The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-09-30
THE LAST FIGHT.
Henry Decker, U. S. Light Artillery, Writes
His Father an Account Of the Last and
Hardest Battle of Porto Rico.
Porto Rico, Aug. IA, '9s.

lear rather
The following is an account of the
battle of Samanto Mountain in which
l took part on the IL inst.
We left camp at this place at 1886
a. m. and had advanced three miles
when the Spaniards opened fire on us
with battery Of three inch howitzers
They had fired five or six shots before
We came in action, but their shells
went high and did no danger. The
gun to which belonged was given q
position 400 yards to the right and 20C
yards to the front of the rest of the
battery. Our gun was the first to
open on them rs the others had to cut
fence to get position. Our first
shot at 2000 yards elevation went
square into their entertainments, and
you should have heard our fellows
yell.
But we didn't have all the fun on
our side, for about fifteen seconds after
they sent one in reply that exploded
in tree.top about twenty-five feet
above our heads and threw limbs and
pieces of iron all around us, but lucki-
ly nobody was hit and we went after
the gun that fired the shot
Our third shot went right into the
smoke of their gun and 1t must have
killed every one of the men around it
as it was a shrapnel and exploded
square in their faces and when you
remember that there are 1872 bullets
in one of them you can guess the dam
age 1t did.
Well we continued to exchaoge shot
for shot with them for about fifteen
minutes and the other four guns of
our Battery doing az well us we when
they threw up the sponge and quit
their guns. But about 2O0O of their in
fantry advanced to within about 1900
yards of us and began to send mauser
bullets into us. Then was when the
place got warm.
The Spaniards fire always by vol
leys and they would have killed every
one OF Us ii they had fired indepen-
IDENTIFY as our troops do. But man
can't aim as well when he waits for
the command to fire and consequently
their shot mostly went high, but too
close for comfort. We stood their fire
for four hours and raked them with
shrapnel keeping them from advanc-
ing but at last out ammunition gave
out and, as we had no infantry except
our support of two companies of the
Bird Wisconsin, who couldn't be ex-
pected to advance against so many
men intrenched, we were compelled to
retiIe.
Our first Lieutenant and infantry
men were wounded and one of the
infantry men was killed. No one else
on our side was hit which seems a
ss there was continual rain
Of bullets around us, the only thing
saving us being the long range at
which they were compelled to fire.
When we got back to camp we began
to get ready to give them another
dose the next day, but we received
orders to cease all hostilties as peace
had been declared
The commander of the Spanish for
res paid us quite compliment today.
He sent his compliments to our cap
tain and said that tor GOODNESS, brav-
cry and Workmanship he never saw
Or heard of any to compare to ours.
Now isn't that pretty good send-ofi
from the enemy? But | guess he
won't want any more as he said about
800 of his men were killed and wound
I'd. That seems pretty big percen-
tage out of about 5000 men but you
must remember they were packed in
An intrenchment only about 600 or
700 feet long. \ civilian doctor who
went to their assistance shortly after
The fight says he counted S65 dead
men in the trenches and there were
some more lying around out side who
were killed as they ran out, 80 guess
he Spanish General was about right
when he told our General how many
we're killed and wounded.
Well this is about all | can think of
his time, so remain your affection.
ate son.
HENRY f. DECKER.