Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-02-02

St nayilpu Oh tuo ist ShdhSo SCH,
the Twelfth regiment to deploy to the
right of the company posted on the hill
and attack in southwest direction
that is, toward the fort, and at the same
time he led the Seventh and Seventeenth
north by road from Montanamo,
changing directions southwest toward
the village and the interval between
that and the fort. At about 1880, or an
hour after Capron's guns opened, these
regiments car,e in view of the Twelfth
and formed connection, SO as to cover
the whole Spanish position. The bri-
gade line was actually formed about 8
O'Clock, for in advancing the men ON
the right found themselves fired on from
blockhouse northeast Of El Caney vii
lage Fifty Cubans were sent against
the blockhouse to keep its fire down.
The glory of taking the stone fort fell
TO the Twelfth regiment, but the Sew
enth and Seventeenth, on its right,
should share the honor. They fought
the Spaniards flank and rear. The Sew
enteenth on the extreme right. near the
village. crept forward to n sunken road
on the crest, looking down into q val
ley upon the village. Below them was
a hollow through which runs creek.
but when they attempted to advance
down the slope toward the creek the
men had no cover at all. In the low
land was q ravine completely covered
by Spanish fire. The orders of the regi-
ment were not to fire except they could
do so effectively, which was seldom, az
the Spaniards plying their Mausers at
them were hidden behind the stone
walls Of houses. in blind trenches and
behind barricades where their smoke
less powder did not give them away.
The regiment went into the fight at Ell
Caney 400 strong and lost l 1 men killed
and 40 wounded. Lieutenant Colonel J.
T. Haskell was wounded by three
Mauser bullets, and the command de-
volved upon Major l.. M. O'Brien. o
veteran soldier of the Twenty seventh
Michigan. The men Of this regiment
fought all day upon empty stomaches,
having had no prepared meal since noon
the day before. They had left their
packs and haversacks behind them.
Major 0 'Brien said that it was mat
ter Of surprise that the men were SO
ready and willing, as they had been on
board the transport l6 days before
landing in Cuba. The voice Of the
grumbler was drowned by chorus from
bis comrades "What is the use?'' they
said. "The government Ia doing all 1t
can"
In the deployment OF che right of
Chaffees brigade. the Seventh regiment
took the lead. marching over the ridge
up path in single file. Finally it
struck sunken road on the crest of the
ridge 500 yards from the Spanish block
house. northeast of Ell Caney. The crest
of the ridge offered some protection
from Spanish fire. Looking across the
hollow between them and the village,
the men could see the enemy in their
trenches Firing sometimes by volleys
and sometimes at will, the Seventh was
unable to silence the Spanish fire. All
day, for eight honrs, the high key of
tie Mauser rifle could be heard above
the pop of the Krag- -Jorgensen.
The slope in front of the Seventh was
dense chaparral. and charge down
that across the ravine under the muzzles
or the Mausers would have annihilated
the regiment. Besides, in advancing to
the fort the Seventh would have got
ten under the fire of Capron's guns.
They kept their colors flying all day as
markers for Capron The losses were
distributed over every hour of the day
and over all the companies in the regi.
ment The officers were surprised in
the end to learn how many had been
lost, total of l40 ont OF $50 in line.
AS it was impossible for man to show
the smallest part OF his body without
getting 1t punctured, all the firing was
done while lying down, and all the
killed were shot in the head Its oom-
mander, q. 5. Carpenter. a veteran Of the
civil war, was on the firing line all day.
When the Twelfth regiment advanced
against the stone fort early in the morn
ing. it drew the Spanish fire from the
trenches, the loopholed fort and the
church. Spaniards in the church belfry
first sighted the Twelfth as it moved
from the mountain down through the
hollow to reach high ground 700 or 500
yards from the fort.
Captain Waltz's company crept up
within $50 to 400 yards, working right
and left and trying to get position
unswept by the Spanish fire. After the
fort had been preached by Capron's
guns a complete regimental line was
formed and swept forward to the fort,
which was taken possession of by Com
panies A, ID and f under Captain Wood,
Lieutenant Wilde and Captain Clarke.
1t was then 3 o'clock. Some of the men
of Company f crept through the holes
which Capron's shells had made in the
stone walls and got the Spanish flag.
Private Abel of Company A raised the
colors Of the Twelfth over the fort.
Soldiers Of the regiment were wounded
in the fort after it had been taken. The
Spanish flag was handed first to Cap.
tain III. l.. Haskell, commanding the
battalion to which Company + be.
lopu.H Canfoin ua.l-ou