The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-13
AN A FROM THE FRONT
ExCTTTNe INCIDENT IN THE CAM
PzIgN IN PORTO RICO.

n Messenger from the skirmish Line BE.
came Excited-His Message Passed Back
Through the Army and II Wa Twenty
four Hours Before Real Quiet Ruled.
1T 10 hotter than the sand dunes OF hades.'
said the litter volunteer TO his big oomrade as
he lay beneath q mango tree munchine that
forbidden fruit. And 80 II was. for they were
in Porto Rico. marching to capture its capital.
The day was perfect save for the heat
For two days II had not rnined. and
the sun was pouring down from q sky
a. blue as the Caribbean Soa, except to
the northward among the mountains. where
q belt Of heavy clouds embraced the
green peaks. The military road wound along
through the lowlands. smooth and white. but
dusty. from the branching Of the army wagons
wheels. which were grinding its macadamized
surface into the finest powder. Along Its
sides stretched the tents OF Ernst's brigade OF
Wilson's division. the vanguard Of the invad-
ing army, They were scattered over three or
four miles. the Sixteenth Pennsylvania at the
front and the Second and Third Wisconsin
supporting them.
Juana Dian had been passed without the
firing Of a shot and Ooama was the next objec.
tive point. Here the Spaniards were said to
have massed their forces for resistance, but
none knew certainly OF their Intentions They
had been falling back and falling back, always
unheard and unseen. 90 that up to this
time the citizen soldiers had not smelled
powder nor felt that flush Of fear that comes
TO every man. DO he hero or coward when the
bullets OF the enemy begin for the first time to
chant a hymn of death above his head. The
Americans had been going very leisuroly. for
there was no need OF haste. They were biding
their time and preparing properly for every con-
tingency. The Commander-in- Chief was bent
on avoiding errors that brought to dea th many
m so Il thi SsI i slsE hot e. mSrniaE the army was not
moving, but was, Watching, Who knew but that
the tricky spani9rds might come swoopine
insssSd Of an. shf R sr 8 Sp .b wa, pass. e. ls Sss
a s"0 eo% mIsSa 0e 81 the, 'ns slztssnth "f Fe;nnsyie
yania doing outpost duty, 4 shkirSmifssh n
and the woods. %nfiously peerins about for
signs Of the foe; The greater part 81 the com;
S eomm was s1S' = eood o IoSs nt s%e T's' down On 1hs s {4lSSS
front. There they lay beneath thS mango
battle. and making SnsomplimsntSfy remarks
''""S Yss."s said the SiS %,vSo5iiunteer in reply to the
man by his side WIG, had made the eompaElson
ssfis s's pTet s9' h ssst but 81 n Is's iisb as9 70 s. 81 thS hotter than shSn
this II these Spaniards ever make q stand"
,I His s fSs 5s6,s n, 2 SSe.a no % F ,bsy cI because Dosr h.
taG co sG%n i as r eSad ID from ea his the sn stse't aSd
as as'f th ssS1hl,Pes apt afa -dasSnaeePFasnf e sM L has.SS SiRP Geh
at his heels. As the furious rldercame abreast
of the Captain commanding the company. he
iass. a RsP 9s ! n i.sP pu h' sS %iss s sRs sSt sss. sweat It 81;
ieosed both hot and scared. ter his ] eyes Told as
happening up the road.
Captain. he exclaimed as soon as he gould
ans d THfias: in nne our spI pieEsts. az Th sS@i are : II
advance and q whole battalion following"
rather alarming, information: He pushed his
men forward half a mile on the double-auick,
s ssGaefb, acL q wo %Grs to a ths Goiosei Of PSSis rs ! sas
that he needed support. Then he waited
G EfIrpn for o HI his Pics GSsssss, to ;, GONE PM IN IN, ready ri and
I told you. Bill, it 'u'd be hotter said the
The other man only erunted. They were both
very much Interested and. probably a trlie
men fight. right where they are until orders
conn ea ioy t Rsited T. and 30 f9 WaIssd vi t. t Eseir'i hands nds
on their rides and their eyes strained ahead.
but but no 1n a9s; painting c n Pick pickett 1.t GSm 9r tISSoHhIns
didn't look like, war in the least. UNI
and and the aepi impatient Sts Pe asssfl1Sanf S Sipmhnu ad:
vancsd with several men 70 make q personal
lCColuOiSduC0. Al q bhOLt llllo lS CAIuO ulOu
h5s R nsn Who T Tess SS sIss assa a e B1f S9S spani
1 nens. f0F Thsy h shs t sfsil sye es " op Thol' ba IsFi Il
was very apparent that they hadn't seen
f faoow sP aRat the r tfou SbIP'a WAS deR RRs hs %
they sent back this melodramatio courier
Nth his tale tale q q. an attack; and In answer
had met a native who told him that be had
s5s. s1 shas sSsSs niI IN Is + \ c ! ss;ss 81 sss,
tain Of the company Of the Information thus
gained. The natives horse was borrowed for
the PURPOSE tIS ga and the y9nngg o solder ID selected ss.. s%d to
iards we're reported to be in the neiRhborhood.
This was enough for him.
the rush and the roar Of his horses hoofs
stimulated his imagination: perhaps the
dashes onto the stage painting and dust-cov-
cred came an back to m nm 1i, Is hS Ell, roe 4eom hf TSa The
81 SffS pPosaiS Sf 3Tuth 70 s he i realm H III or 5rem t sRf iic cst,%
Whatever II may have been which caused his
deviation from the truth, it not only shocked
or less Of a SILVER all down The line. When
word Of the alleged attack reached the Six
Company R1ssI1U Wills MS' the sS1 %i sSs%sfa r re- fnePHs! were ere
t aHsaasa e 5u Ss pDEsie Ss the i Fam s5GI Kept g ON n sSd
s soG S1nMn f md by 3 b ths tine Tb II reached ne, b Ponce nss 1t
paper eorrespondents. who were enjoying the
l~pxuries OF Ponce in the absence Of fighting at
the front. on q dead run for the alleged firing
line, and 1t took twenty;four solid hours to get
back to the basis OF cold facts.
Incidents such as this only occurred. how-
ever. at the beg ginning Of the campaign. IL did
not take long to steady the volunteers down,
and act like soldiers. Rumors. ofcourse. would
get started. but while all the attention due TO
them was paid by the military authorities,
none OF them ever caused the commotion that
was made by the picturesque young person
whose romancing Is made the occasion for this
story.