Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-30

In the meantime, away Off 10 the
left, could be heard the crack OF ths
rifles OF Colonel Woods men and the
regular, deeper-toned volley firing OF
the Spanish Over there the Ameri-
can losses were the greatest.
Colonel Woods men. with an ad-
vance guard well out in front, and
two Cuban guides before them, ap-
parently with no fankers, went
squarely Into the trap set for them by
the Spaniards, and only the unfalter-
Ing courage OF the men In the face
OF a fire that would make even q vet-
eran quail, prevented what might
easily have been a disaster. As II
was, Troop L, the advance guard,
under the unfortunate Captain Ca
prom, was almost surrounded, and
but for the reinforcement hurrledly
sent forward, every man would prob
ably have been killed or wounded.
There must have been nearly 1900
Spanlards In front and to the sides
OF u.s." said Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt today, when discussing the
fight. "They held the ridges with RI
file pits and machine guns, and had II
body of men In ambush In the thick
Jungle at the sides of the road over
which we we're advancing. Our adj
vance forward struck the men in
ambush and drove them out, But
they lost Captain Capron, Lieutenant
Thomas and about fifteen men killed
or wounded.
The Spanish firing was accurate
80 accurate, indeed, that II surprised
me-'and their firing was fearfully
heavy.
II want to say a word for our
men," continued Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt. Every officer and man
did his duty up TO the handle. Not
q man flinched."
From another officer more details
were obtained. when the firing be-
gan" said he, Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt took the right wing with
Troops G and X, under Captains
Llewelyn and jenkins, and moved to
the support OF Captain Capron, who
was getting it hard. AT the same
time Colonel Wood and Major Brodie
took the left wing and advanced in
open order on the Spanish right
wing. Major Brodie was wounded be-
bore the troops had advanced 100
yards Colonel Wood then took the
right wing and shifted Colonel Roose-
welt to the left.
In the meantime the fire OF the
Spaniards had increased in volume.
but, Notwithstanding this, an order
for general charge was given, and
with q yell the men sprang forward.
Colonel Roosevelt, in front of his
men, snatched rife and ammuni-
ton belt from wounded soldier, and
cheering and yelling with his men,
led the advance. For a moment the
bullets were singing like swarm
OF bees all around them and every in
stant some poor fellow went down.
On the right wing Captain McClin.
took had his leg broken by bullet
from q machine gun, while four OF
his men went down. AT the same
time Captain Luna of Troop F lost
nine of his men. Then the reserves,
Troops X and Il, were ordered up.
Colonel Wood, with the right wing,
charged straight at block house,
300 yards away, and Colonel Roose-
welt, on the left, charged at the Same
time. Up the men went, yelling like
fends, and never stopped to return
the fire OF the Spaniards, but kept ON
with a grim determination to caps
ture that block house.
That charge was the end. When
within 500 yards of the coveted point
the Spaniards broke and ran, and
for the first time we had the pleas
ure which the Spaniards had been ex-
periencing all through the engage
ment, of shooting with the enemy in
sight"
In the two hours fighting, during
which the volunteers bAttled against
their concealed enemy, enough deeds
Of heroism were done to fill volume.
One of the men of Troop e, desper-
ately wounded, was lying squarely
between the lines OF fire. Surgeon
Church hurried DO his side, and with
bullets pelting all around him, calm
ly dressed the mans wound, ban
daged it and walked unconcernedly
back, soon returning with two men
and litter. The wounded man was
placed on the litter and brought into
our lines. Another soldier of Troop
i, concealng himself as best he !
could behind tree, gave up his place
to wounded companion, and a mo-
ment or two later was himself |
wounded.
Sergeant Bell stood by the side
Of Captain Oapron when the latter
was mortally hit. He had seen that |
he was fighting against terrible odds.
but he never hinched. Give me your
gun a minute he said to the SER
geant, and lneeling down, he delib-
erately aimed and fired two shots in
quick succession. At each a Span
lard was seen to fall. Bell In the
meantime had seized dead COM
rade's gun, and knelt beside his cap
tain and fred steadily.
when Captain Capron fell he gave
the sergeant parting message TO his
wife and father, and babe the SER