The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-07-01
GAVE OUR BOYS A HARD JOB,
But They Got There and Did Their Duty
Calamity.

But They Got There and Did Their Duty
Calamity.
That the Spaniards were thoroughly
posted as to the route to be taken by
the Americans in their movement to-
wards Sevilla was evident as shown by
the careful preparations they had made.
The main body of the Spaniards was
posted on hill on the heavily wooded
slopes Of which had been erected two
Lighthouses, hanked by irregular in
trenchments Of stone and fallen trees.
At the bottom Of these hills run two
roads along which Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt's men and eight troops Of the
First and Tenth cavalry, with a bat
terry of four howitzers, advanced. These
roads are but little more than gullies,
rough and narrow, and at places almost
impossible In these trails the fight
occurred. Nearly half a mile separated
Roosevelt's men from the regulars, and
between them and on both sides Of the
road in the thick underbrush was con-
cealed large force of Spaniards.
The fight was opened by the First and
Tenth cavalry under General Young. A
force of Spaniards was known to be in
the vicinity of La Quasina. and early in
the morning Lieutenant Colonel Roose-
velt's men started off up the precipitous
bluff back Of Siboney to attack the
Spaniards on their right flank, General
Young at the same time taking the road
at the foot Of the hill About two and
half miles out from Siboney some Gu
bans, breathless and excited. rushedinto
camp with the announcement that the
Spaniards were but little way in front,
and were strongly entrenched. Quickly
the Hotchkiss guns out in the front
were brought to the rear, while a strong
scouting line was thrown out.
Then cautiously and in silence the
troops moved forward until a bend in
the road disclosed a hill where the
Spaniards were located. The guns were
again brought to the front and placed
in position, while the men couched down
in the road waiting to give Roosevelt's
men, who were toiling over the little
trail along the crest of the ridge, time
| to get up. At 1880 am. General Young
| gave the command to the men at the
| Hotchkiss guns to open fire. The in
slant the Hotchkiss guns were fired the
| hillsides commanding the road gave
| forth volley after volley from the Maui
/ sers of the Spaniards. Don't shoot un-
| til you see something to shoot att
| obeyed the order.
In the meantime, away off to the left
| could be heard the crack of the rifles OF
| Colonel Woods men, and the regular
/ deeper toned volley firing of the Span
| ish. over there the American losses
were the greatest. Colonel Woods men
| with an advance guard we'll out in
| front and two Cuban guides before
them hut apparently with no flanlkers
went squarely into the trap set for
( them by the Spaniards. Troop L. the
| advance guard under the unfortunate
: Captain Capron, was almost surrounded
and but for the reinforcements hurried
| ly sent forward every man would prob.
| ably have been killed or wounded.
There must have been nearly 1,50(
| Spaniards in front and to the sides OF
u.s." said Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt
| when discussing the fight. They held
the ridges with rifle pits and machine
| guns, and had a body of men in am
bush in the thick jungle at the sides OF
the road over which we were advanc-
ing. our advance guard struck the men
in ambush and drove them out. But
| they lost Captain Capron, Lieutenant
| Thomas and about fifteen men killed OF
wounded. The Spanish firing was ac-
curate-so accurate, indeed, that it sur
prised me; and their firing was fearful
| ly heavy"
81 want to say a word for our men.
continued Lieutenant Colonel Roose-
welt Every officer and man did his
duty up to the handle. Not a man
f1inched."
He is not only idle who does moth