The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-08-03
LETTER FROM SANTIAGO
John Hammer, Jr., Writes From Il:
Cuban Battlefield, an Interesting
Letter-DescrIptIOn of Battle.

In the Trenches Just Six Hundred
Yards from the Spanish Folc iu
the Suburbs of San Juan, which il
Two Miles from Santiago, July 8.
Dear Brother: Il have just been
relieved from a six hours shift in tho
trenches, so will write you q short
letter and see if can get to mail it.
l had written you on the 23d of last
month but on the oath assembly
sounded about $3.50 a. M, and we
were marched about eight miles over
the toughest country that was ever
manufactured and rushed into our
first battle or ambuscade and had to
fight for three hours. Nearly all this
time was spent in locating the eremy
who were raining lead into our ranks
with the Mouser rife and rapid fir
ing guns. 1t was simply horrible. We
were being moved down with no
chance to defend ourselves or return
their rapid fire, don't think there
was man in the engagement but
what would have given FIVE hundreu
dollars, if he had had it, to have
seen Spaniard and had . chance
to kill him.
We we're marching in column of
fours along the road, leading inland.
We were marching on the road from
where we landed toward Santiago,
about seven or eight miles from the
coast, when we run into about two
thousand five hundred Spanish SOL
diers and were ambushed. Had they
not been SO cowardly we would have
been all slaughtered. The Rough
Riders were alone on this road.
Their spies had evidently told them
which way we started out of the
little town and they took it for grant
ed that all the regiment woul follow
the same route But luck would
have 1t the Tenth Cavalry came by
another trail and furnished us sup
port. The Ninth and Tenth are col
ored troops but they don't know
anything but fight. The Spaniards
were fortified along the hills and the
country we were in was more open
We had to charge. We could not &c
back and had no dssire to DO so any
way. Our enemy had all the best o.
us both in equipments and knowl
edge of the country. 1t is q wonder
we ever gain a victory at all, they
~ n
cart locate them even while they
NOW US down like grass. We cap
tured two Spanish officers the day
of the first ight. They said we die
not fight fair, that we would shoe
and keep on advancing. They art
in the habit of firing and falling
back.
Our regiment numbered five hun
dred and sixty-four men when VI
took up our march that morning
We had nine killed and thirty-thre'
wounded. When they fred on u
we dropped to the left of the road il
order to lie down. That is ali tha
saved us. We then worked our wa.
forward AID made the charge. Yol
can't imagine anything like it. l di'
not think a single man would liv'
through it. When we were com
manded to form skirmish line l fel
J myself to see il was truly alive o
had been dreaming. We went int
camp shortly after and remained
the rest of the day friday, Satul
day and Sunday. Moved Monday
1t was on the first day of July ths
we had a hard fight but won a gle
rious victory Again the Tenth an
5 Rough Riders were side by side
They made one of the most gloriou
charges that was ever made. Arme
only with their little carbines thes
foreign officers that are along watcl
| ing and taking lessons in war fan
say they never heard of such flgh
ing in their lives. One old Englis
n government says to Col. Tedy Roos
felt, "Col. there is no use for you
ever tell when you get back abol
leading that charge" for he say
"no one would believe that you cou
le charge an enemy's stronghold (whiC
e was a black house, with only di
mounted cavalry" The enen
was entrenched and had Ga
ling guns and rifles as good or bett
F! than ours. But when the boys NAL
a charge and give a yell the Spa
iards go.
Brother, this old hero's lifs in t
soil of Cuba isn't what 1t is crac K
of up to be. 1t seems sometimes th
ve it is foolishness to think that 1 W
K ever get home alive. Twas shot Ia
ILL.,. I.,l Lot ahall axnl,d