The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-21


ago, led to the concentration Of the
forces on the San Juan side.
The march 20 the firing line was ful,
OF interest to the Ninth Massacnusevrs
and the Thirty-fourth Michigan, which
reached Siboney only last night on the
Harvard. They marched out In the early
hours OF morning. The road had dried
fairly veil few hours after tise, sua
/ same M, and the marching was noe
oad. Therowas q constant stYeAn al
tho wounded returning to the rear.
These had had their hurts dressed at the
hrst aid station and were going to the
hospitals in the rear. Some had only
slight wounds and were able TO walk
alone. Some were carried on the shoul.
ders OF two men. Big army wagons
with four, or six mules were used TO
transport some On the occasional rough
parts OF the road the jolting In tho
great, rude wagons was terrible. A few
hed Cross wagons were In use. but not
many. Some officers were carried ON
litters. This was the most comfortable
method, but 1t was exceedingly hard on
the litter bearers. Half dozen field
hospitals or dressing stations were scat
tered along the road, but the chief hos
pital was four or five miles from the In
trenchments. The number of littor bear.
ers was far too few. In addition to the
regular divisional corps the musicians
were called into service. Even for four
bearers it was a hard task to carry
wounded man in tho hot sun for several
miles. Every soldier whose injuries did
not positively forbid it was made to
walk TO the rear. In some instances this
was, cruel, especially when the wound
was "a hours old and serious II not
mortal But 1t wasa choice Of evils.
and the litters and wagons were kept
for those shot In tho legs or In some
vital part.
One man rode on a horse, curiously
wounded. Both his feet were bandaged
and bleeding. Doubtless shell had ex-
ploded near him. Another, also on
horseback, was Wounded in the head.
He seemed barely conscious. One man
led the horse and another supported the
wounded man as well as he could. But
most distressing Of all was an artillery
man whose face had been struck by a
piece of shell from the side. The center
OF his face was merely great hole. He
had no medical attention yet. In spite |
of the terrible appearance of his wound
he walked alone. a comrade on either
side OF him. There was grim interest |
in-studying the uninjured part Of his
face. His brow was smooth and calm.
He looked from side TO side as if actual
ly concerned in what he saw. Two SOL
diers thought they knew the man, al
though so little Of his features were left
that they could not be sure. Finally
they agreed il must be Gates.
Just beyond ford of the San Juan
river, few hundred yards from tho
blockhouses captured yesterday, lay
four corpses. A grave had been begun
for them in the rocky soil and was un-
finished. Apick lay near by. Evidently
the gravediggers had been ordered to
the firing line. Along tho bank of the
river the chaplain of the First volun-
teer cavalry buried Captain O'Neill,
with the help OF two pfivates. The ford
If the river at this point seemed to be
he especial mark of the cnemy's fire,
although it was distance behind the
renches. XeSSerenth Massachusetts,
had gone hundred yards beyond when
! shrapnsl shell came whizzing by.
There was scattering and dodging be-
lind banksun the order came to ad-
vance. r.
Apparently the sharpshooters In the
rees knew that this place would be O
ommon' halting place for soldiers who
wanted to Ill their canteens and there
ore took perches thak would command
view Of It. The result was that the
ullets sped by there regularly, clipping
he foliage with a nasty Zip" Some
the shots struck the water near the
ord, and within about an hour four Of
hem hit live mark. A physician who
7as accompanying wounded man was
illed, and SO was d soldier The physi-
ian was DIR. Danforth of the Ninth
avalry, and his brains were blown out.
[e had previously been in Cuba in the
srvice Of the United States government.
wo other privates were shot. One was
tting on the bank of the river with q
lend, chatting. Both heard the bullet
rike near by and thought it just as
ell to move on. One of them walked
me, and his companion asked him
hat the trouble was.
II don't know" was the answer.
but my leg feels weak" He looked
own and saw blood streaming from II.
o had been. shot without knowing 1t.
lstances Of this kind. where bullet
as not discovered until the blood was
en-, were not unusual. Indeed re-
arkable feature Of the battles around ;
,ntiago has been tho stolidity and .
uck Of the wounded. The writer saw
'rhaps 200 Of them and heard not a ,
oan. At times. in moments of agony, =
me would utter sound Of pain, but !,
was rare.
One incident of the sort was touch !.
8. Four litter bearers were carrying a !.
ldier who had been shot in the back. 7
,r some reason he was lying face up. a
,lting TO rest, they, without noticing 3
set the litter ON stone, which Just :
ppeued to press in on. his hurt Ha