Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-09-01
HOME FROM SANTIAGO.
HUGH GROVE OF RANDOLPH ON
TWO MONTHS FURLoUGH.
He Was With Skaters Corps
Through the Campaign. --TeIIs
an interesting Story of Battle
and Hardship. Sufferings of Our
Soldiers. on a charneI
Ship.

|
Hugh Grove, one of the very few Ver-
mont boys who saw service in the recent
Santiago campaign, arrived at Randolph
on the night train Tuesday morning,
where his mother and brothers reside,
He is being warmly greeted by mis- many
friends here. Though thin and worn,
with Drowned skin and dull eyes, be re-
turns Ia fair condition and prides him
self on having passed through the ordeal
| with far less disaster TO his health than
many who endured no more. He was al
| ways stalwart lad and must have made
an ideal soldier. He lost some 35 pounds,
a part of which he has regained.
Hugh tells an interesting story, which
is IN brief as follows.
ITO say that am glad to be home again
Is only faint expression of my feelings.
| am overjoyed. 1 have a two months
furiough from my regiment, which i in
tend to spend about here in trying TO get
back my health and strength. After that
/ suppose will be mustered out with the
others.
$50 much has happened since l was
here before that hardly know where 10
begin my story. When the war broke
out, l was at work at Miller's Falls, Mass.
With several others from there | enlisted
as recruit in 20. e, Second Massachu-
| setts Volunteers, at Orange. From the
state camping ground at FramiDgham the
regiment went TO Lakeland, Fla, where,
and at Tampa later, 1t passed several
weeks in camp before the movement on
Cuba began. This time was spent In drill
ing and in getting equipped for the seri-
Gus work ahead.
"My regiment formed a part OF Gen.
Skaters original force. We we're on the
transport Seneca seven days in Tampa
harbor until the ship got so foul from Its
over crowded condition that our regi-
ment was transferred to the Manteo. In
this boat we left Tampa. The feet, con-
sisting OF three lines OF twelve big steam
ers each, SO in all, escorted by the war
vessels, made a grand sight. Nearly
every body was sessick, but luckily ! es-
capped. We were six days at. sea. The
food was very poor and the heat intense.
We suffereds smuch.
"We landed at Juragua. The warships
shelied the Spanish plockhouses and the
landing was effected under their nre ana
that NJ the steam launches, which carried
one pound rapid-fire guns. The enemy
fired few shots and fled.
"The only wharf there was bad been set
on fire by the enemy when he retired. IL
was burning when we scrambled on II.
The small boats we're towed In by the
launches and cast on. They oasneo
pants and cargo which had to get TO shore
the best way possible.
.Once on shore we formed by compan-
les as fast as possible. Our company whs
sent up the hill as skirmishers. We drove
the Spaniards out OF house tnat mao
been struck by one OF our shells ana cap
tured large quantity OF supplies, ammu-
milton, etc. .
sour regiment started soon on the
march toward Santiago. The roads were
nothing but mule paths. The country was
very rough and broken and thickly mat.
ted with rank vegetation. IL was most
difficult to make progress.
ave passed the spot where the Rough
Riders and the Twenty-nfth infantry
(colored) had their battle day or TWO
before. The negroes saved tne husrs
into a Spanish ambush and were being
shot down fast until the 25th came to
their aid. We saw some OF the dead De-
ing buried.
"When we had proceeded some dis
tance We vent into camp for two days
preceding the battle at El Caney. Inc
day before that fight our regiment mace
wide detour to get around the enemy:
We brought up facing battery ana nsu
200 Cuban guerillas. who stole everything
thew could. We were very short OF 1000.
we had nothing to eat for 20 hours before
the battle. The firing began early IN the
morning OF July 1st. Our regiment was
well in advance. The grass ano cactus
was SO high We could not see much Of tne
enemy. only knew about where he was.
we lav or kneeled and fired for hours: IL
was hot work. Our guns were the Spring
fields and our black powder gave away
o,,r oositiou. so that it was very nvely
enont us. We lost only one man killed
and nine wounded.
.sThe Spaniards were in trenches ana
block houses. They fought nobly ana
beIs ms a long time until finally the zotn
Infantry charged up the slope anu asoasI,y csJtv
sf the block house, whose doors they peat
in. The fight was over at $3.50. oyer az
the Can Imam ridge another battle was IN
,,roeress 40 ali day. Our army was likewise
successful there, though the ngnt was
bloody. ~.,s,,ent
srs we're nearly dead with exhaustion.
Thsre was some fighting the next Gay.
we took station " here we couio took into
SANTIAGO. We were near the bay. we
ans trenches with our plates. Inc sol
was a. bsrd as wood. Il rained every oas
and drenched us. Then the sun oaAee
ns and ia the night We were very COLO.
0,,- retIons we're always short, seldom
more than few bareback day. Many
- the bovs were taken III here Iney
would w seem to feel all right at night put
in the morning would De down VIII iSssr 49,
several IN my company were founo oeau
r,der their shelter tents in the morning.
Tss.s stood II pretty well until after the CITY
feII. when my turn came. "as ou' VI
nv head several days.
aWbeu we left Cuba there were only -
,c o-,f 81 nv company of ~ able 10
march aboard the boat We came up pT5s on
, - Mobile. II was an awful voyage 1ne
- s..'.-s r~e-e had on at the start There was
nothing for their eonvenience or comfort, 'as =,
We slept down three oeeks s. Win ~ hsd 10, 70 eat
=. ~ ~ ~ waw M. sick or well, wss moaloy
Sa Ssrdtsck sss and canned raw tomstoes: MANY
y ~ - sS~t we're delirious with suuerln8.
o. 80 20 =, x are steward for q veal bone
- 80. fe~ verv small potatoes thsf 1 gos
sor sne I sick c0mrade. We buried ., Il :. -.
III q, -, -. r~e landed af Montauk Point tne
" ,., y. 49,, New York said We we're
=. s.sezrsd hut ws knew It before. Doring
- whole campaign there wss simos. -
s..s,,s ~ sr~snce of proper hospital or meo
en.iIe ars.. we suffered dreadf1iiy with