Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-12

AS TOLD BY VETERANS
STORIES OF WAR WITH SPAIN
INTEREST AUDIENCE.
Meeting Under Auspices of Soldiers
Union of First Congregational
Church-Those Present.

| A denial of the oft-told story that the
| 10th United States Cavalry. colored, saved
| the Rough Riders from disaster and prob
able capture by the Spanish troops at the
| time of the first battle in the war with
| Spain. at La Guasmas, Cuba. was made by
Commander Henry Foster of Miles Camp
| United Spanish War Veterans. last even
! ing in the course of an address before the
| Soldiers Union of the First Congregational
Church. Commander Foster was partici-
pant in that fight as a member of the 1st
| United States Regular Cavalry. He is a
| veteran of the civil war and member of
| the G. A. R., well as a Spanish War
Veteran.
II wish to be placed on record as saying
it is false that the colored troopers saved
the Rough Riders he declared, "for the
Rough Riders were at no time in danger
of capture or defeat
Commander Foster gave vivid description
of the landing of the American troops on
Cuban soil and features of the cavalry
fight that followed Referring to the close
of the first action at La Guasimas he
added:
I'VE saw that the enemy was leaving the
mountain to take the trail into Santiago
and at that time Gen. Young ordered the
list and 10th Cavalry to charge. At the
same time Gen. Joe Wheeler, seeing that
we, were charging, ordered the Rough
| right, and the 10th Cavalry assailed the
left. while the 1st Cavalry stormed the
center. and all you could was straw
hats and faded blue tunics going toward
Santiago as fast as they could
End Of First Fight.
THAT ended the first fight with the Span
ish forces in Cuba. The engagement con-
tinued for little more than an hour One
officer was kiled-Capt. Allyn K. Capron-
and six officers were wounded. Fifteen en-
listed men were killed and Iorty-six wound
ed. Seven of the killed were Rough Riders
and eight were of the regular troops, one
of them being colored. The number of the
enemy killed was greater than our loss.
The American force that participated in
this fight was composed of the Rough Rid
ers, four troops of the list Regular Cavalry
and three troops of the 10th Colored Regu-
lar Cavalry.
The recital and entertainment was well
attended by soldiers of the civil war and of
are members of patriotic societies. 1t was
held in the lecture room of the First Con-
gregational Church, 10th and G streets.
Maj. George c. Potwin, president of the
Soldiers Union, called the assemblage to
order, and Trumpeter 8. F. Foster of Col.
John Jacob Astor Camp, Spanish War Vet
Grams, sounded assembly" The invoca-
ton was by Rev. J. H. Bradford, chaplain
Of the G. A. r. 1t was followed by the
singing of THE Battle Hymn OF the Re-
public" Maj. Potwin delivered an address
of welcome to the veterans and their ladies.
He then presented to the assemblage
Capt j. Walter Mitchell, department COM
mander of the United Spanish War Veter-
ans, who delivered an address on TYPES
of American Fighting Men as Seen in the
Seventh Army Corps of the War With
Spain" He described the corps, composed
of men from many ttates. end said they
exhibited the striking features Of the COM
posite American observation-disclosures BEAM
ing from their features. courage lurking
behind their manly smiles and patriotic
fervor glinting from their rifle barrels In
the Seventh Army Corps was presented the
flower of the American youth, the fighters
who will carry 'Old Glory to victory in
any war in which the United States may
engage In conclusion, Capt. Mitchell de-
cIared that had the soldiers of 1898 been
given the opportunity. they would have
fought to a finish battles that would have
equaled Gettysburg, Antietam or Mukden.
and with as great valor as had ever been
exhibited by any soldiers under the sun.
In the Philippines
Mai. Joseph Milton Heller, commander Of
Henry w. Lawton Camp. Spanish War Vet
Grams, who served In the Philippines as a
medical oficer, related his experience In the
far away islands Of the Pacific, and told of
the fortitude of the American fighting man
when far away from home and In an ener-
waiting climate, with disease 10 fight as well
as a willy enemy. Maj. Heller paid a glow
ing tribute to the American women, and