Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-08-22
CUTTING THE WIRES

After his long illness Gray has so far
recovered that we have brought him
from Williams down here to AIbuquer-
que. and today l have kert him for
hours on the sunny side of an adobe
hut. where the warm sunshine and pure
air seem to bring back to his cheeks
some of the old color which suffused his
handsome face when we first went into
camp last May
His wounds have apparently healed
though he still complains of the sore
places under his arms. and on chilly
nights when he coughs so terribly we
are fearful that the wound will break
out afresh
Today he seemed to want to talk of
Cuba the first time since his delirium
left him. so l let him lead the conyer-
sation as he seemed inclined. Glancing
mp at the mountains. he remarked
Captain the clouds floating over those
hills remind me of the day we moved
up toward San Juan.
Can you tell me something of that
campaign2" asked.
"Well. was thinking of it. and l
might as we'll talk to think. l still
dream aboutit or rather live it all over
in my Sleep and begin to think it will
be my nightmare as long as l live.
al always begin my dreams when we
laid down in little open space in the
jungle to let the rough riders and the
colorcd regiments pass. l stretched out
ON my back and watched the clouds
- l,c
hill till they were lost in the forest.
"Capron's battery came by and turn
ed to the left to take position. watch
ed the horses straining at the collar, the
drivers C rising and the cannoneers jolt
ing on the caissons, and it flashed
through my mind that they would soon
be 'in it. and here we lay like drones
Why didn't the call sound?
up ahead l could hear the contin-
uous crack of the Krag- Jorgensens,
and. gripping my old Springfield tight,
l breathed a silent prayer that might
use it.
81 think we must have laid there a
full half hour. To me it seemed an
eternity before the welcome bugle call
Fall in put us all on our feet We
dropped down into the ditch called a
road. and moved forward until we came
to stream No one thought of taking
off shoes or rolling up trousers, but with
blanket roll and rife held at the shoul-
der we plunged in.
81 heard the ping of spent rife
ball and saw the splash as it struck the
water This was the first intimation
had that we were within range of the
Spanish rifles
After crossing the stream we OBJ
liqued to the right, through the cha
parral, and could hear the bullets sing.
ing their songs of death as they passed
over our heads. clipping leaves and
twigs. | am sure was not frightened.
Fear had given place to the intense de-
sire to get into the fight
When we reached the open, the or
der to lie down was repeated. and down
we went in the tall. wet grass. The
first of the wire entanglements was
about 800 feet ahead of us
"a rough rider passed us, going to-
ward the rear He said not word,
though his right arm hung limp and
the blood dropped from the ends of his
fingers
AT that moment battery opened
to our right in the rear. but we heard
no response by artillery
1.-The bullets seemed to rain down on
us like oYerripe fruit from tree that
had been Jared by some heavy blow.
The enemy evidently had the range Of
that hill and had seen us lie down. fol
they were shooting low and the bullets
were Kissing their way through the
grass Corporal Butler lay beside me,
and. leaning ever, he said. in his rich
Clare county brogue; 'Sargint. do yez
hear thin grasshoppers1 Well, mebby
there won t be niny Il poor divil that L
wisht he'd niver bin so clost while they
wuz singin. Poor fellowl Hammond
writes me that 'grasshopper' found
him not 90 minutes after l left: not &
groan or quiver. his head simply drop
ping on his hands
''While the bullets hunted for us tn,
sun found us The very earth steamed
and we almost gasped for breath. Ny
thirst became something terrible.
ut makes me thirsty now to thinI
of my awful desire for drink of watel
at that time
las we lay there lieutenant of tht
signal corps. a tall chap. who, as re
member him, looked like you, came on
of the jungle and. walking erect. wen
about 80 yards in front of us, where h,
roolly adjusted his ieldgIass ard in
Ipected the works on the crest of tn
hill What a target he was for thos
Spanish sharpshootersl Yet the shove
his action called forth did not seem t,
disconcert him in the least. and whel
he had finished his survey he returned
the glasses to their case. swung on hi
heel and walked back
How ] envied himI He was doins
something while there l lay doini
nothing blt await orders
General Wheeler came by as uuceR