Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-14


SIN the engagement at Ell Paso hill,
we were in action at 4, 200 yards range
and did some effective work for two
hours and half We left Ell Paso hill
that same afternoon without any din
ner We had five days rations in each
Of our saddle pockets, consisting OF
about five pounds of bacon, as many
hnrd tack as we could conveniently
carry and as much wafer as you could
find. We marched off Ell Paso hill and
took the Kings road into Santiago
We passed Grimes battery at the
bottom Of the hill and they acted as
though all Of the fight had been
taken out OF them. We could not blame
them, for q Spanish shell had struck
directly in the muzze of one OF their
guns, killing one corporal, three pri-
Yates and three horses.
| 1--WE marched up to San Juan hill,
which was the place of all places. 1t
WIS pitiful sight for any man to see.
All the way along We could see blue
coats, which told the tale of the deadly
bullets. Very often we could see one OF
our officers which were special targets
for, the Spanish sharpshooters, who
tried to pick off rs many commissioned
ard non commissioned officers az posi-
ble Every man that had stripe, was
q mark for the tree dweller, better
known as the sharpshooter.
| During the entire engagement l
| was in q most perilous position. was
near my captain all tho time,. and
several times they tried to pick him
| Off :, and ain glad to say that the only
wound received was slight one in
4 the little finger. Some Of the officers
1 pulled their stripes off. The Dons had
an idea that If they killed of our
officers they would havo 'cinch. But
they we're badly mistaken, for reg ular
needs no coach on firing line, and
once he is started, there is no stopping.
The more killing there Is the more the
pride and patriotism of the living rises,
and venture to say that they will do
just as much without an officer, as with
one.
when my battery reached San Juan
hill 1T was 3. 30 o. clock p. IN. and owing
TO the steepness of the hill it was i'm
possible for six horses to pull one gun
UP it. With the aid of the infantry
and the dismounted cavalry ] gained
the top Of the hill and Immediately set
my piece in position for action. just
as had fixed my gun, the horse l spoke
Of was knocked out of business, by a
Spanish shell. We fired at range of
5000 yards and did deadly work. 1t
was again growing interesting, aud with
one more thought of that little Della
ware home changed position. X Bat
terry was the only battery on San Juan
, hill on the first. and | had the good
fortune to be the fret man to pull a
, piece up San Juan hill. We held our
, position for about an hour and halt,
ard II was then that did think OF
, that Delaware home, as shrapnel,
, mauser and brass bullets were thicker
, than skesters around frog pond. We
, had to retire from that position, as the
J Spaniards made a charge. and there
, was no grass growing under our feet as
J we left, yet we went away. in order.
| The cavalry and infantry held theil
! positions and kept the Dons back. We
! left the hin with five men and IL horses
! killed. All the team l had was one
) horse. We went to tine right OF the hill
, and tried to build maslted battery,
but owing to, the severe fire, we were
a unable to do So However, our hoyi
i held the hill and at o'clock the firinl
ceased. Next morning E battery of tn,
v First and A and F OF the Second Artil
i cry. joined us on King s road. Ahou
y $50 o'clock, after we had been free
4 upon, we took the position that W,
4 held the day before. Just at daybreah
4 the Spaniards began again, and !
i. seemed as though they were in earnest
n However, they found out that tho.
q were up against the real thing, AMI
a not lot of hot air merchants.
/. {"We dropped back to 1000 yard
n range and did some great work there
"a The flag Of truce was raised on the 81
| O., ,t,hf tan oft a,xxu Il
!, was when we suffered. We were Of
d half rations and, owing to the sever
Il rains we were wet most of the time
" Our trenches would fill up with waite
i. and our rations would spoil owing t
"a the fact they we're always wet W
"A had plenty of rations at Siboney o
i. the vessels, but we could not get them
Il On. the 10th the order was given t
a commence firing; so bright and early
"a we set the ball to rolling. Both armie
!, did good artillery work. The Don
j fell short on their ranges, yet the
n. had us handicapped, as they use
II smokeloss powder, and we did moi
"A The firing ceased on the 18th, and
I, was reported that Gen. Miles ha
At landed. Well, it appeared to us regular
as though. the sun was more brilliat
nj than ever before, and it seemed as
We everything spoke peace. How hapE
~ they appeared to bu. We could hes
as them soy, oh, Dons. you will SUI
n render today, OF you will be owe
to whelmingly defeated. Gen. Miles can
nj on the firing line, and every poor ht
!. who had breath enough, lifted b
NJ yoice for the commanding general
mr. The bands played all OF cur nations
Il. airs and it appeared as though we ha
Il. new lives, new hopes and more Drawer.
"a "Gen. Miles gave the Dons to undo
W. stand that they had to surrender or
TO would know the reason why. They su
n, rendered and it was a good thing,
al cur army was in bad condition. NJ
nj battery alone had 80 men on sick repor
&c and most of them had fever in its wur
Nc stage .s.
he 1.-THE Spanish soldiers were marcbt
an out, disarmed and placed under qua
it, in the outer edge of Santiago. III
- United States troops marched il
at while the band played when Johnn
it Comes Marching Home. 1t wasn't loi
,er before We we're ordered into Santial
no from Ell Cauey, to take transports
ey Montauk Point, L. |. On the last
To October, out OF rs mon there we
seven available for duty, and W
Of fortunate enough to DO one OF thel
he However, / came near being put out
,ct business by my horse, which landed
full upper. on me, and sent me ole
hit Of the boat, into the water. l suffer
he from wound, but was soon over II.
nix ~ think | can trnthfully say. tn
us Montauk Point was more OF dea