Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-08-17
THE BURLINGTON FREE PRESS THURSDAY


the heads of the Massachusetts men.
not to be expected but that the men
would be little nervous at what they
were up against for the first time, but
there were very few men that baked,
and those who did were quickly spotted
by their comrades"
Through the brush the regiment made
its way to the Santiago-El Caney road.
There the men discarded rolls and hav.
ersack and all other impediments ex-
cept canteens and rifles. In column Of
tours the command moved up the road
toward FL Caney seven companies
strong, five having been halted at Ca
pron's battery. Down across the road
from Ell Caney came raking Mauser
fire from Spanish trenches and loopholed
buildings in Ell Caney. The Twenty Sec
ond regulars in line of battle in the field
were hard pressed, and General Ludlow
directed Colonel Clark to send four COM
panies out to REINFORCE the regulars.
Two Of the companies detached reached
the regulars, but the other two got lost
in the chapparal and made their way to
the crossroad. a sunken way, having a
good bank for a parapet, where they
fought all day.
These detachments Of force left but
three companies with Colonel Clark.
With them he threw out a deployed
line and advanced to the edge Of the
brush facing the enemy. These compa-
MES kept up continuous firing and
advanced to an open field in front Of
| the Spanish blockhouses. The Massa-
chusetts men were armed with Spring
/ field rifles, which send out cloud of
smoking powder. This circumstance
drew the fire Of the Spaniards and the
result was that the fire of the Second
gradually slackened to almost nothing.
But they were not withdrawn from the
line, nor did they give ground one
inch.
The companies in the sunlsen road, Z
and l., were good targets for Mausers.
Lieutenant Field of l. was mortally
wounded, and Private Brooks of e killed
early in the action. Companies B and
X joined the line of regulars, but were
handicapped by the black powder and
thus reduced to a nullity in the fight
except for defense. AS the fight waxed
warm, however, the best shots fired al
Spanish sharpshooters, at blockhouse.
and trenches. as chance offered. The mer
were good shots, for the Second had til,
best target record in the state
In the seven companies on the firing
line there were s officers and men killed
about sd hence the casualties about {
per cent. Says the chronicler before
quoted: "It was veritable baptism o
fire for the boys of the Second, but they
stood to it like men. and, with three ex
captions, every man shot was on tn
firing line.
AT 6 o clock p. m. the day of battl
the regiment joined the division column
for an advance direct upon Santiago
AS originally ordered by Shafter. At
o'clock the line halted and lay until
u. m, the Cd, when orders came from
, Shafter to take the back track to tn
, Siboney Santiago road ard join tn
, troops which had carried San Juan hill
| This march was made for the most par
over unknown trails with ignoran
) guides, and it was 10 in the forenoon
, when the weary Massachusetts mel
5 toiled up the slopes of San Juan unde
/; fire from sharpshooters.
; The Second took the right of the lin
= beyond the cavalry. Two of its mel
were struck by Mausers during the aft
ernoon, and in the night defense Of tn
crest against Spanish assault tw
r more were hit, one fatally. These casu