Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-04-06

white troopers of the First cavalry.
General Young declares that the charge
was most gallant from start to finish.
The troops crossed plain in open range
Of the Spaniards posted behind stone
walls on the ridge With closed up
ranks they DETECTED to the right or left
to pass distractions, and maintained a
bold front until the ridge was cleared
of Spaniards White officers fell, but
the negroes marched on to victory.
Meanwhile the Hotchkiss guns back
on the hither ridge fired over the heads
of the advancing column, making every
shot tell in the Spanish ranks. At one
time the fire was so hot that General
Young ordered the guns under cover to
save them from destruction. At the
right time they came out again, and
almost instantly a negro who was fix
ing the sight had his hand lacerated by
Mauser bullet. Nothing daunted, he
worked at the sight with his wounded
fingers and another negro pushed him
aside, saying "Get away from here.
You cant do anything with that
hand.
The arm of the newcomer was quickly
punctured, and General Young fixed
the sight himself. BY that time there
were more black hands ready to take
the risk, and they fred the gun with
good effect until the affair was over.
From first to last ! didn't hear word
derogatory of the valor Of the blacks in
action. Every whits officer who saw
them on the field said that they were as
brave as the best But that is not the
whole of soldering, speaking Of the life
and stability Of an army.
A fit companion piece to the many
tributes from white officers to negro
valor is the story of Robert Edward
Lee y of Alexandria, Va, trooper in
Company A. Tenth cavalry. Describ-
ing the battle Of San Juan hill Trooper
Lee said:
"It was about p. m. when the
Tenth was ordered TO the front for the
charge. Most every man said one to the
other Now, boys, here is our time to
see what Spanish soldier knows about
charge of this kind. Now keep to-
gether and every man keep his full die
tance from the right and left, and az
soon as gap is open closets as quickly
as we can, and / know if we stay to.
gether the Spaniards can't last long
During the time the Spanish Mausei
steel bullets were falling all about ouI
heads, but the Spaniards couldn't be
seen Once in awhile one Of our mer
would fall and would say: Il am struck.
Give them one for me when You see
them, boys.
"Cowardly as the Spaniards are,
when they saw us coming upon them
they would run about 20 yards, turn
and fire deadly voliey upon us as we
would advance upon them on the hill
of San Juan. But we were on to theil
tricks. When they would turn theil
Mausers upon us, down every mar
would fall upon his knees. The hot
steel went over our heads like bees, bu,
the moment it had passed over us W,
were upon our feet again. Then the
towards began running from Their
trenches Now came our time to tak'
+, deadly volley at the retreating Span
iards. After two volleys from our cracl
rifles the Spaniards We're seen fallint
by the hundreds We soon reached tn,
top of San Juan hill, but the Spaniard
had fed, leaving their many dead ant
wounded behind them.
"After gaining our victory we tool
a short rest upon the hill. While W,
were resting the Spanish sharpshooter
began. They shot our officers and ever
our wounded who were being taken :,
the rear. Later on they began firin,
their big guns upon us on the hill which
we had gained and had been holdin,
for nearly three hours thought JUS
before my wound that the Spaniard
were trying to regain the hill.
81 was shot about 4:3O p. m. Will,
| at the front on the firing line. After my
comrades had dressed the wound, Will,
on the field, had to walk ten miles
wading through streams part Of the way
to reach the hospital ship. 1t was ter
rible ordeal. The bullets were fyin,
about my head and did not expect t,
| get 10 the rear without being wounded
the second time.
Iasked the white leaders of the Tent,
the question, "How did your men be
havef' The answer was, "We don I asl
for better soldiers in battle. The Tentl
came under fire while passing down tn,
San Juan road, just behind the balloon
when it was high in the air drawins
Spanish fire. Bullets and shrapnel aimee
at the balloon fell into the ranks, bu
II 49,: sz}|
|E&AI M