Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-07-28
SANTIAGO LETTERS
RECEIVED BY PROF. HORBS FROM
HIS BROTHER.
ROUGH RIDERS AMBUSHED
Significant Observation Made by a Sol
der on the Scene Beautiful
Scenery OF the Neighborhood- Sc
we're Marching in Dense Darkness -
No News from Home.

Prof. W. H. Hobbs OF the WI consin
university, who is spending the sum
mer in geological work for the gov
eminent in Connecticut, recently re-
ceiyed two letters, long and anxously
awaited, from his younger brother.
who is a corporal in the I'd Massa-
chusetts infantry, under Gen. I.awton,
and who participated in the fighting
around Santiago. One was written
June % in Camp on the battlefield Of
La Quasina, and the other July 5 IN
the trenches about half mile from
Santiago. The earlier letter refers {
the forced marches made in going to
the support of the rough riders and
the great exhaustion which resulted.
but does not omit to mention the
beautiful scenery and the plentiful
supply OF water from clear mountain
streams Altogether II gives better
impression Of the physical conditions
surrounding the soldiers than one had
gathered from the newspaper ac-
counts. After the forced march of
his division to the support of the
rough riders he writes
How l got up that gorge at the end
| hardly know. | was a mere ma
chine. If 1t had not been for my tent
mate | think | should have gone sup
PEERLESS to bed. We slept on the bat
tlefield where the rough riders we're
ambushed and never did fellow
sleep better One cannot but he in
terested in the use of the term am
pushed" since there has been much
discussion Of the matter in the papers
and ii indicates the impression among
the soldiers.
Dews, says Corporal Hobbs, are
very heavy, the tropical foliage is lux
uriant but the fruit is not yet ripe
Referring to the railroad from Jurag-
ua he says. There is a railroad here
The Spaniards had taken the locomo-
tive apart and buried the pieces.
There are two men OF our regiment
who are engineers and they dug up
a short time had the engine running.
Continuing, he says: we don't have
much change Of diet-fried bacon,
fried hard tack (moistened In waterl,
and coffee, sometimes with sugar.
The latter letter was written after
CnriniIg Dpht NAa -
in front of Santiago and now are only
a half mile from the city. All kinds
OF reports reach us but we put little
trust in them | have learned what It
is to suffer. Perhaps ! can give you
some idea of 1t. On July LIST We rose
at 4 o'clock, were moved at 6, keeping
a steady pace and at went into a
fight which lasted all day. | can tell
you the bullets ralned thickly. The
Spaniards use smokeless powder and
were In a blockhouse in very strong
position in the town OF I'll Caney. No
sooner was the battle over at HI
Caney (Which Is so important because
1t supplies water TO Santiago than We
started on an all-night march for San
t.ago and only stopped when we were
fred upon by the Spanish pickets.
We lay down beside the road to get
We were to move. Thus we lay till
midnight when our major took
the responsibility upon himself and al.
lowed us to lay off our packs. After
only two hours sleep, we received or
ders to pack up, had bacon and hard
tack issued I'VE get coffee only rarely
now, and after marching back short
distance cut through place that was
50 dark one must cling TO the man
In front in order not 70 get lost. After
We got through We were sent forward
In double time which knocked out
many Of US After waiting for the
other battalions TO come up we were
sent forward again and marched over
hills, through gullies, wading brooks
UP 20 the knees, and finally came out
on a road when We heard firing. Thu
Spanish sharpshooters began 20 pick
of our men at a great rate Some Of
our men We're ordered to throw of
rolls and was detailed In charge Of
them but the fellows didn't see much
Of the fight. We finally went into
camp but were called out at midnight
again by the Smelling Of the town One
Of our men was shot by our own men
by accident. The city Is now under
a flag 81 truce and II Is the opinion
here that they will come TO their
senses and surrender. II not we can
force them
Corporal Hobbs reports that they
get none Of the news and the single
statement we don't know what lee Is
doing at Havana" indicates as well a.
anything how rumors only reach them.
They had had no letters for over
month