Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-26
N II with win. and displayed the great

on II with win. and displayed the great
est eagerness to make an attack.
At this time the sound Of firing was
heard a mile or two to the right, appa-
rently coming from the hills beyond the
thicket. It was the regulars replying
TO the Spaniards, who had opened on them
from the thIcket. In addition 10 rapid
rlhe-nre, the boom Of Hotohldss guns
could be heard.
MAUSERS CRACK.
Hardly minutes elapsed before Mauser
rifles commenced TO crack in the thicket.
and a hundred bullets whistled over this
heads Of the Rough Riders. cutting leaves
from the trees and sending chips flying
from the fence-posts by the side of the
men. The Spaniards had opened, and they
poured in heavy fire, which soon had
4 most disastrous effect. The troops
stood their ground with the bullets sing
ng all around them. Private Colby
caught sight of the Spaniards and fired
Inc opening shot at them.
FISH THE FIRST TO FALL.
Sergeant Hamilton Fish, Jr. was the
| first man to fall He was shot through
| the heart, and died instantly. The Span
| iards were not more than 200 yards OF,
| but only occasional glimpses of them
| could be seen. The men continued TO
pour volley after volley into the brush
| in the direetion Of the sound Of the Span
ish shots, but the latter became more ire
| auent, and seemed to be getting nearer
| Colonel Wood walked along his lines, dis
| PLAYING the utmost GOODNESS. He ordered
troops to deploy into the thicket, and
| sent another detachment into the open
| space on the left of the trail
| ROOSEVELT ADVANCES.
Iieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt led the
! former detachment, and tore through the
| brush. urging his men on. The shots
CANA thicker and faster every moment,
| and the air seemed filed with the sing
ing and shreking sound of the Mauser
bullets while the short pop Of the spa
nisb rifles could be distinguished easily
from the heavier reports Of the American
weapons. Sometimes the fire would come
in volleys, and again shots would 1oilo"
each other IN rapid succession Ior SIEVE
raj minutes.
| Captain Capron stood behind his men,
| revolver In hand, using II whenever
.naniard exposed himself. His aim was
sure. and two OF the enemy were seen tc
fall under his fire.
CAPRON KILLED.
Just as he was preparing 10 take an
other shot. and was shouting orders &c
his men at the same tune, his reVolVe'
dropped from his grasp and he fell 10 th'
ground with a ball through MS Douy
His troop was badly Disconnected LOT
moment. but with all the strength III
could muster he cried. Don't mlhd me
boys: go on ana fight" lie was carrie'
from the field as soon as possible @h'
lived only few hours.
Lieutenant Thomas Of the same troop
received a wound through the leg sooI
,fterward, and became delirious iron
pain.
m. troops that were in the thicke
were not long in getting into the mlds
Of the fight. ,,
HARD-PRESsED BY STANDARDS.
The standards located them and presse'
them hard, but they sent deadly llre
return. even though most OF the tlm
thew could not see the enemy. After Tel
| or fifteen minutes of hot WORK the nIih
| fell off some, and Lieutenaht-Colohe
| Roosevelt ordered his men back iron
| the thicNet into the trail. narrowly Is
Gaming a bullet himself, which struck
, | tree alongside his head.
If was evident that the Spaniards Wer
falling back and changing their position
| but their fire continued at intervals. Inc
the troops tore TO the front and into NOR
omen country than where the enemy
: fire was coming from.
About this time small squads com
menced to carry the wounded from ID
tbiclket and lay them in a more protecte
spot on the trail until they could De IL
moved to the field hospital.
2 HOTCHKISS MULE A COWARD.
< Colonel Wood also ordered his Hotchkis
| Gun into action. but the trooper wh
rode the mule upon which part of IN
|
! his animal broke into the woods in III
1 oAnosite direction from the Spanish fir
a md the gun consequently could not I
G | used.
i MARSHALL WOUNDED.
e II was lust before the change of pos
f ion was made that Edward Marshal
4 the correspondent of the New York Jou
G nal and Advertiser, was dangerous
wounded. He was back of the troops, an
ball struck him in the small of II
! back. The surgeons were unable to te
= this afternoon whether or not he wou
g recover.
s During the fight in the thicket sever
of the troops did some wild shooting IN
. the troop ahead of them, and part
n the American loss is due to this fact
"a soon as the position had been change