Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-07-07
SHOT DOWN THE WOUNDED
Dastardly Conduct of the
Spanish Sharpshooters. /.
GALLANT ACTS OF OUR OFFICERS
Gen. Wheeler Leaves Sick
Bed to Fight.

Copyright isgs, by Tho Associated Pross.l

Copyright. 1888, by The Associated Press.l
Centre of the Line before Santiago,
July ]. delayed in transmission, via
Kingston, Jamaica, July 4, a. m. =
One feature of the fight which has
aroused great Indignation among the
American troops is the act of the span
ish in having sharpshootera in the trees
along the line of march OF the Alneri-
can troops. OF course. il the sharp
shooters had fred on armed men they
would have done nothing more than
what might have been expected, but
one Spanish marksman from his post
fired on wounded men and on men
carrying the wounded to the rear.
Several members of the Hmbulance
corps were wounded in this manner,
and two wounded men who we're toiling
along to the rear were shot and killed.
Soma'of these marksmen were posted
less than half a mile from the Ameri-
can camp. Col. Liscombe of the
Twenty fourth Infantry said: was
fired on several times by men in trees
and six bullets flew very Gloss TO me. :"
Later in the day company Of cavalry
was sent along to clear them out and
the work WAS effectively done.
The gallantry OF tho general officers
was conspicuous during. the fighting.
| Major General Wheeler, who was seri-
ouely indisposaa the night before the
battle, was suffering from an attack Of
fever on. the morning Of the Gght, but
as soon as he was aware that the United
States troops we're likely to be engaged
he ordered an ambulance to cnhvey him
to the front. His surgeons attempted
to dissuade him, but the old general
was obdurats and TO the front he went.
Ambulance onoe there, the sound oi
fighting restored his breath and in 9
short time he was calling for his horst
and personally directing his division ID
| the attack OH the great rsdoubt.
iien. Hawkins, commanding the Firsl
Brigade, Ninth division, was oonspicu
| GUS for ths manner in which he exposed
himself to Spanish bullets.> and it is 1
4 miracle how hu escaped serious injury
After taking the redoubt ON the hill b,
| his command, aided by detnchmentI
4 from Gen. Wbeeler's division, be stooo
| for long time on the summit OF th,
redouht, Watching the progress Of TIM
fight. r
! A heavy fire at times was ooncen
trated on the spot where be was stand
iDRt buh lTbds ttom hltputonp iuhE Siot ~
surveyed the field of battle while th'
I bullets were whizzing past by hun
dredH.
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt was il
front of his regiment throughout tn
day and his boot heel was carried ava.
by place Of sholl
The greatest care and attention wer
bestowed upon the wounded men, AM
all were cared for in a vsry short tim
after reaching the hospital. The hos
pital of the Sacond division was estab
liahed on the fold OF battle, as wa
also cavalry iiviaion hospital. Th
hospital OF the First division wa
established a short iietancu west Q
I Gen. Shafter's headquarters, where, b
10 o'clock, fully 500 men had receive
medical attention.. Those seriouHl
hurt were kept near the hospital, th
officers being placed under two larg
palms. The men were placed upon tn
ground around the tents and made a
comfortable as possible.
The ambulance corps proved YER
effective and no wounded men wer
allowed to remain on the field afte
fdark, The provisional hospital Q
Sibonsy reue;ved largo number {
men who, all night long, loitersd alon
the road from the front as best tho
could. Wagons conveyed many, br
others preferred walking and through
out tho night the ioad was filed wit
the wounded, who moved slowly alon
the path leading to the sea coast.