Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-11
NEVER HAD A DOUBT.
Our Troops Before Santiago Confident
Of the Result.
BRAVE WORK OF TIE ROUGH RIDERS
Sergeant Cash Disputes Truth Of
Complaints From the Front.
MEN CHEERFUL AND EAGER


the first of the wounded men direct from
the Santiago battle field. A small party of
the wounded arrived here early in the day,
consisting of Captain Brereton of the oath
Infantry; Lieutenant Mccoy, Sth Cavalry;
Sergeant Cash of the rough riders; Lieu
tenant Mead 21st Infantry, and Lieutenant
TRAIL list New York. They are on leave
ard on their way home to recover from
their wounds. Lieutenant Mccoy was on
clutches, and all of them showed they had
been in the hands of the surgeons. About
noon Sergeant Cash OF the rough riders
went to the War Department and reported
to Adjutant General Corbin. The latter
showed the wounded officer through to
Secretary Ayers private office.
The Secretary was engaged for the mo-
nient with Senator Allison, but the latter,
noticing the wounded man, arose and said:
After you, SIR
The Secretary warmly greeted this first
eyewitness of the fight. He held out his
left hand to the Secretary, for his right
arm hung in a sling, having been shat
tered during the first days fight at San
tiago. The Secretary listened with much
interest to the recital of conditions pre-
vailing and assured his visitor that he and
all the other wounded would be given the
fullest attention and consideration.
Men are Cheerful.
In talking with a Star reporter this morn
ing of the situation at Santiago when he
left and of the conditions attending the
landing of the troops and the subsequent
fighting Sergt Cash gave different idea
fro that conveyed by most of the dis
patches as to the suffering of our men.
Sergeant Cash is athletic young man,
with clear blue eye and handsome bronzed
face and very modest manner. He says
that the men are cheerful and full of en-
thusiasm, and are not undergoing any I'M
expected suffering. The idea that there
might be something to complain of seemed
Aot to have occurred to him, and question
n that line seemed to surprise him.
Men Did Not Complain.
THE fighting was hard he said, land
the narrow and rough mountain trails made
1t difficult to move in any military form.
In the daytime it was pretty hot and the
rains at night were disagreeable. At first
there was some difficulty about supplies,
but everything seemed to be done the best
1t could be- and the men took care of them
selves as well as they could and did not
see any reason to complain. Some suffered
from the damp nights because they did not
know how to make the most of their shell
ter tents. Those of us VINO knew what to
do managed to keep fairly comfortable. /
kept dry most of the time. 1t is high coun-
try where the troops are at the front. There
are no swampS and the country is beautt-
full. At Siboney the situation is not SO good
and troops suffer more Inconvenience The
general health of the meD where l was
was good. We did everything we were told
not to in the way of diet, and made out
very well. We were told to drink nothing
49, 4 frr,i IN,
stead of this we drank no filtered water,
but took that from the streams, which was
abundant and good, and ate great quanti-
ties of fruit, which we relished and which
did US no harm.
THE Spanish are desperate fighters and
very good marksmen. Their fire was eX-
tremely hot and we'll directed. and our
great trouble was that We could not see
them. We simply had to fire where we
thought they might be. During the two
engagements l was in l saw but two Span
iards. Both of these L saw in the first
engagement. In the second engagement 1
didn't get a chance to fire my gun, though
was in it for several hours and was half
way UP the hill when struck
The First Fight.
AT the first engagement near Siboney,
where the Rough Riders were first subject
ed to such a CALLING fire and where we
lost lot of our men, we were not sur
prised. We knew that the Spanish were in
ambush. and we were trying to beat them
out. We knew that at any minute they
were likely to open fire on us, and when
they did SO from two or three quarters we
were expecting 1t, and went at them. We
couldn't see them except occasionally ana
had TO locate them by their fire. The pass
was narrow, hedged in by heavy growth
and 4 barbed-wire fence on either side.
There was very hot work for awhile, but
this was nothing like the second engage
ment, in which San Juan hill was taken.
That was practically an all-day fight up a
heavy slope In the face of a terrific and
cane, where the Spanish could easily locate
US and keep track of our movements. The
bullets from the Spanish rifles cut the cane
around US and picked off our men inces-
sanity.
I'VE were ordered not to discharge our
guns until we reached the line of fire, and
for several hours we crawled up the face
of the hill among the short cane, the bull
lets flying thick among US, without return
ing the hre. We were half way up the hill
and near the line of FIRE, other troops be-
ing ahead of us, when l was struck. l then
crawled back to the creek, where there was
field hospital, and had my arm dressed.
A good many wounded had to lie down In
the damp edge of this creek all day long
because We were in the line of fire, and the
Spanish Were constantly firing at the hos
pital.
Goodness Under Fire.
Our men during the engagement stood
the fire with remarkable GOODNESS and went
steadily ahead without appearing to mind
much either the suffering of the heat or
the danger. A great many were struck all
around me, and 1 could tell that it was so
all over the field. There never was from
The first any doubt on the part of our men
of the outcome of the fight, and no thought
OF anything but victory, and there is no
doubt about the capture of the city
Speaking OF Roosevelt, Sergt. Cash said
that Roosevelt kept to the front shooting
his revolver and cheering his men on. He
could not see the Spaniards, but kept his
revolver popping at points where he beIiev-
ed them TO be and conducted himself with
GOODNESS and bravery.
Sergt. Cash said that Lieut. Carr of this
CITY. who Us nainfIIlly StD