The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1899-03-23
At San Juan.

HarperS Weekly, of Feb. I, contains
a lengthy article about the part the
10th Regular Infatry took at San Juan.
1t has fine picture of Capt. W. G..
Mcfarland, formerly of this city. As
he has many friends here ana some of
the company are remembered by many
Lancaster people, we reproduce part
of the article, which is as follows:
\ \ We had passed FL P0zo
about mile when We first came under
the Spanish fire, and from this point To
the San Juan River our way led through
a dense jungle.
"When about six hun dred yards
from this stream our regiment filed to
the right and formed in line Of battle.
Although the enemy's bullets could be
heard clipping through the bushes of
whizzing over our heads, and occasion
ally striking man, we could not see
the Spaniards, nor did we know their
position Anyhow we pushed forward
each company separately breaking its
way through the heavy underbrush
and wading the river, along the further
bank of which our line was reformed
in sunken road which ran nearly
parallel to the San Juan Hill, the crest
of which, lined by the enemy's earth
works, was five or six hundred yards
away. AS soon as We began to appear
along this road the Spanish fire OF
artillery and Small-armS, which haC
been going on as we advanced, became
now very much more severe and accur-
ate. In this slightly sunken road VT
threw ourselves fiat on the ground t.
protect ourselves as well as was posi-
BILE, for We were not permitted to re-
turn the fire of the SpaniardS, who's
straw hats We could see bObbing up here
and there along the line of theirearth-
| works away off on the crest of the hill.
In this position We remained 70,
probably half-hOur, until it began to
look as if there were no orders for us to
do anything, either to move forward OF
to retreat. After we had been i'm this
position few minutes, either by reason
of some misunderstanding of order,
which were construed to mean a re-
treat across the river, or false alarm.
of some kind, just to the right of our
company number of men started to
break to the rear. Owing to the quick
foresight and prompt action of Captain
Mcfarland, who rushed i'm between
the men and the river and assured
them that there was no order to retreat
and that every thing was all right,
that we were going forward to take
the hill, what bid fair to be stampede
was prevented.
Our entire regiment csc
quickly, ran to the fence, and soon
clipped the tangled maze of wire, and
broke across the field at full speed.
Leading the front of this swift rush up
on the enemy, Captain w. C. NcFar-
land, at the head of his company { e.
pOoitIOh We'll lIOllJ vi lllc
remainder of the line. With our
bodies bent forward as close to the
ground as possible, few stopped to shoot,
lalthough subjected to a deadly fire
from the enemy, who from their prOtec
ted position emptied their magazines
into us. We made quick time to reach
the foot of the hill, where we would b,
out of their range. Most Of the mel
who fell were shot between the road.
way and the foot of the ridge.
When we reached this safe point
we did not stop even to catch or
breath, but swept on up the hill
following the gallant Captain McFar-
land, who seemed determined to be
the first man Of all in the Spanish tren
ches. 1t was hot work under that
July sun to make this long march, and