The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-26


greater part of the way the men had to
proceed single file. Prickly cactus bushes
lined both sides of the trail and the under
brush was so thick that it was impossible
to see ten feet on either side.
All the conditions were favorable for a
murdeIous ambuscade. but the troopers
kept a close watch and made as little
noise as possible
The Rough Riders entered into the spirit
of the occasion with the greatest enthu-
siasm. 1T was their first opportunity for
tlght and every man was eager for 1t.
The weather grew sWelteringly hot and
one by one the men threw away blankets
and tent rolls and emptied their canteens.
The first intimation had by Col. Woods
command that there were Spanards in
the vicinity was when they reached point
three or four miles back from the coast,
when the low cuckoo calls of the Spanish
soldiers We're heard in the bush.
1t was difficult to locate the exact point
from which these sounds came, The men
were ordered to speak in whispers and fire.
quent hats were made. Finally a place
was reached about s O'Clock, where the
tran opened into a space covered with
nigh grass on the right hand side of the
trail, and the thickest kind of bramble
and underbrush on the other. barbed
wire fence also ran along the left side
The dead body of a Cuban was found on
the side of the road and a the same time
capt. Capron's troops covered the out
posts, the heads of several
Spaniards Being seen in the bushes for
moment 1t was not until then that the
men were permitted to load their carbines.
When the order to load was given they
acted on ii with a viii and displayed the
greatest eagorness to make an attack.
At this time the sound of firing was
heard mile or two to the right, apparent
ly coming from the hills beyond the thick
ct. 1t was the regulars replying to the
Spanards who had opened on them from
the thlcIet. In addition to rapid rifle fire
the boom of Hotchkiss guns could be
heard.
Hardly two minutes elapsed before Maui
ser rifles commenced to crack in the thick
ct and a hundred bullets whistled over the
heads of the Rough Riders. cutting leaves
from the trees and sending chips flying
from the fence posts by the side of the
men.
The Spaniards had opened and they
poured in a heavy fire, which soon had
most disastrous effect. The troops stood
their ground with the bullets singing all
around them. Private Colby caught sight
of the Spaniards and fired the opening
shot at them
sergt. Hamilton Fish, Jr., was the first
man to fall. He was shot through the
heart and died instantly. The Spaniards
were not more than 200 yards off, but only
occasional glimpses of them could be seen.
The men continued to pour volley after
volley into the brush in the direction of
! the sound of the Spanish shots, but the
latter became more frequent and seemed
to be getting nearer.
Col. Wood walked along his lines, dis
playing the utmost coolness. He ordered
troops to deploy into the thicket, and sent
another detachment into the open space
on the left of the trail.
N0T 4 hn 10
tachment and tore through the brush urg-
ing his men on The shots came thicker
and faster every moment, and the air
seemed filled with the singing and Shrek
ing sound of the Mauser bullets, while
the short pop of the Spanish rifles could
be distinguished easily from the heavier
reports of the American weapons.
Some times the fire would come in vol
| ley and again shots would follow each
other in rapid succession for several min
utes.
Capt. Capron stood behind his men, re-
Volver In hand using il whenever Span
lard exposed himself His aim was sure
and two of the enemy were seen TO ran
under his fire.
Just as he was preparing to take an
other shot and shouting orders to his men
at the same time his revolver dropped
| from his grasp and he fell to the ground
with a ball through his body His troop
were badly disconnected for a moment,
but, with all the strength he could mus
ter, he cried Don't mind me, boys go on
and fight"
He was carried from the field as soon
| as possible and lived only a few hours.
Lieut. Thomas Of the same troop receiY-
ed a wound through the leg soon after
ward and became delirious from pain
The troops that were in the thicket were
not long in getting into the midst of the
psI.. raFa dc f11 nd
pressed them hard, but they sent deadly
fire in return even though most of the
time they could not see the enemy.
After ten or fifteen minutes Of hot work
| the firing fell off some, and Lieut. Col.
Roosevelt ordered his men back from the
thicket into the trail, narrowly escaping
q bullet himself, which struck a tree
alongside his head.
II was evident that the SpanIards were
! falling back and changing their position,
| but their fire continued at intervals. Then
! the troops tore 10 the front and into more
! omen country than where the enemys fire
was coming from.
About this time small squads commenced
to carry the wounded from the thcket
ana Law them in more protected spot on
| the trail until they could be removed TO
| the field hospital
| Col " ood also ordered his Hotckss gun
| into action but the trooper who rode the
mule upon WnlCu part u tue 6ut was
] naclSed had been stampeded. His animal
| broke into the woods in the opposite di-
! roction from the Spanish fire and the gun
! consequently, could not be used.
II was just before the change of position
was made that Edward Marshall, the cor
| resnondont of the New York journal and
| Advertiser was dangerously wounded. He
| was back of the troops and ball struck
| him in the small Of the back. The surgeons
were unable to tell this afternoon whether
| or moi he would recover.
During the fight in the thicket several
| of The troops did some wild shooting into
| ti,e troop ahead Of them, and part OF the
| American loss is due to this fact.
As soon as the position had been chang
! ed tbe Americans poured a more terrific
Are than ever into the Spanlards as they
cot them into more open country and could
| see them better.
II was not long before the enemy gave
Wv and ran down the steep hill and up
ano+ber hill to a blockhouse, with the evil
| dent determination of making stand
| there.
movement and il was here that Maj. Bro
coI wood ard Lieut.. Col Roosevelt
- IA tba froons IN pursuit of the flee