The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-07-11
CUTTING THE WIRES.

After his long illness Gray has so far
recovered that we have brought him
from Williams down here to Albuquer-
que. and today have kert him for
hours on the sunny side of an adobe
hut, where the warm sunshine and pure
air seem to bring back to his cheeks
some of the old color which suffused his
handsome face when we first went into
camp last May
His wounds have apparently healed,
though he still complains Of the sore
places under his arms, and on chilly
nights when he coughs SO terribly we
are fearful that the wound will break
out afresh.
Today he seemed to want to talk Of
left him. so let him lead the conver-
sation as he seemed inclined. Glancing
up at the mountains. he remarked.
Captain, the clouds floating over those
hills remind me of the day we moved
up toward San Juan"
Cant you tell me something of that
campaign" l asked.
w ell, was thAhh1hso Va ~, anu
might as well talk as to think. l still
dream about it. or rather l live it all over
in my sleep, and l begin to think it will
be my nightmare as long as l live.
81 always begin my dreams when we
laid down in little open space in the
jungle to let the rough riders and the
colored regiments pass. l stretched out
on my back and watched the clouds
float in from the ocean and roll up the
hill till they were lost in the forest.
"Capron's battery came by and turn
ed to the left to take position. watch
ed the horses straining at the collar, the
drivers cursing and the cannoneers jolt
ing on the caissons, and it flashed
through my mind that they would soon
be in it, and here we lay like drones.
Why didn't the call sound?
"Up ahead could hear the contin-
uous crack of the Krag Jorgensens,
and, gripping my old Springfield tight,
breathed silent prayer that might
use it.
81 think we must have laid there g
full half hour. To me it seemed ar
eternity before the welcome bugle cal
| Fall inl put us all on our feet. We
dropped down into the ditch called 8
road, and moved forward until we came
to stream. No one thought of taking
off shoes or rolling up trousers, but will
blanket roll and rifle held at the shoul
der we plunged in.
II heard the ping of a spent riff
ball, and saw the splash as it struck tht
water. This was the first intimation
had that we were within range of the
Spanish rifles.
AFTER crossing the stream we OBJ
liqued to the right. through the cha
parral. and could hear the bullets sing
ing their songs of death as they passed
over our heads, clipping leaves ant
twigs. l am sure was not frightened
Fear had given place to the intense de
sire to get into the fight.
"When we reached the open, the or
der to lie down was repeated. and dow
we went in the tall, wet grass. TIL,
6rst of the wire entanglements wa
about 800 feet ahead of us
"a rough rider passed us, going to
ward the rear. He said not word
though his right arm hung limp ant
the blood dropped from the ends of hi
fingers.
''At that moment battery opened
to our right in the rear, but we heart
no response by artillery.
1.-THE bullets seemed to rain down OF
Us like overripe fruit from tree tina
had been Jared by some heavy blow
The enemy evidently had the range o
that hill and had seen us lie down, fo
they were shooting low and the bullet
were kissing their way through tn
grass. Corporal Butler lay beside me
and, leaning over, he said. in his ricl
Clare county brogue: 'Sargint, do yel
hear thin grasshoppers? Well, mebb,
there won't be miny poor divil that'l
wisht he'd niver bin so clost while the,
wuz singin. Poor fellow Hammont
writes me that 'grasshopper' fount
him not 90 minutes after l left; not
yroan or a quiver. his head simply drop
ping on his hands
while the bullets hunted for us tn
Iun found us. The very earth steamed
md we almost gasped for breath. M,
thirst became something terrible.
''It makes me thirsty now to thinl
If my awful desire for drink of waite
At that time
LAS we lay there lieutenant of tn
signal corps. tall chap, who as I re
member him, looked like you, came ou
If the jungle and, walking erect. wen
about so yards in front of us, where b
soolly adjusted his fieldglass and in
pected the works on the crest of tn
lill. What a target he was for thos
Spanish sharpshooters Yet the Shove
mis- action called forth did not seem
1isconcert him in the least. and whei
be had finished his survey he returne
the glasses to their case. swung on III
, heel and walked back
"How envied him! He was doin
something, while there | lay. doin
nothing but await orders
L.