The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-06
ONE TRAGEDY OF SEVILLA
DEATH OF GALLANT CAPT. Ca
PROM IN A CUBAN THICKET
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ID tsssss Il
Pierced by a Spanish Bullet While
Leading His Brave Company
Against the Enemy-Urged His
Comrades ON While His Life
Blood Was Ebbing Fast-sad
Mementoes Forwarded.
Copyrighted Correspondence of the Associated
Press
PORT ANTONIO, Jamaica, June 20.
"A small parcel containing a soldiers
camping hat, pair of trunks, epau-
lets and picket outfit went out
from here today. 1t was one of the
sad relics of the battle ofsSevilla. The
outfit belonged to Capt. A. X. Capron,
Fort Sill, O.. t.. U. S. A, and when it
reaches the little garrison post on the
plains a fortnight hence 1t will tell to
broken-hearted woman the cruel
story of a soldiers death. The articles
were those worn by brave Capt. Allyn
K. Capron, who commanded Company
X, of the rough riders, in their heroic
assault upon the Spanish outpost.
No message accompanied the parcel.
The soiled grey hat and the blood
stained epaulets will tell the story of
death, and the pages of American his
tory will tell the mourning widow Of
the bravery of her hero.
The articles in the parcel were taken
from Capt. Capron's body after his
death and sent here to United States
Consul Snyder by one of the dispatch
boats. When they reached the consul
they were wrapped in such fragments
of paper and cloth as could be picked
up about the field hospital and tied
with wire. With the care and tender
ness of brother Mr.. Snyder carefully
packed them and sent. them on their
way under the seal Of the American
consulate.
Capt. Capron died as he lived, a
fearless, noble American. Even when
a Spanish bullet had pierced his body
and the death palior was creeping over
his face he smiled at his comrades,
telling them to go on with their hight
ing and do their duty. Nobody that
did not pass through it will ever
know the hardship that preceded the
final triumph 1t is now history.
BRUISED AND THIRSTING.
Daylight brought the order to drive
the Spanish out of the outpost that the
Cubans had brought news of being a
few miles ahead. There was no delay
nor hesitation, but on they went over
rocks that al times bruised their legs,
through thickets that left bloodstains
and Swol en- plaoe s upon their faces ana
hands. The sun poured down upon
them. CanteenS were soon drained ana
blankets and outer clothing were cast
Off The mer, parchsd with thirst, ask
ed cheerfully for just one swallow
from comrades canteen. With each
step forward the heat grew more in
there were
cool shadowy spots where the great
palms grew thickest, but the men did
not stop there. On they went through
the burning heat Now and again
sturdy fellow struggled for moment
and sank down under the terrible ex-
posture. Hurriedly ne was carried to
shady place and left to recover while
the column WAS NOV ng b: isk y onwlr1.
Then like a sudden dash Of rain from a
tropical sky came the storm of Span
ish bullets. Flashes in the green
tnickets like the glow of firef1ies at
night was all our men could see. To
the right, to the left and in front of
them the Mauser rifles cracked and the
thcket was aglOw with. death flashes.
1t was then that Capt. Capron, with
his brave little band from Troop L,
dashed forward into the very hiding
place Of the Spaniards. It was an aw-
full hour Burning with thirst and sun
heat, pressing on through swarm Of
Kissing bullets, bruised by rocks and
torn by cactus thorns they fought like
mad men.
FATAL BULLET.
Only once during the battle was there
the slightest sign of wavering or even
he station, and that was the moment
when Capt. Capron sank to the ground
~,
his right hand, firing and loading, he
had been pressing in advance Of his
men, talking to them constantly and
urging them to move rapidly. There
had been a brief lull in the firing from
the thicket and Capt. Capron was call
ing to his men to push forward. He
was standing erect and was In the act
of levelling his revolver to fire when
a fierce volley crashed from the thicket
and the pistol dropped from his hand.
He sank upon the ground with his left
hand pressed to his side, but with his
right hand still pointing to the spot
where the Spaniards were flashing.
Several comrades knelt over him, but
he motioned them away:
Don't mind me, boys" he said, "go
en- into the thicket."
Stricken with death, the brave man
heard his little band rushing on into
the thickelt and with eyes from which
life was fast fading, he saw the enemy
retreating down the hill. When the
battle was over Capt. Capron was car
ried carefully by his comrades to the
little hospital in the rear, but before
the sun went down the calm Of a SOL
dler's death was upon his features.
With his dead comrades he Is buried on
the battlefield.
The little parcel which left here to-
day will indeed carry sad message to
the soldiers widow on the plains of
Oklahoma. 1t is all that Is left to her
Of her dead hero. But the little grave
In the Cuban hills is not sacred to her
alone It is hallowed ground to all who
love the word America"