The evening times., 1898-06-28
THEY F0UGHT LIKE HEROES
The Amer. cans at La Quasimas
We're Calm and Brave.
STOOD BY THE FLAG LIKE MEN
A Spanish Prisoner Said the More
the Americana Were Fired Into
the Harder They Pressed Forward.
Wounded Men Held Their Ground
in the Firing Line.

mas. June IS. via Kingston Jamaica.
June 2S.-The first report of Col. Woods
fight was written Immediately after the
BILE to obtain fuller details from a Span
lard who was in the fight. and was later
captured by Cubans. The prisoner said
of the volunteers:
'They did not fight as other soldiers.
When We fired volley they advanced
instead of going back. The more We
fired the nearer they came to us. We
are not used to fighting with men who
act So"
This comment touches the most graft
flying feature of the engagement. Five
hundred volunteers, surprised in mar
row trail. successfully drove back four
times their number. under a fire which
killed or wounded every tenth man. This
is what is called a decimating fire. and
one under which. according to military
tactics troops are expected 10 retreat.
Credit for the engagement, therefore. is
all the greater. for the reason that in
stead of a retreat there was a steady.
cool advance, which only ceased when
the enemy's base had been taken, and
the Spaniards We're seen retreating, car
rying their wounded. Forty dead Span
iards have since been found.
The charge of the Tenth Cavalry of
regulars. and the First Cavalry. who,
coming up by another trail cleared
ridge upon which the enemy was in
trenched. assisted equally in the repulse.
The Spaniards had selected their posi-
ton with care. Two trails from Siboney
approached La Quasimas like the two
halves of a wishbone. the Spanish posi-
ton being at the meeting point. The en-
emy, accordingly. was so placed that the
men were able to see down the valley and
cover the approach of the Americans,
whichever way they came.
Gen. Young arranged TO meet Col. Wood
at this spot and as his trail was longer
he started from Siboney with the reSu-
lars half an hour in advance of the vol
unteers. His scouts saw the Spaniards
on the ridge long before those in the
brush were discovered by Col. Wood. and
the losses in killed and wounded were
for that reason greater among the volun-
teers because of the ambush, which
brought them to within thirty to hfty
yards of the enemy.
One feature of the fight which illus
trates the spirit shown by the men was
that when one fellow dropped out wound
ed three or four others did not fall out to
help him to the rear-a service which is,
as a rule. the most popular. On the
contrary the wounded were left lying
where they dropped. unattended except by
the hospital corps.
In three cases men wounded in an arm
or leg cared for others who We're fatally
wounded. There was no one else TO help
them. for no one Of the volunteers who
was able to shoot did anything else.
The spirit of Mr.. Marshall, correspond
ent of the New York Journal, was as ad-
mirable as that of any soldier on the
field. He was shot in the first firing line.
and though the bullet passed within an
inch of his spine and threw him into
frequent and terrible commissions. he
continued in his intervals OF conscious
ness to write his account of the fight
and gave it to a wounded soldier to be
forwarded to his paper.
This devotion to duty by man who
knew he was dying was as fine as any of
the many courageous and inspiring deeds
that occurred during the two hours Of
breathless. desperate fighting
The conduct of all the men in the fight
cannot be overpraised. 1t must be re-
membered that not for one minute du-
ring the two hours did the strain slacken
nor did the officers call halt. The
movement was fast and incessant, as at
a ball match.
The ground was uneven and the ad-
vance was impeded by vines an inch
thick. trailing bushes, and cactus plants
known as Spanish bayonets. which tear
the flesh and clothes. Through this the
men fought their way, falling, stumbling
wet with perspiratiOn. painting for breath.
but o5eying Col. Woods commands in
stantly.
They disproved all that had been said
in criticism of them when the orEaniza-
ton was formed. The cowboys observed
perfect discipline. and the Eastern ele-
ment in Troop X. from clubs and col
leges, acted with absolute coOlness and
intelligence.
Cowboy Rowland. from Deming. N
NJ, was shot through the thigh, the bull
let entering at the side and going out at
the back. He limped 10 the hospital on
the trail and was told nothing could be
done for him. That moment accordingly
he walked 10 the front and crawled along
on his belly. firing volleys with the rest
Col Wood. who was at the front
throughout the entire action. saw,
trooper apparently skulking fifty feet in
the rear of the firing line and ordered
him sharply to advance The boy rose
hurried forward, ilmping. AS he took
his place and raised his carbine he said:
MY leg was little stiff, sir
Col. Wood looked and saw that a bullet
had plowed alongside the troopers
leg for twelve inches.
One man had three bullets pass so close
to him as to leave marks in three distinct
places. as though a hot poker had been
drawn across the flesh and blistered it.
Color Sergeant Wright of Omaha. who
walked close to Col. Wood carrying the
flag. had his hair clipped in two places.
and his neck scorched. Three bullets
passed through the flag.
Two officers. standing on either side of
Col. Wood. were wounded, but nothing
seemed able to reach him. He was cool
and deliberate always, but more con-
cerned than his serious manner indicat-
ed when he made the move that won the
fight. which was a piece of American
bluf, pure and simple
The Spanish position was an old ruined
distillery. shut in by impenetrabIe BUSH
es. In advance of the bushes there were
a hundred yards of open ground cover
ed with high grass. At the edge of this
grass Col. Wood ordered the line to cease
firing and charge across. The men did
so under heavy. but fortunately, misdi-
rected. fire of the Spaniards. 1t looked
like a sldrmish line thrown out in ad-
vance of a regiment. The Spaniards
could not believe so few men would ad-
vance with such confidence unless sup
ported in force. SO they turned and ran.
What had looked to the enemy like an
advance line was every man Col Wood
had at his disposal.
As the Spanish fire slackened and ceas-
ed, those far on the left saw them re-
treating. and the men cheered-a long,
parting cheer.
Roosevelt. some twenty feet in ad-
hot Tod tLn