Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-06-27
Twin Battles
at JaTagua'
CONTINUED from first pagel

had to proceed single file. PrIckly
cactus brush lined both sides of the
trail and the underbrush was so thick
that it was impo sible to see 10 feet
on either side.
The rough riders entered into the
spirit of the occasion with the greatest
enthusiasm. 1t was their opportunity
for fight, and every man was eager
for it. The weather grew swelteringly
hot and one by one the men threw
away blankets and tent rolls and
emptied their canUeens.
The first Intimation had by Colonel
Woods command that there were
Spaniards in the vacinitY and was
when they reached point three or
four miles back from. the coast, where
the low cuckoo calls of the Spanish
soldiers were heard in the bush. 1t
was difficult to locate the exact point
from which these sounds came. The
men were ordered to speak in whispers,
andI frequent halts we're made.
Finally, place was reached about s
O'Clock where the trail opened into a
space covered with high grass on the
right of the trail and thiCkets. A
barbed wire fence ran along the left
side.
The dead body of Cuban was found
on the side Of the road, and at the
same time, Captain Capron's
troops covered the outpost, the heads
of several Spaniards being seen in the
bushes for moment.
1t was not till then that the men
we're permitted to load their carbines.
When the order to load was given,
they acted with will on it and dis.
played the greatest eagerness to make
an attack.
Hardly two minutes elapsed before
Mauser rifles commenced to crack in
the thicket, and a hundred bullets
whistled over the heads of the rough
riders, cutting leaves from the trees
and sending chips flying from the
fenceposts by the side of the men,
The Spanlards had opened and
poured in heavy rire, which soon had
a most disastrous effect. The troops
stood their ground with the bullets
singing all around them,
Private Colby caught sight of the
Spaniards, and fired the opening shot
at them.
Sergeant Hamilton Fish, ir,, was
the first man to fall. He was shot
through the heart, and died instantly,
The Spaniards were not more than
200 yards off, but only glimpses OF
them coulo be seen. The men con-
tinued to pour volley after volley into
the bush in the direction of the sound
of the Spanish shots, but the latter
became more frequent, and seemed to
be getting nearer.
Colonel Wood walked along his lines
displaying the utmost GOODNESS. He
ordered the troops to deploy into the
thicket, and sent another detachment
into the open space on the left part OF
the trail.
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt led
the former detachment, and tore
through the brush, urging his men on.
The shots came thicker and thicker
every moment, and the air seemed
filled with the singing and shrieking
sound OF the Mauser bullets, while
the short pop OF the Spanish rifles
could be distinguished easily from the
heayier reports OF the American
weapons.
Captain Capron stood behind his
men, revolver in hand, using IL when
ever Spaniard exposed himself, His
aim was sure, and two CT the enemy
were seen TO fall under his fire.
Just as he was preparing to take an
other shot aud shouting orders TO
his men at the same time, his revolver
dropped from his grasp and he fell to
the ground with a bail through his
body,
His troop was badly disconnected for