The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-03
HOW A HERO Died.
Story of the Death Of
Private Guerin of
the 18th.
BODY HAS ARRIVED HERE
Will Be Given an impress
sive Burial Tomor-
row.
BODY HAS ARRIVED HERE

The body of Private Patrick f. Guer-
gular infantry. of the fighting Third
brigade, fifth army corps who was
killed in the bloody charge at FL Caney
at 4 o'clock on the afternoon OF July
LIST Of last year, arrived in this city yes
terday at II o'clock. The remains
were taken in charge by the Callahan
Brothers, and were brought to theiR
warerooms on Temple street. where
they were laid in state with the ma
tional colors, for which he died fighting,
draped over his casliet.
His brother Michael Guerin, sat be-
side what remained of his gallant
brother during the long hours of the
night. He was accompanied by many
friends of the dead hero who knew him
in life Many learned of the dead SOL
dier's arrival and all through the after
noon and evening people came and We1t
to gaze on the casket and to offer a
prayer for the repose Of the dead hero's
soul.
The funeral arrangements have been
left in the hands Of the Callahan Broth
ers. The obseques will be held to-
morrow forenoon at 10 o'clock from tho
warerooms of Callahan Brothers.
Solemn high mass of requiem will b9
sung in st. Johns church at 1890. Rt.
Rev. Mgr. Thomas Griffin will be cele
brant, and will also deliver an aDpro-
pirate eulogY over the dead heros re-
mains. The funeral win be made as
impressive as possible and 1t Is expect
ed that the local state militia compan-
les viii turn out to do honor to the
O.
lie and died by the hands of the en-
envy.
Private Guerin was the one Worces-
ter hero who was killed in battle.
| Lieut. Il. ~ Benchley Is the other, and
! both died on the same day and fell not
great distance apart.
Guerin was one of the bravest men in
company f Of the 18th regiment He
! participated in the gallant charge at
Ell Caney in the face of whitening
fire from the Spaniards.
Comrades were dropping about
Guerin, but II seemed only to arouse
him to greater exertion to reach tho
brow of the hill. His company had been
ordered to take the large stone fort at
the top Of the hill. This fort was sur
rounded with intrenchments where the
Spanish forces were gathered in strong
numbers
The Twelfth charged these trenches
with a wild yell, and the Spaniarda
fled in terror. Not so with the de-
tenders Of the block house, who are
credited with making the most des-
perate and braVest stand OF the entire
campaign.
The defenders of the block house
poured a terrific fire on the Americans
and the captain In command Of Co r,
seeing the fearful slaughter Of his men,
ordered them to gain the outer en-"
trenchments and there remain protect
ed from the disastrous fire OF the Span
iards. The company did as was or
dered but Guerin, who was foremost
| in the charge, was DESTROYS Of continu-
ing and taking the block house. he
| leaped to the top of the trenches, but
was ordered down by his captain He
obeyed and returned to the shelter OF
the trench. His impetuosty got the
better of him, however. and he again
mounted the top Of the entrenchment.
His officers called to him to return,
but the Spanards had his range, and
he fell pierced through the heart with
a Mauser bullet. So died Worcester
other fighting hero, within 10 yards OF
his hated enemies. He laid where he
fell until darkness covered the move
ments of his comrades who ESCAPED
death. and they reverently laid him
away with a dozen or more from that
gallant company
It was reported in morning paper
that the dead hero occupied the grave
Of an unknown. Sergt W. T.. Barnett
Of Guerins company, who had charge
Of the burial squad, was shown the
statement by Private T. J. Tanguay os
Co. /. OF the Twelfth, another Worces-
ter boy.
The sergeant Indignantly denied The
story and wrote out the following
statement regarding Guerins death and
the location Of his grave:
Patrick T. Gperin was a mem
Der Of F Co. Twelfth infantry. and
was killed about p. m. on July LIST.
at the large stone fort at ri Cauey.
after the charge was made by the
Twelfth infantry. He must he
buried with the other members Of
the Twelfth who We're killed there.
The Twelfth belonged to the Third
brigade (Chahee's), and all the dead
are buried about quarters Of a
mile northeast OF the fort on a
small hill near the road which runs
from Santiago to El Caney.
(Signedl
"Sergt w. z. Barnett,
GO. p, an eve witness TO Guerin's
death"