New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-21
ROUGH RIDERS EXPERIENCE
BILLY" LARNED. THE WELL-KNOWN
TENNIS PLAYER WRITES HOME
ABOUT THE FIGHT


EASTERN CUBA REMINDS HIM OF THE ADIRON-
DACKs-BEING UNDER FIRE MIGHTY
QUEER FEELING'-HE HELPS TO
BURY THE DEAD.
". A. Larned. known Familiarity among tennis.
golf and hockey players BILLY" Larned Joined
Colonel Roosevets Rough Riders at New-Orleans.
Mr.. Larned well prepared for a rough cam
paign. as In addition TO his devotion to athletics
he Ia an enthusiastic sportsman and excellent
shot. In a letter 10 his father William z. Larned.
Of this city. dated Saturday June %; About Five
Miles from Santiago he says; This is the first
chance l have had TO write since landing from
the boat. We had forced march OF about ten
miles the day before yesterday. and yesterday
morning started out the advance guard We
had gone about FIVE miles. when the troop in the
lead ran into sort OF ambuscade Something was
the matter with the Cuban scouts and were
not warned. There were about fifteen hundred Of
our forces altogether and after about three hours
fight drove them out II was mighty tough
and We were mighty lucky TO escape. The woods
were very thick. and could not see any one TO
shoot at and not OF tho direction II
turned out afterward that troop were in line
Of rapid-hre gun. and although we were under
fire for some time we could not return IT,
The Spanards are nrenched about three miles
from here. and getting up the artillery to
drive tnem out. When they retre1tcO tney
left almost all their stuff Our general says that
II they had been any good they would have licked
us. Anyway. we won't run into IT with our eyes
shut again. We in camp here to-day and will
be part Of the rear guard tomorrow. | believe
III bet drank more than pailful OF water. and
II not boiled either. but 1t did not seem to
hurt me much. though am so tired to-day that
scarcely move around ! have been on duty
since the fight yesterday until now. looking
up dead and wounded and digging graves.
1T is mighty queer feeling to be under fire,
and very hard to stay there when there is no
chance OF shooting else. Our regiment
lost eight ten. and II IT had not been for the
colored Regular cavalry. who were on our flank.
we would have lost three times as many. Two OF
the from troop shot very me-
and there IL one other man missing. The Spanish
forces were. they say. about four thousand al
though don't suppose any one knows anything
definite about It,
The Navy TO be shellng the forts town
a good deal probably nj Santiago. but the hills
are so high that can't tell. The country around
here is very much like the Adrondacks In many
respects. except the timber. which is palms. cocoa
nut. etc. with cactus and low bushes. which is
hard to get through. There Is not very much water
around. but what there is very clear and
has had bad effect so far There is no use
talking about not drinking IT. In the middle OF
the day. when 1t is hot. Just have to drink.
The I'd Massachusetts, came into camp last night
and left for the front a little while ago. ! have
just heard that the country is free from Spaniards
all the way from here Santiago. and II that is
will how they like dynamite gun.
We just ordered fall in for the burial OF the
men. goodby."
In second letter TO his father dated Just Out
side Santiago July s. 1885, he says:
This is the first chance have had to write. and
at the same time been able to get paper. since the
fight you have probably read about long before
we'll as tho papers. as Of course great deal Of IL
was at the distance at which they engage with the
modern Some OF the volunteer troops
armed with the old Springfield rife. and they made
much smoke that they would not let them fire.
My part In the two days fight Is something
follows: lrff..
we were in camp some five miles from Santiago
after the first fight at Nina. and the evening
OF June % some three and half miles
toward the city. and lay on arms overnight on
the side OF hill. At about 4 o'clock the next
morning troop. A. was sent out TO scout TO the
left and that fact probably saved a good many Of
us. for We left our dufie where slept. with
couple OF to guard IT. and when the action
opened one was killed and the other injured by
shell which exploded right in the camp.
We'll We went up n trail for about n mile. and
five or six or us took to the woods toward San
tiago. We went along hill overlooking the town.
and just as we came to point light battery
the better guns and ours were exposed the top
OF a hill they had to retire before very long. 1t
while firing this battery that they dropped
the shell in our camp, and 1t hit troop quarters
II mighty interesting 10 stand on the hin and
see the shells past only few hundred feet
from
Il sent back with what information we had
been able to get. and as | delivered II was
sent back TO bring in the men. our troop having
been recalled. AS II about a mile each way
through woods thick that you have no idea Of
them. ! was very much used up by the time
Joined the regiment We then marched down A
road way and suddenly found ourselves under a
hot fire. We crossed a small river any way we
could. and deployed into a field. and charged a
hill held by the Spanish. good many
killed. among them captain. whom heard
made that can kill me 1t about five minutes
after that he was shot in tho mouth and killed.
close calls but was not ht anVwbere % and we
are now intrenched some four hundred five hun
dred yards from the Spanish lines. on tho edge OF
the town. For the last five six days there has
been nag OF truce up. and We are all hoping the
that they have been unable to get our largest guns
of the boat. our lines have been worked around
during the dark. so that In some cases we have the
regiment occupies the centre. will probably
e Of he Spanish ons wants the
surrender. as their position is hopeless Last night
lines, and we were very cosce TO the enemys
pckets One Of our men said he saw one. al;
though did not. and was lying close to him and
looking In the direction. / am writing now
In full view of their trenches
The country. around here IS, as said before.
most every afternoon Considering the work we
nlshts out Of six have been in freshly dug
am we'll to-day. No one has much strength left.