The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-23

7 siege OF santiago VIII ever LS4
membered for the sufferings which both
Americans and Spaniards were obliged to
undergo. son the night of July 2"
writes a correspondent who was at the
front, II was forced to retire to the shore
because of illness, and the sights that met
my eyes as I trudged along the road made
an impression that will never, can never,
be forgotten. On my way l passed hun
dreds of men who had been wounded,
dragging themselves along, many of them
on their hands and knees, each step add
ing to their agony and lessening their
chances Of recovery. Enlisted mon, pm
OF thom bleeding from bullet wounds,
could be seen carrying their officers, who
were more seriously hurt, and all along
the route were others whose injuries were
too severe to permit them continuing their
journey without assistance. The little
stream which crosses the road near Siboney
was absolutely red with the blood of men
who had stopped to rest themselves and
dress their wounds. The sight was pitiful
almost beyond description. y
The refugees from Santiago during the
siege were a hungry lot. Refined women
clad in wrappers and tea gowns, with
mantillas flung over their heads, walked
in the dusty road. A few vehicles drawn
by decrepit horses and mules appeared
now and then. They were laden with
hastily prepared bundles. Hidden in these
forlorn equipages were bags and boxes fill
ed with Spanish gold, diamonds Inc jew
eIry, the valuables which the Weather
residents gathered before their hasty flight.
Two miserable burros brought away the
contents of the vault of the largest bank
ing house il Santiago. Sheets and squares
of nyas concealed costly plate. Alright
women dressed in silk gowns, with fingers
covered with glittering jewels, slept on
shawls in the mud. Babies nestled in odd
corners, quietly sleeping or vainly scream
ing an ~infantile protest against mans in
humanity to man.
Private Weichert of the Ninth regulars
tells q thrilling story of a hand to hand
conflict. He says:
"There are three forts near Santiago
which the Americans had to
Ono was O blockhouse standing upon the
summit Of a hill guarding the pathway
leading up to it. In this stone structure,
impenetrable by rife bullets, SO Spaniards
were stationed. In the walls of stone were
holes just large enough to shoot through,
and through these the Spanish soldiers
fired bullets with great rapidity into the
ranks of the Americans as they forced
their way up the hill. Our boys dropped
like tenpins. A color sergeant scaled the
wall and tore from its staff the Spanish
flag. simultaneously the Spaniards fired
at the sergeant, and he dropped to the
ground below dead. Three of the Ameri-
cans dropped into the fort from above, it
being uncovered, and We're riddled with
bullets. Their bodies were b~ayonetted.
".iust at this time Is American privates
appeared on the wall, l being among them.
The sight of our outraged comrades was
CALLING. Without a word of command
each of the 10 men sprang into the pit,
and a desperate fight followed. 1t lasted
some minutes, but the exact time will
never be known. / was shot in the wrist,
but killed the Spaniard and brought away
the pistol with which he shot me. Nearly
all of the Americans were wounded, but
not ono killed One of them says he killed
four Spaniards one 1t was 81 against
his nose shot off, and, turning on tho
Spaniard who had manned him, ran him
through with his bayonct, and, pinning
him to the wall, held him there for q Sec
ond and exclaimed, There, now die, you
Spaniard, diei'
upon the death Of all the Spaniards
the doors Of the place wero forced open and
the wounded men regained their regiment,
which had just arrived. /
Wcichert had a wound in the wrist
which WAS dressed, and he entered tbs