Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-07-14

LIEUTENANT CUSHING. the province of
Santiago, where there were then no
United States warships. Being in dis
guise, capture by the enemy would mean
for him and his party the death Of a
spy. knowledge Of the language and
ways of the West India islands made it
comparatively easy for him to pass as
native, and he was helped out in the
end by chance acquaintance who would
have given him wide berth had they
known his true character.
Captain Dorst's expedition with the
Gussie was one Of the widest adven-
ture His orders were very broad He
| was to land at some point on the north
coast of Pinar del Rio, near Mariel or
Cabanas, and meet a band of insurgents.
The Spaniards were alert all along the
coast, for that region is covered by the
United States blockaders and the enemy
kept good lookouts on shore. The steam
er Gussie is large side wheeler, paint
ed red, and as she sailed past Havana in
plain sight Of MORO Castle, strict Sc
crecy was impossible.
The Gussie beat along the coast for
some time. Finally when about mile
and half from Cabanas, a storm came
on, almost yelling the land. A reef
with double line of breakers shut off
access to the beach, but in other re-
spects the place was SO favorable that
! Captain Dorst decided to risk his small
boats in attempting to land. The steam
er anchored near the reef. While the
men took to the boats two ships of the
auxiliary navy shelled the shore. Cap
tain Dorst's men found that their boats
could not pass the last breaker, anc
without hesitation leaped into the water
and waded to the beach.
After several boatloads of soldiers hac
fire upon them from ambush. With the
aid of the gunboats the land party drov.
the enemy from cover. Then was ap
parent the good fortune of Captain DORIS
in having flexible orders. The insur
gents were not on hand to receive TIN
supplies brought for them in the Gussie
} Darkness was coming on, and the sol
! diers could get no help from the ship
in repulsing night attack. The cap
tain embarked his force and returne'
to the fleet, having braved the wors
{ dangers of the coast in attempting t
l carry aid to the fighting insurgents
/ Special bodies of troops like Roose
: velts rough riders never lack for re
/ cruits. Their leaders can have the pic
of good men. It's very tempting pros
: pect to be foot loose with free rang
: over the enemy country. Morgan wa
Q the great rough rider of the civil wal
and his corps of Blue Grass Kentuckiar
y left traditions as romantic as thos
r clinging about the Green Mountain boy
Q and Marion s swamp angels of the Revt
9 luton.
$ Morgan's orders were generally yer
Q simple. He was to harass or stamped
d the enemy across the border. His geni.
o and his reckless daring were given flu
play. The Kentuckians who rode afte
d him were fitted by nature for their n
It mantle career. They were born to til
It saddle, to quick shooting, to hardy lif'
J. If the Spaniards fight the war out /;
il they threaten to do in the West Indie
n in the Philippines and even i'll tt
% mountains Of Spain, the last stages {
e the conflict will bring into the fiel
# scores and hundreds of American rou9
/, ridinS band.i GEORGE l.. ku.MEk