The herald., 1898-07-06
SHOOT TIE WOUNDED
GHAxETUL ACTS OF SPANISH
sHARPsHooTERs
Hid in Trees, They Kill Soldiers Being
Carried In Litters and Shoot
the Surgeons

CENTER OF THE LINE, before San.
tiago, July /, delayed in transmission, via
Kingston, July 4, IL m.-One feature of the
fight which has aroused great indignation
among the American troops is the act OF
the Spanish in having sharpshooters in the
trees along the line Of march Of the Ameri-
can troops. OF course, II the sharpshoot-
ers had fred on armed men they would
have done nothing more than might have
been expected, but one Spanish marksmar
from his post fired on wounded men and
on men carrying the wounded to the rear
Several members Of the ambulance corps
were wounded in this manner, and two
wounded men who were toiling along to
the rear were shot and killed. Some of these
marksmen were posted less than half a
mile from the American camp. Colone
Liscomb of the Twenty-fourth Infantry
said:
Il was fired upon several times by men In
trees and six bullets flew very close to me. -
Later in the day company of cavalry
was sent along to clear them out, and tbs
work was effectively DONE
Major General Joe Wheeler, who
was seriously indisposed the night be.
fore the battle, was suffering from an at
tack of fever on the morning of the fight
but as soon as he was aware that the
United States troops were likely to be en-.
gagged, he ordered an ambulance to convey
him to the front. His surgeon attempted
to dissuade him, but the old general was
obdurate, and to the front he went. The
ambulance once there, the sound of fight
ing restored his health, and in short time
he was calling for his horse and personally
directing his division In the attack on the
rear redoubt.
General Hawkins, commanding the First
Brigade, Ninth Division, was conspicuous
for the manner In which he exposed HIM
self to Spanish bullets and 1t is miracle
how he escaped serious injury. After TAX
ing the redoubt of the hill by his command
aided by attachments from General Wheel
er's division, he stood for long time on the
summit Of the redoubt, watching the prog
ress of the fight.
A heavy fire at times was concentrated OH
the spot where he was standing, but, free
from apparent fear, he surveyed the field
Of battle while the bullets were whizzins
past by hundreds.
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt was in
AtOAI "a hAo hASh eHioh6ioue thC Ouy, anu
his boot heel was carried away by piece
Of shell.
The greatest care and attention were be-
slowed upon the wounded men and all
were cared for in very short time after
reaching the hospital. The hospital of the
Second Division was established on the
field of battle, as was also a cavalry divis-
lon hospital. The hospital of the First Di-
vision was established, short distance
west of General Skaters headquarters
where. by ten o'clock fully 500 men had
received medical attention. Those serious
ly hurt were kept near the hospital, the
officers being placed under two large palms.
The men were placed upon the ground
around the tents and made as comfortable
as possible.
The ambulance corps proved very eff
fective. and no wounded men were allowed
to remain on the field after dark. The pro
visional hospital at Siboney received a
large number of men who all night long
loitered along the road from the front as
best they could. Wagons conveyed many,
but others preferred walking and through
out the night the road was filled with the
wounded, who moved slowly along the Faith
leading down to the seacoast.