The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1899-02-03

very much mixed up.
Battalions and companies became |
interminglod, for it is impossible to
keep PROSTATE or orouching regiments
in even lines, and re-enforcements
we're pushing up speedily from the
rear. It was not from Generalization
that the troops we're mixed up, but
from the very rapidity of their adj
vance. and because the regiments were
kept too close together to enable them
to move in extended order without be-
coming intermingled.
When the foremost officers came out
from the San Juan woods upon the
broad meadow which lies at the foot
of the winding ridge where the Span
ish were entrenched, they found them
selves in hotter fire than ever OF bull
let's and bursting shells, The order
was to charge the hill.
The meadow grass was tall and
thick, and here and there were little
clumps of thorny bushes; but these
were nothing to high barbed-wire
fence, which stretched right across
! the fiat
When the disordered soldiers
reached this fence they had to pause
Then they dropped like pins bowled
over by ball. The Spaniards had the
range of the ENHANCEMENT perfectly.
t Our men were under a trebly severe
fire. It was enough to put brave sol
). diers to rout, but not one single
y American company was routed.
Forward the wire-cutters! Right
here with the wire-cutters!" shouted
d the company commanders. So many
officers had already fallen that cap
u tains were commanding battalions,
IL and lieutenants-often second lieu
tenants, and sometimes boys hastily
ID graduated from West Point in May
~ last-were commanding companies.
in Detached squads of men were there,
pressing forward without an officer to
~ lead them.
Then the soldiers with the wire.
or cutters had an opportunity. Under
the terrible fire, with their comrades
~ ~ living OF crouching behind them, they
he stepped forward, and with steady
ho hands and strong wrists cut the loose
- strands of wire one by one, snatcheC
~ them to one side, and made breach
in the fence.
So many instances of this COO
bravery on the part of meu were told
~ to me after the fight that they blent
g themselves in my mind in one scene
y Captain Charles Byrne, of the Sixth
9 however, told me a story which dill
x fered from the rest.
9 When he came to the wire feno
* with his company, which was one Q
the very first to get across the meadow
me he found no breach-and the ma
OF with the wire cutters had disappeared
no but Providence seemed to have pre-
ny vided means of getting through.
+ In the woods the company had bee
by joined by big Cuban with a machet
is and gun. The Cuban was rushin
&C. bravely on, firing and leading the way
The Few Americans could tell from whic
ice direction the Spanish fire came. Blu
at let's and shells seemed to come frol
OF all directions. General officers wei
M doubtful which way to turn. TIL
5he Cuban knew better than any America
- in what direction the Spanish positiC
in lay. 1t was by his help that Capital
ed Byrne's company was among the tr
to clear the woods, and so advan'
ere toward the Spanish blockhouse.
ace But the barbed-wire fence barre
the the way. Gould the Cuban cut it wi
led his machete? It seemed impossib
led to sever loose wire which would 81
he beneath blow.
hat But this Cuban had cut barbed wi
her before. Coolly picking out Il
straightest post that was near, he stot
al beside it, lifted his machete high abo
lie, his head, and struck downward wi
GU all his might close against the poi
'er- One wire was severed, then the nel
IS in the same cool way. The Cuban d
ely not allow himself to hurry nor to 6
eld excited. If one of his blows had fail
Tres for want of steady hand and su
so den, swift stroke, he might have be
lete unable to open breach; but no biz
the failed He drew the severed wiz
lgle away ar opened a length.
to TheL captain Byrne ordered
en- company through the breach in colur
Ign of twos, and put them at double-quic
and led them clambering to the We
d top of the hill. All the way the
to Cuban went with him. The captf
ear noticed him at the very summit; th
cut he saw him no more.
had Neither the captain nor any one e
ner- in his company nor in the whole Anne
who can army ever knew who this bra
lore Cubaf was, nor how he came to
SER fighting among American troops, l
oar - = . - ,,Io,, 41,o oboroo n