The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-07
Corporal Griff at Santiago,

Soon after the American forces had
| reached the crest of San Juan hill an
officer was seen hurrying along the line
of the Tenth infantry scanning the faces
OF the soldiers who were throwing up
hasty earth-works with their bayonets.
Suddenly he stopped and shouted:
Corporal Griffr'
Here, sir"
Take a detail of twelve men and go
down on the bottom we just crossed and
kill off some o. the sharoshooters-
Very we'll, SIR
Griff saluted as he turned away
And don't come back until you've got
at least half a dozen of 'em," added the
officer.
The trees on the bottom were filed with
Spanish marksmen, and while Grin well
knew ii was a dangerous mission on
which he had been sent, il did not bother
him. Living in western forts for dozen
years and having been IN Indian scriI1-
images, he had become well acquainted
with all styles of fighting, from skirmisa
firing TO -whacking, and rather liked
the idea of the duty to which ne had
been assigned. 1t was a little after dark
that evening when the officer again en-
countered Griff near the top or the MIL
The latter saluted, saying:
I'D like another detail for little JOB
this evenin', sir, If you can spare SIX
men from dggin' trenches.
What job you got?" began the cap
tain. Then ne stopped suddenly and .ook~
ed intently at Griff and demanded:
'Griff! what's the matter with your
carp"
"Nothin', sir. as I knows OF"
Nothing! Why, the side of your face
is all covered with blood"
'Oh, thought you meant my ear. sir.
only havin' one now, you see. That,
and he pointed to the left side OF his
head, chats where the last Teller miss
ed me-
Eyes, he missed so close that you'd bet
ter go to the hospital and get that wound
dressed about as quickly as you know
how" said the captain.
But first off I'd like six men for a
little mhile, SIR
What do you want 'em for?"
ITO bury the first detail, sir"
"What?"
That's right, SIR
There was a suspicious shake in Grih' $
voice.
Corporal, tell me about it." SAID the
officer, as he sat down.
''Well, sir, you see, it was this way.
About five minutes after you give me the
order 1 had my men picked n down to
the foot of the hill. There 1 deployed 'em
six feet apart, with Shorty Smith on the
right and me on the left. We started for
ward through the tall grass, but hadn't
gone more'n about forty yards when Jerry
Doyle, next to me, says:
" 'Shorty's jest dropped
9TH devil you say says I.
fright through the head, too says
he
so halted 'em and went over and
looked at Smith. He was dead all right.
an there was a little bit OF a bullet
hole jest between his eyes. We held a
council O. war an then moved or agin,
keepin' a sharp lookout on the trees
ahead, which were, maybe, four or five
hundred yards away. Soon they said Big
Bill was down, but I kept goin' right
along till Higgins dropped. Then we halt
ed an laid in the grass for minute.
when I looked around. Finally 1 picked
out tree, concludin it might be a nest,
an tor 'em to pump lead into the top of
it as fast as they could, an after the
| first round to charge.
1--WE fired an charged, an three felleTs
dropped out o that tree. When We got
| near up to these 1 see one IF EN- wasn't
| dead yet. He was sittin' up, his tongue
hangin' out, an pointin' to his mouth,
sayin' .Agwa, agwa, (water, water.)
"Tll give you agwa, says Silly Smith.
| (Shorty's brother, you know, as he rush.
| ed ahead. An with that he bats the fell
| low over the head two or three times
with the butt of his gun. Then there
! was a rifle shot from the tree, an So.ly
| dropped, bein' shot through the head from
| the top down.
1--WE got that Teller out o The tree pur-
| ty quick, an then I took an inventory
| Well, sir, they were jest six men left
besides me. Three shots in the advance
! two in the charge, an one under the
| tree. An we killed only four.
Remembering your command 20 git six
| I ordered another start. Young Slocum
| the rookie he began plubberln' like a
| baby; said he'd be next. 1 told him Re
would, sure enough, if he didn't shut up
as I'd plant him right there, myself. But
! it wasn't necessary, for he got it before
| 1 fairly had the words out o nv mouth
I lost the other five men gettin' ono more
greaser, an then had Z hunI the last
one alone. AS you see, sir, he Jest fairy
missed me, an that's how ! come to Sit
him. After that / laid in tn grass til
| dark, an then come back
| "Griff." said the captain. slowly. as he
arose from the trench, take your Detail
Mark all the graves as plainly as possible
and then go to the hospital
Very well, SIR
Corporal Griff saluted and then moved
away into the darkness.-New York SUN