The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-15
HUSTON WAS IN THE FIGHT
FORMER ssU" INSTRUCTOR
HELPED ASSAULT SANTIAGO
Capt. J. f. Huston, of the Twentieth
infantry, Writes an Interesting
Letter ON the Experiences of
Skaters Army In Their Efforts tn
Reduce the Metropolis of South
eastern Cuba.

Reduce the Metropolis of South
eastern Cuba.
DR.. E. B. Zier, Of Minneapolis has
| received very interesting letter from
Capt. j. F. Huston, of the Twentieth
Infantry, who was formerly military
instructor at the University Of Mime
sofa. The letter is dated Aug. g,
Santiago, Cuba, and is as follows:
l am going to tell you just what l have
seen myself in this great invasion from my
little standpoint of battalion commander. We
we sailed UP and down the coast waiting for
the heads of the expedition to determine on
time and place Of landing. The fleet was
an mixed up, our regular order of sailing
having been abandoned. Each skipper seem
'ed to roam at his own sweet will All the
t1me we were surrounded by the navy ships
both great and small. Occasionally we would
see boat run in apparently close to shore,
nre shot at nothing and run back like boys
throwing snow balls around a corner Fl
naliy dispatch boat came to ship for
go aboard the Bancroft for Instructions You
can imagine how impatiently we awaited his
return to learn what we were finally to do.
Our old transport, the Mattewan, was the
most uncomfortable old tub you ever saw,
and as we had been on board about three
weeks we were all not only willing but anx-
ment longer on board. So we hailed with de-
light the prospect of immediate disembarka-
ton.
Gen. Bates returned about II O'Clock D. NJ,
bringing the orders that we were to be the
second command put ashore The order of
sailing was given, and at daylight the work
should begin. The next morning our leader,
the Castne, could not be found, and after
vainly whistling and believing we headed for
Daiquiri. about eighteen miles east of San
tiago. l understood that part of the com
he aLe a
demonstration. While got ashore at one
place, the boats were all put out and headed
have never discovered not an attempt was
made of landing any one until o'clock had
passed.
MAGNIFICENT SIGHT.
Then all of a sudden the men-of-war began
to boom their big guns. We saw the dust
fly from the hillside around the little vii
lage and around blockhouse the top of
hill. and the place was being bombarded
The display was magnificent and useless. 1t
lasted probably half hour, and the boats
started for shore, But each petty officer In
charge of a launch went at his own sweet
will to such ship he pleased. So we who
were to have been second did not get ashore
until the next day. June 20, and then we
only got our men away with what they car
ried. We got our horses few days after,
but the other things we did not again
until July 20
Having got ashore we found ourselves on
as hot hole as one can imagine. We set
tied down and commenced fixing for an all
ders to march. We all had to carry our
packs. officers and all. We only marched
eight miles, but over road On which we
could only go single file. There was growth
alongside through which a cyclone could not
have blown. More than 150 men of the regi-
ment fell cut OF exhaustion during the night
We got to cur bivouac about dark. and the
next morning marched into Sibeney, three
miles slant. Here made shelter tent camp
on fiat piece Of ground, near railro d
sheds; where We could tap the pipes which
brought water from the mountain to the
railroad. We remained here, doing patrol
duty and guarding supplies until July 80
We had quite pleasant stay, considering
now W little we mad to make us comfortable.
Garcia YVES swelling around, looking as
though he owned US ALL and his followers
were eating everything we would give them
and refusing to help to even unload the
hc.ts
The Span sh army is much more popular
with US and our soldiers than the Cubans.
The latter are N. G. When Garcia was
he said his men would not dig trenches, but
fsht"-a lie, for they wont fight In fact
can see that they will Go nothing but eat
When it was learned that Pando was going
inc Santiago with nforcements, Garcia was
aste> to head him off. So he marched out
and by mistake ran into the Span:ards get
the Spaniards gave it UP. As a matter of
/ fact they Joined Linares in Santiago Oh 7
| tell you they are N. G.
| ROUGH RIDERS FIGHT.
| Well. they finally bagan to line UP the army
to fight the cavalry division. (You must re-
! member there were not horses except for
! mounted officers, everything else being left
/ behind at Tanpa) We were ordered forward
arr then came what is known as the Rougn
| Rders fight although there were more regI,-
lars IN 1t than rough riders. But the latter
| fought maen ifcentiy. The enemy was driven
| from his first position and the lining-up went
! Our turn came the 10Th We wee order 4
to the extreme left ard marched until
! o'clock at night b.vouaced at Gen. WheeIer's
h l.a near the center. At daylight
were halted to wait the result of the obsarva-
ton MI from ., the balloon. The balloon was
promptly ricdled, for which we were truly
| maze Il very UNPLEASANT for the troops wait
ing near it. Well. we started again and
asa;n, and cur direction changed; this time
to the right OF the line. In the meantime We
| could hear an incessant fire of rife to the
| right, growing stronger every minute show
ing mat they were at it in earnest We
| passed battery in position, but it had noi
4! yet begun action, though the fight had been
! IN progress for several hours. Finally we
got to our place We could only see part OF
our line. and soon we heard the shells Shrek
| ing over our heads: the bullets of the Snan-
tards came around ike pestiferous flies. You
1 tired TO- shoe them away with your hand
| gan to feel wounds and were helped to the
rear. but still we could see no enemy, ard
| dared not fire, were told some of orr
| troops We're somewhere in front.
Rodma.'s battery was taken off to the
right, and saw them charge up hill d
vas here that Rodman was wounded the
shot passing through his neck ard shoulder
! His battalion lost sixteen men in Ave min
utes, but he had the satisfaction of firing
back. | lost only about SIX wounded, but WE
never fired a shot. We lay there waiting and
I waiting until about 5 o'clock, when the firing
| gradually ceased. The Spaniards gave waI
and some surrendered The village of Caney
! and the blockhouse was ours.
| This was but small part of the fight TIE
result OF the days work was that the Span
iards We're driven into their last line of de-
| tense. We were In sight of the city along oul
| whole line.
But Of ourselves. We were withdrawn. the
| men made coffee and were about to settIf
down, when again came the order to march
| We moved out at o'clock ard through mud
and water knee. deep marched now clear t.
| the left of the line We did not stop until
| o'clock. and were SO tired that everybody iust
| dropped at the command to fall out and wen,
to sleep in his tracks only to be awakened ir
| about an hour by a reveiIle of rife frino
ana with bullets dropping all around.
| UNDER FIRE
The sDaniards were making an attemn,
to gain what they lost the day before an5
again we had to remain under fire witbout
returning it. 1t was here that Capt. Moon
of my regiment was hit. I was STANDING
talking to him he was sitting on The
ground, his hands resting en- his knees Tn:
bullet passed right in front of me, passing
through his right arm and lodged in his
| Wgnt knee. Several of our men were hit
and we again got marching orders. This
Tune they took US through the valley up OF
the crest of hill, and we were the extreme
left of the fighting line. We were only In
! position short time when the enemy gave
up the attempt to drive US back, and sui
!enly went to work to strengthen their las
| line. The firing was kept up all along tbs