Iron County register., 1898-08-25
A Soldier Boy at Porto Rico.
PoNcE. PoRro Rico, Aug. 9. '9s

Ed. RegiSter-As my last letter to
you has pleased the boys so well, will
endeavor to write them few lines tell
ing them of my first battle-if | can
call it such. We had no trouble land
ing at Porto Rico safe and went into
camp just outside the city of Ponce,
where we landed and remained there
one night, and the next night follow
ing we bad just gotten in our beds and
some of the boys were asleep when we
were suddenly called to arms by the
bugle call and ordered to break camp
at once to attack the enemy, and, of
course. we all thought the Spaniards
minutes from the time the call came
we had our blanket rolls made and
were marched to the railway station
about two blocks from where we were
camped. Then we saw we were going
to leaye for some place Then we
learned of our destination. 1t was to
city thirty-five miles away by the
name of Yonco, where we had received
message from stating that the Span
| iards had asked the natives to help
them fight the Americans and they re-
fused, then the Spaniards started to
kill all the natives and burn and de-
stroy the city.
We got to the depot in short order
seizing train that was made up of
fat cars and box cars, putting a native
in the engine and soldiers as train men,
we started for Yonco, getting there
shortly after midnight, and when we
arrived in the city in the front the
Spaniards flew out the rear. off into the
mountains, for their lives.
We went into camp until morning
when we started for the mountain in
pursuit of them. We gave chase or
skirmished for them through the
mountains all day. Two companies of
our men dividing up in squads of twen-
ty men each with non-commissioned
officer in charge of each squad. We
stopped marching at about 1870 p. NJ,
looking for good place in the valley
to camp when we were suddenly fired
on by number of Spaniards who were
hid in ambush behind a large Banana
grove on the hill side. while we
were in the wide mountain road and
in plain view as it was not entirely
dark Our officer Immediately gave
the order to fall to the ground, and
you can bet we made no delay in obey
ing his command, while the Spaniards
kept up continuous fire all the rest
of the night. 1t seemed to me month,
and to hear those Mauser bullets buzz
and hum as they passed by, put me in
mind Of my boyhood days, when |
would stir up a nest of hornets or bum
BILE bees. There was many a thought
passed through my mind while lying
on the ground in the open road.
wondered how many of US there were
killed and thought different times
could feel the blood running or trick
ling down from some part of my body.
| thought could feel myself getting
we got the command to arise and
charge the enemy. Firing at will and
being so cramped from lying on the
ground so long we all arose man for
man, at the command to a kneeling
position and sent two vollies into the
enemy. When we were commanded
to stand and fire the enemy had only
fired abut two vollies and beat re-
treat up the mountains where we tried
to give chase as best we could, all
whooping and following at the top OF
our voice, but not being used to the
country and the rough, steep noun
tains, we we're unable to overtake them,
or even keep up, so they were soon
lost to view, except those who had
either surrendered or were killed or
wounded. There were over two hun
dred Spaniards in the thicket so the
prisoners stated when taken back to
the city. / thought there were over
five hundred myself, but please don't
blame me as this was my first. / have
often gone hunting for game of differ
ent kinds but this is the first trip after
this kind of game. / had entirely for
gotten about myself being wounded in
the chase, and upon an examination, az
terward / found outside of being wiring
ing wet with sweat and few scratches,
from falling down and from the briars
and cactus plants, | was the same as
when / went from camp not many
hours before. We returned to camp
without wound or the loss of man.
Our officer in charge got slightly
scratched up by running into a wire
fence in commanding his men. The
volunteers are also doing well. They
are doing good work. They are act
ing as outposts and sentinels with the
natives who are far out in the modn-
tains. They often bring in a spy or
two whom they catch sneaking about,