Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1902-04-19
FROsTBURG, Md, SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 1902

no more feeling Of mercy toward
rebel than for n rat in the gutter. and
he proceeded to try us by court mar
tial. He called in no other officer.
There was standing order on both
sides to take no prisoners. and it was
disobeyed only by accident. \ court
martial was merely the preface to be-
ing shot and was so understood by
both sides.
1t was beautiful morning as we
were drawn up in line before an old
sugar house which had been turned
into headquarters. and the Spanish
general began business. We were dis
armed. but not bound. The enemy
were ten to one and hemmed us in on
three sides. The first man on the right
of our line was the first one called be-
fore the court" Inside OF thirty sec
onds he had been charged. tried. con-
victcd. sentenced and led away to be
shot. He was hardly out Of our sight
before he was dead man. The gem
eral was no man to daily. He went
through with it as he would drill,
and it was not long before our line had
shortened up to ten men. The five
Americans OF us were on the left. ell
bows touching. and not a man OF US
had the slightest hope in his breast
when Chips uttered his first word.
Boys" said he in a low voice. but
plainly audible to every one Of us, "the
general is sending souls to kingdom
come by express, but l am going to in
terrupt his little game. Now. pay
strict attention to what say and make
no comments or suggestions. AS the
last Cuban is called in | am going to
make q dash for the captain directly
in front of me. I'll reach him in three
Jumps. and before he can Straighten
up I'll have his sword and drive 1t
against that tree and die as | have
been hoping to. l won't last long, Of
course, but I'll get two or three more
of them"
One Of the two remaining Cubans
was taken. and as he entered the house
with a prayer on his lips Chips con-
tinued:
STEADY. now. and don't miss a word.
Nobody is to follow me. There on the
right flank their line is the thinnest
and the jungle thickest. AS l make
my rush for the captain you rush for
the flank. break through and take to
cover in the jungle. You'll all get
away. Get ready"
but We began. when he inter-
rupted me with:
"Silence fool! Haven't l told you
want to die? There is no use throwing
other lives away. II one Of you dares
to follow me, I'll turn the sword on
him instead Of the captain. They are
coming for the last Cuban now. Fetch
make a regular football rush OF it.
Now. then, hurrah!'
Chips sprang forward. and we wheel
ed to the right and made our rush. 1t
was complete success. Before the
soldiers ut parade rest" could bring
up their muskets we were upon and
over them. and. though shower of
bullets followed us into the jungle. no
one was hit.
Even aS we rushed we knew that
Chips had won his first stroke, for the
officer screamed out as the steel was
wrenched from his hand and found his
heart.
1t was months later before we knew
all, before it was told us that our COM
radc stood with his back to the tree
and laid about him till he had killed
two. others and wounded four. He
was fairly riddled with bullets before
he went down and the cheer on his
lips turned to death rattle in his
throat. Could his weeping mother and
stern hearted father but know they
would say that the outcast son had re-
habilltatcd himself.