The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-05-04
CUTTING THE WIRES.

After his long illness Gray has so far
recovered that we have brought him
from Williams down here to Albuquer-
que. and today | have kept 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 let him lead the CONVEX
qation as he seemed inclined. CHANGING
up 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 Inc something of that
campaign | asked
well. | was thinking of it. and
might as we'll talk as to think. | still
dream about it, or rather live il all over
in my sleep, and | begin to think it will
be my nightmare as long as live.
Il always begin my dreams when we
! laid down in a little open space III the
/ jungle to let the rough riders and the
colored regiments pass. | stretched out
/ on my back and watched the clouds
! float in from the ocean and roll up the
hill till they were lost in the forest
"Capron battery came by and turn
ed to the left to take position. watch
ed the horses straining at the collar, the
! drivers cursing 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 ! could hear the contin-
uous crack of the Krag Jorgensens
and, gripping my old Springfield tight,
breathed silent prayer that might
use it.
Il think we must have laid there a
! full half hour. To me ii seemed an
eternity before the welcome bugle call
Fall in put ne 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 rifle held at the shout
der we plunged in
Il heard the ping of spent rifle
ball, and saw the splash rs 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 overripe fruit from a tree that
had been Jared by some heavy blow.
The enemy evidently had the range Of
that hill and had seen us lie down, for
they were shooting low and the bullets
were kissing their way through the
grass Corporal Butler lay beside me,
and. leaning over, he said, in his rich
! Glare county brogue; 'Sargint, do yez