadly
7 might be worse off. I've got four teeth
| left
After I had crossed the little stream and
was about to push forward this wound
| ed soldier shouted:
TIT won't cost me much for dentists
| now-but say, ! don't free any more of
| these blankety blank Cubans."
While our party was making its way up
| the trail we suddenly were confronted by
detachment of Americans.
There are some sharpshooters a little
way above here" their leader said. You
had better. look out. They could see those
targets of yours mile
The soldiers then passed on. leaving US
TO wonder what they meant. We didn'
wonder long.
Say one member OF our party drawl-
ed presently. ''if you know when you are
well of you'll give your hat a coat OF
| mud"
I did it and the others followed suit.
We had started up the trail wearing he'll
NETS a. white as snow. 1t was not our
object 10 furnish Spanish snarpshooters
with conspicuous targets but that was
what we had been doing.
One of the most interesting experiences
| have heard OF was that of Mr.. McAIil-
Ian a son of Samuel Mcmillan. who was
a park commissioner in New York when
Strong was mayor. He is there as a
member of the Rough Riders. and was in
the hot fighting on the way to San Juan.
Mcmillan was living on lime water at
the time. that being the only thing he
could take. He had been in the fighting
line continuously for thirty hours and
had received a slight wound in the leg.
This did not incapacitate him and he
went TO work helping to carry the wound
ed from the field. This wark strained him
somewhat and he was trying to recuper-
ats when l met him
There is a dead Spanish sharpshooter
down the road aways.'' he said. IL fin
ished him. all right. He was s>oCGded up
in a tree well over the trail, and had
four shots al my head before l located
him l then raised my gun, took steady
aim and fired. The bullet went straight
and the sharpshooter fired no more al
HE seemed to lose interest in matters.
but he didn't drop off the tree. l pushed
| through 10 where lie was anu hUUCheU
him out of the tree with my gun. He
was very much dead when I left him.
Many sad sights are to be witnessed al
the army hospitals but the surgeons and
their assistants are endeavoring to make
the best of the situation. There are many
| TeconSeptrados in the hospital there
Their suffering Is increased by the gen
eral condition of filth that exists on al
sides.
Siboney is very dirty place. and wher
the dirt and muddy water fail to make
he sufferers miserable, the deficiency i:
supplied by the sun and the rains. The
heat is terrific. And when rain falls here
ii is useless to expect to keep dry.
If one had four rubber coats on the
rain would make its way through all Of
them. Many of the brave fellows in oul
army have not been dry since the day
they landed.