The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-27
FROM A SOLDIER
IN THE TRENCHES
The Spanish Soldiers are Brave and
Fearless Fighters
DODGEO THE BURSTING SHELLS.
Description Of the Fight from One
Who Took an Active Part in the
Capture Of the City of
Santiago.
OODGEO THE BURSTING SHELLS.

Santiago.
4 most interesting letter has been re-
ceived by a friend in this city from cap
tain Robert W. Dowdy. of the seven
teen,h United states Infantry The letter
was written during and after the battle
OF FL Caney and the writer. as can De
imagined. labored under many dificultes
during The writing of the same. Captain
Dowdy is d native Of Memphis, Tenn
After referring 20 personal and private
matters. the Captain. who can De pIctur-
cd as one Of those brave, daredevil sort
OF fellows who will at a thought rush
into a lannon's mouth. goes on:
eve arc enrenched about 1000 yards
from the Spanish lines and about 2oo
from the outer city. This IS She first
days resi- ! have had since the aotn ot
June.
"since then $50 have been hghCag, or
so0rchin4, COR digging. or manning the
trenches. We have had no rest, other
than cat-naps of an hour or two at 81
time.
THE REAL TRUTH.
"On the 4-A $50 broke camp at o +. NJ
and marched through MUD and over
mountains 900 ID o'clock when We hivou-
aecl until O'Clock. when wc marched
m,I g o'clock and the battle began. ]
suppose y0u have read great deal about
it see fancy you know l-'lc OF the real
truth. Nonc of us know much except
that round about us.
"Dur divs0n-tho Soc0nd-mado the
feht and our brigade. the Third OF that
division, did most of the work The
seventh and Twelfth Infantry did The
work and lost the heaviest our reg.-
meut was held in reserve but in a most
unfortunate position. We were under "a
cross fire from three block houses and
bad 20 De under g. f0r nine hours. The
Lieutenant colonel was wounded severely
and the 1uartermaster mortally. dying
that night. and We lost thirty-hve en-
listed m,u-kiied and wounded.
Gas my company was not allowed 10
FIRE ] gave much 0f my time 90 the SUR
geons-drcssiug the wounded. and the
rest OF BE- was spent boz taking orders up
and down tnc line.
FEARLESS SPANISH SOLDIERS.
"It was au awful tight. The Spanish
were only about six hundred strong. Dut
they were iu block houses and splendid
oarthw0rks. and our one battery could
only play ON the hiockh0use. which li
DESTROYED after several hours. me
earfhvorks the infantry had 90 take AZ
hes. they could. We had ZOO about the
town. and i suppose 500 or 2oO0 ava lhe
fighting. When b. took them nine hours
10 deieal siA H"i'u, ..ft.,t aud
how me spans" l'--, - i5,-cs Tbov
more ieaIle77 go, ,rbair arms
Fought I'D 'H' 4''' ,I and ,,sr,, ef-
are m'sH'. '.rI ..i,- r,ost accurate.
/ fectiye and ihe 7Ho', i, Ia ,younded
/ 'our ipldi i''' d, rot know.
was about a9' g" l', "a lfred wound
| the 9pahi7I lo '' .,.,0,rod The carr
/ ed "'" P-.,.. mas horrible beyond de-
.lrl,..on The wounded and dead were
7cIl ..'' .,.- .,f-,hos rfa ieckstraws.
Pie" J.. . .. r,r..,f-r RORY FIRE
..o.. .-.. ~. t.,. Tho first division and
| ,.. .+,.Ir,. diyrsfan General Wheeler
DIS ee'a'Iy NV s.,ri'rI. an The other sd,
"c ii., -.ro fobf lasted aI tho
] "' poo. .-,,- of tho oarfv nlght. The loss
o"s go" 90 t.., gf7l. brt we took
was "."F ~.
".- ,.-i.,o,t baq4n eottine
e.,. o.a coulB eer ANYTHING
..'-. ,,.I,. ordered ID, move forward
torri,rs road twisting and turning
..,. tr.r. we marched all might
,t.onat ,,,r4 and over streams We were
-.. my, 49, .uonort the first division and
.t, ,.,,fr, dfrisiou. Worn and weary
@ ,ot into u1srion about $3.50 A. NJ
An az ,ee were under desultory fire
and m nigbt we were heavily engaged
| sb0rt three hours. } had gothic com
MANY fairly curlnched by this time. and
a.. suffered no loss. but during the dag
TWO were mortaly wounded, one of whom
was b.. Joy side.
"It was glorious 20 see the artl.ier'
fire by night or COURSE when The whist
| Inns ot the eheHs were "74i' ' 49,.
would come over one. ana "nen Be Dul p
one. would dodge. YET De eould o'l GNU
thc sight,
DEMANDED THE 81 RRhNpth.
"1t Us now reported inat our totdl los7 y
the two DAYS was about Ls''' lne 7p"'''7
about 2e0.
| oemfndlne me SUI i'4'"N-