The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-23
HE WAVED HIS SWORD
WHEN THE DEADLY BULLET EN-
TERED HIS BODY,
DYING AS HE URGED HIS MEN ONWARD
His Last Message Written on the Battlefield
lust Before he Fell. A Tribute to
His CALAMITY from His Brother
Officers.
1incolnton Journal

At last the frI"lldS ana IoNcu oH'9 w
the Iamented Lieutenant William Il.
Shipp. who was killed i'll the battle OF
San Juan, near Santiago, July l. are
getting the particulars of his death,
through brother officers who were III
the battle with him and from the troop
ers Of the Tenth Cavalry who are re
turning home on furIougn. and these
details show that glorious as those
who knew him knew his death must
have been. it was such a death as only
heroes die, and the history Of the
American army furnishes no higher
type Of soldier than this young man
who died at the head of his men on the
threshold Of victory.
The various stories of Lieut.. Ships
last day on earth are motr or less con
tl.icting in minor details. because III the
heat and confusion of battle men are
apt to get circumstances confused. HE
best authenticated reports show that
Lieut.. Shipp had. as an aide on the
staff of the commander Of the brigade,
been extremely busy all the morning III
carrying orders from one part Of the
field to another. exposed to deadly ire
of not only the Spaniards in the
trenches, Dtl VI inc III lSlp't'AH IL
the trees. He had been sent to
straighten the firing line, and went
down the hill to bring up to the front
several troops that had fallen behind
because the dense underground shut
off their view of the line. He was lead
ing these troops up the hill towards
the Spanish entertainments i'll the face
> Of ii whitening fire. The Spanish trench
es on the crest of the hill. following
= the conformation of the hilltop. were
creScent-shaped. and into the open part
Of this line. between the horns. and in
to the open field. it was necessary to
bring the men. He CALAMITY led them
OH. The hill was almost won. and the
Spanish position was almost ours when
Lieutenant Shipp and the men he led
emerged from the thicket into the open
field. The fire of the whole Spanish
line seemed to be concentrated upon
that spot. The men lay down for a
moment to avoid the storm of bullets.
but Lieutenant Shipp stood erect and
walked along the line. doubtless en-
couraging and steaGying the men.
Again he started forward. followed by
the brave troopers. At this m
a Spanish bullet pierced his heart. AS
he sank down upon the field. true to
his soldierly character and his devotion
to duty. he raised his sabre and waved
his men on in the charge upon the hill.
1t was his last effort. His sabre fell
across his breast. and one of the BRAY
est. nObleSt. trucSt, gcntlcSt hearts man
ever knew was stilled forever.
The wave of battle rolled on up the
bloody hill to victory, and a few min
utes later the Spanish position was
carried. 1t was here where the deau
Low t1ic1-act uhara tho Cuban coil
drank up the bravcst blood that ever
coursed through soldiers veins. that
his friend and comrade. Lieut.. Barnum.
the adjutant of his regiment. found
him. rs he passed down the hill to
bring up the artillery. lying rs if
asleep. his head pillowed upon his left
arm. his sword across his body. a smile
upon his handsome face. Not far away.
with a Spanish bullet through his
brain. lay his bosom friend. Lieut.. w.
II. Smith. quite dead.
That night at Q O'clock. with four
troopers who had served under these
two brave officers and loved them.
Lieutenant Barnum Went to the field to
bury them. Lieutenant Smiths body
had been removed. and so Mr.. Barnum's
intention to lay them side by side in
the same grave was frustrated. He dug
a grave near where he fell. and in it
placed the body Of Lieutenant Shipp,
breathed n prayer over the remains of
his friend and comradc and the friend
~ hands of his troopers filled the
grave.
The sabre which Lieutenant Shipp
carried and priced most highly. was Il
very fine weapon of German make. Il
present from his friend. Lieutenant
Powhatan Clarke. of the Tenth Cav
airy, who bought it While he was at
tached regularly to the German army
at Dusseldorf. the only United States
officer so hOnored.
Lieutenant Clarke. of Louisiana.
Lieutenant Whitley, of South Carolina:
Lieutenant Smith, of Missouri (son of Z;
Confederate officer, and Lieutenant
Ship were all officers of the Tenth
Cavalry and the most intimate friends
Lieutenant Clarke was the first to 90
He was drowned in the Little Bic
Horn. lieutenant Finley died from m
accident and then the other two of th,
quartetto fell together in battle in On
ba. Not one was over IS years of age
Lieutenant Ship carried with him nj
ways a fountain pen. Durin~ q lull j.
the last battle. Just before he was killed
he sat down and wrote Il postal card t
his beloved wife. How characteristic q
the man. Thoughtful always Of hi
loved ones. Sitting there surrounded h
the havoc of battle. With the horrihl,
din of the Spanish shot and shell rin~in,
in his ears, he thought of her who IA
away with their little ones. he knew /
be longing for news from him. Doubt
less he had Il promonition that his on.
was near and wanting to leave y los
loving message. he wrote the card. j
was found III the haversack taken frol
his body as he lay dead upon the :;alt
and was forwarded to Mrs. Shipp y
Mai. S. #. Norvell. of the Tenth caya
~. reaching her this week rs n mn>
sage from the dead. Major Norvc
wrote:
In the death of your husband ri