The record-union., 1899-07-30
WITH THE ROUGH RIDERS.

WITH THE ROUGH RIDERS.
How the American Flag Was First
Raised on Fertilization.
DR.. Henry La Motto, formerly Major
and Surgeon to the Rough Riders in
the "St. Nicholas" describes the first
raising of the American flag above a
captured Spanish fortification.
AT O'Clock On the morning of June
y, 1888, the United States transport
Yucatan, found herself lying off the
little cove and village of Daiquiri, Cuba
She was loaded with two squadrons
eight troops) of the First United States
Volunteer Cavalry of which regiment,
was the surgeon; four companies Of
regular infantry; and baggage, rations
and ammunition for these troops
We We're all eagerly watching the ac-
tlons of half dozen men-of-war that,
scattered along a few hundred yards
from shore, were pounding away with
rapid-fire guns at every object on the
beach that might be suspected of har-
boring soldier of Spain.
Two hours of this work satisfied the
naval officers that no very obstinat te
opposition would be made to the land
ing of the troops, and then we began
to disembark.
Colonels Wood and Roosevelt and I
were, through the help of the COM
manding officer of the Vixen, allowed
to land before our turn
Perhaps not more than a thousand
men had then landed. General Wheeler
was already on shore, and to Colonel
Wood he at once assigned a camp
ground, which our Colonels proceeded
to make ready.
When 1 first saw him. General
Wheeler was lamenting that, so far, no
American flag had been brought ashore.
Now, l had noticed that among the
various articles carried by the orderly
trumpeter who had landed in the boat
with me was the silk flag of our Ari-
zona squadron. 1t had been present
ed by the ladies of Phoenix, Ariz., was
beautiful piece of silk, and very gaily
decorated with ribbons. Being in 4
long canvas cover with some tent
equipage, its character had not been
discovered. l reported to the General
that l was sure one of our flags had
come ashore, and offered to send it to
him. He said he merely wished to
plant it in conspicuous place, as
matter of sentiment, and to cheer up
the men who had not yet been able to
leave the ships.
Having no real duties at this time. I
volunteered to take this flag and plant
it upon the blockhouse, or fortin. as it
is called by the Spaniards, which
crowns the steep hill to the eastward,
overlooking the little town. The Cen
eral accepted my offer, and after hav-
ing found the flag and told the ordely
trumpeter to carry it, 1 started up the
steep side of the hill.
An Infantry Sergeant named Wright.
seeing us start into the bushes alone
offered to go along as a guard. Wright
carried his rifle, and Platt the orderly
trumpeter) and 1 relieved each other
carrying the flag, which, with it's pole
and trimmings, was quite heavy 1t
took US about half an hoursto climb the
hill. All the way up we encountered
pieces of shells, traces of the navy's
work of the morning, and in two cases
entire shells, both lying near the trail
which ran zigzag up the hill. At the
top we found the well-made wooden
blockhouSe in the center of a quadran-
gle made by stone breastworks.
Preparations had been begun to lay
out rather extensive defensive works
here; but the Spaniards had evidently
abandoned their project with great
suddenness, for tools of all descriptions
were scattered about. Little pegs with
tape stretched between Them pieces
of paper. with rough drawings. pencils.
drinking-cups, cans, and. tin plates,
showed that something had caused
these wOrkmen to quit very soon after
breakfast; and the nice little round
holes in the sides Of the fortin suggest
ed the reason.
There was a huge flagstaff at one
corner of the quadrangle, and at once
thought of hoisting our flag on that;
but there were no halyards rope to
hoist the flag by, though there was
plenty of line lying about
AS neither Platt nor Wright could
climb. I took off my shoes and CATERS,
and swarmed up the pole. carrying the
line with me. Great was my disap-
pointment, on getting near the top, to
see that there was no block or pulley
through which 1 could reeve the line.
A Spanish flag had been flown, but it
had left it flying night and day until it
whipped to pieces.
AS l started down the pole, Platt
uhwound the flag, standing up on one
corner of the breastworks waved it
violently in the air. It's appearance
was the signal for a great demonstra-
ton on the part of the fleet. Nearly
every ship blew her whistle, and the
cheers of the men We're heard even
above this vast footing.
Ordering Platt-who had stolen my
thunder by first showing the fag-to
come help me, by means of a pole
placed against the building I now
climbed up to the roof of the fortin
Platt, from the inside, with a crowbar
broke hole through the very apex OF
the roof, and Sergeant Wright passing
me the ensign, I hoisted the United
States flag over the first Spanish forti-
fication we had captured
Over three-fifths of the mail of DeS