The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-03-17
THE THIRD OF SEVEN
Written for This Paper.

MS N WV Sh'ia VI bldNf NJ D. uS IOlu
me by my soldier acquaintance A: diff.
ferent times ! have written of the first two
of row OF seven graves on the hill at San
Juan. where lie buried seven of Col. Roose.
velt's brave men.
Had James 7. Powers, as his name is
given on the troop pay rolls, lived through
this fight he would certainly have been pro.
NOTED for bravery on the field, and, what
il more, he would have deserved such promo.
ton, began my soldier friend, as we stopped
in front of the rude board that marked the
last resting place of an American soldier.
whether Private Powers had any fight.
ing blood in him before the battle at this
place or not ! cannot tell, but if ne did
not he certainly developed a large supply
in a short time. We boys of the troop never
thought much Of him until he was dead, and
always felt that he was out of place among
lot OF western soldiers.
Before Powers enlisted he was school.
teacher in the little town of W in Ari-
IONA ! did not know him until after the
troop was mustered, but from some of the
boys who came from the same place that
he did | learned that he had been living
there for about year, during which time
he had taught the town school, but had
never associated with them to any great en-
tent. He came from the east and was a
recent graduate from theological institute,
where he had been studying for the min
Istry. At W he not only taught the
c,b,,1 hut ID, / =
schoolhouse.
"All western men are not as bad as they
are painted, and few of the boys from the
ranches around W used to attend church
occasionally at which times they picked up
what little information they had regarding
Powers. They say that he always came
down from the pulpit to shake hands with
them when meeting was over, and seemed
glad to have them there, but he was still
little shy, as most young preachers are,
suppose, and never made any further ad-
vances.
Powers was one Of the last men to Join
the troop before it left for the regimental
rendezvous, and | can hardly say that he
was a welcome addition, especially to the
men from where he lived, of whom there
were several They expected his presence to
put check on the good times they intended
having, along with the fighting they hoped
to get chance at. For a time this was
true, not because of anything the man did,
but merely because he was there and the
boys knew who he was. After week or
two this feeling wore off and the boys did
about us they would have done had he not
been present.
ITO get him out of the way as much as
POSSIBLE the first sergeant assigned him to
duty at the llCss tent as assistant cook. He
did the work without murmur, which is
more than can be said of any of the rest of
us, for none of us but what would object
when detailed for kitchen duty. a detail
of that kind is supposed to last for week.
but after Powers was put there the first
sergeant forgot to change him, and cook he
remained until we left for Santiago
"On the transports, as in camp, he was
quiet and unobtrusive, but not popular.
None of us could have told you thing
against the man, but we felt that he was
out of place. We did not believe it possible
for a nature such as his to have nerve enough
to face an enemy's fire, and We wanted no
towards.
Powers came to know our feelings for
him, and the reason for them, and tried to
let lis know. without saying so in words,
that he would never disgrace the troop. just
before reaching Cuba he said to one of the
sorgeants of the troop:
4 do not believe it is necessary for a man
to be tough to be brave man. do not
refer to the men OF the troop as toughs in
| the least, but should attempt to initiate
them should fee! myself tough, for |
was raised differently from most OF the
| boys, but Go not think any the less of
| them for their ways. believe, though,
man of my nature can love lis country as
| much as you or any OF the ether members
OF this troop can.
Those first two or three days ashore were
hard days on everybody ocnnct ted with the
American army. The terrible rams OF water
and the terrible heat were natures toatri-
button to our d;scomforts, and the terrible
rain of bullets and the terri lie strain were
given with the compliments of our Span
| ish focmen. Several strong and hardy men,
men whom we had judged the strongest of
the troop, were down before we had Iairly
found an enemy. Others seemed to care
only for themselves, and pushed their way
| through the Muu along Inc rOaGS with an
utter indifference to anyone else But
Powers was different u hen the first man
dropped from the ranks on the march to-
wards the foot of the hil where VIC were
to get our first taste Of real war, Powers
stopped to see what he could do for him.
As he stepped out 9i the movtrg eo4umn sew
eral OF rs remarked that he was looking for
place in the rear. But we didn't know the
| man.
'As we formed for attack back of the tim
Der there Powers was with MS once more. He
had stopped just long enough to leave his
canteen with the comradc whose strength
had failed him, and who was destined to die
OF fever instead OF Spanish bullets
Powers was in the platoon commanded
by the first sergeant. In the beginning of
this battle he was simply one of many but
when the hill was ours, when the foe had
either been captured, killed or driven back,
he was in class by himself
You see that high bank down there,
where there is a rise of ten or twelve feet,
practically perpendicular? We'll, it was