Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-12
CAPTAIN LUNA'S ACCOUNT.
How the Rough Riders" Stood Their
Ground at La Quasina- ISLANDERS and
Falsehoods Refuted,

During the past ten days there have
been circulated in the city of Las Vegas
and other towns and communities Of
New Mexico some scandalous stories
relative to Captain Maximiliano Luna,
of the ''Rough Riders" Without re-
ferring to the details of these contemp-
tible aspersions upon the character of a
soldier fighting at the front for the
honor and glory of his country, it is
sufficient to say that Captain Luna's
conduct throughout the terrible battle
of La Quasina was of that heroic char
acter which reflects honor and credit
not only upon himself, but upon all the
people of New Mexico, including the
miserable character-assassins who are
circulating these stories. These are the
men who ever since the beginning of
this war have been pronounced in their
malicious criticisms of President Nc
Kinley and his advisers, the governor
of New Mexico and his military APP
pointees, and the character of the men
who have had the courage to go to the
front at the first call of the country.
A letter has been received from Cap
tain Luna, extracts from which are as
follows:
"Giracimas, June 25.-I have not had
opportunity of writing before. l presume
that by this time you already know 1--WE
have met the enemy" The "Rough
Riders were destined to be the first of
all the army to shed their blood in this
war. We came upon the Spaniards
(they numbered 10000 in a strongly for
titled position in the mountains. Cap
tain Capron's troop was in the lead. My
troop was second, and we were ordered
some little distance to the left. My first
platoon in charge of Max Keyes a little
in advance. We had not proceeded fal
when we heard firing to the right. We
still advanced, when all of a sudden the
firing became simply terrific, and" then
it was hot. For hours we were subjected
to a murderous fire from in front and
from the right flank. The firing from
the right flank where they had two
rapid fire guns was especially heavy.
But there our men stood, not one
finched. They kept up firing on all
sides, but the band of heroes kept on
advancing. We could not locate them
as they used smokeless powder, but we
fired at the direction we thought they
fired from. 1t was hot! We answered
in kind, not a man flinching. We kept
on gaining on the enemy till We had
them in full fight and we took their
positions.
1.-THE courage displayed by our men
was magnificent. They are all heroes!
Now as to the results, Captain Capron
and Hamilton Fish were killed in the first
fire. In my troopI had n mar killed;
man by the name of Erwin from San
Antonio. l had besides eight men
wounded, including poor Geo. Armijo,
/ who had his hand shot off and may lose
| his arm. Once as l got up from a Lying
position, a bullet passed right between
my legs. They whistled all around us,
| Our regiment lost nine killed and 80 OF
40 wounded. The Spanish lost very
heavily"
Many other letters have been received
in their tenor giving the lie to the ru
mors so diligently circulated by the
back-biters at Las Vegas and elsewhere.
| These men of course constitute a small
number of our citizens. but as is always
the case, a despicable lie diligently cir
culated by such vipers travels rapidly
and is never caught up with by the
truth,