Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1898-07-01
TTT-# cAnoN NsouT4D

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sob. that's ali right. That's been
there for some time. \. ss$
Is the meantime away off to the left
could be heard the crack Of the rifles Of
Col. Woods men and the regular, deep
er toned yolley fire Of the Spanish.
Over there the American losses were
the greatest.
Col. Woods men, with an advance
guard we'll outin front, and two Cuban
guides before them, but apparently
with no Aankers, went squarely into
the trap set for them by the spaniards,
and only the unfaltering courage Of the
men in the face Of q fire that would
even make ! veteran quail, prevented
what might easily have been disaster.
AS it was troop 7, the advance guard
under the unfortunate Capt. Capron,
was almost surrounded and but for the
|reinforcements hurridly sent forward
every man would probably have been
killed or wounded. #
There must have been nearly 1900
spaniards in front and to the sides Of
Us, Y said Col. Roosevelt today, when
discussing the fight. They held the
ridges with rifle pits and machine, guns,
and had body Of men, in ambush in
the thick jungle at the sides Of the road
over which we were advancing. Our
advance. guard struck the men in am
bush and drove them out, but they lost
Capron, Lieut.. Thomas and about
fifteen men killed OF wounded.
s.The Spanish firing was accurate, 80
accurate, indeed, that it surprised me,
and their firing was fearfully heavy
Il want to say word for our own
men, z continued Lieut., Col. Roosevelt.
Every officer and man did his duty up
to the handle. Not q man hinched. z s
From another officer who took q
prominent part in the fighting more de-
tails were obtained.
when the firing began" said he,
Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt took the right
wing with Troops q and 4, under
Capts. Llewelyn and Jenkins, and
moved to the support Of Capt. Capron,
who was getting it hard. At the same
time Col. Wood and Maj Brodie took
the left wing and advanced in open
order on the Spanish right wing. Maj.
Brodie was wounded before the troops
had advanced 100 yards Col. Wood
then took the right wing and shifted
Col. Roosevelt to the left.
..In the meantime the fire Of the
spaniards had increased in volume
but, notwithstanding this, an order 70,
Ia general charge was given and with :
yell the men sprang forward. Col
Roosevelt, In the front Of his men
lsnatched q rifle and ammunition belt
from = wounded soldier, and cheering
and yelling with his men. led the I'd
vance. For . moment the bullets were
singing like . swarm Of bees al around
them and every instant some poor fel
low went down. On the right wing
Capt. McC Clintock had his leg broken BY
: bullet from machine gun, while
four Of his men went down. At thu
same time Capt. Luna, Of Troop +, los'
nine Of his men. Then the reserves
Troops K and E, were ordered up. Col
Wood, with the right wing, charged
straight at q blockhouse. 800 yard
away, and Col. Roosevelt, on the left
lcharged at the same time. Up the msr
went, yelling like fiends and evsrstop
| ping to return the hre Of the Spaniards
but keeping on with . grim determina
ton to capture that blockhouse.
s..The charge was the end. Whom
within 500 yards Of the coveted point
the Spanisrds broke and ran and fol
the first time we had the pleasure which
the Spaniards had been exercising all
through the engagement, Of shooting
with the enemy in sight.
In the two hours fighting during
which the volunteers battled against
their concealed enemy, enough deeds Of
hnro;am were done tn fill a volu me