The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1909-07-15
"REMINISCENCES OF CUBA.
Maj. Watson Knows the Philip
pine Islands Heroes.

Maj. !. w. Watson, who wa:
visiting Buena Vista, his old home,
last week. had the following to say
of the officers who led the troop:
who wiped out" the Moro out
laws in the Philippine Islands re-
Gently;
"Byram is Mississippi boy ]
went down to Cuba en- the same
TRANSPORT with him at the opening
of the Spanish-American war,
and know him well, At the first
fight, Las Gnasmisa, which occur
ed two days after we landed, 1 was
in command of the artillery, such
as we had in that fght-only four
small Hotchkiss Mountain guns.
The rst fshell from the little bat
terry opened the fight and also dis
closed our position to the enemy.
drawing a lively FIRE from the Span
iards, who occupied a high and
strong position about 1900 yards
in front of us. General Young was
in command, Immediately deploy-
ed several troops of dismounted
cavalry about so yards in front of
the battery. The ridge occupid by
the Spaniards was so high that the
shells from the battery directed at
them went many feet above the
heads of the American fighting line
in front oft. Almost immediately
stream Of wounded began coming
from the troops III front around
the hanks of the battery to a small
rivulet so yards in the rear evident
ly on account of the great thirst
caused by loss of blood. At one
time during the fight I was sitting
on bank on the side of the bat
terry taking little rest after some
pretty strenuous work during the
morning. While sitting there /
saw Captain Knox. who command
ed a troop in front, coming towards
me. As he slowly advanced he
was reeling aud staggering like a
drunken man. A big bloody spot
on his shirt, few inches below the
heart, showed what was the matter
My first impulse as he passed in
few feet of me was 10 go to him,
put my arms around him, and
speak words of sympathy and en-
couragement to him. My second
thought was No, it will only make
him realize his condition and will
probably make him feel worse. He
will fall dead before he takes half
a dozen more steps, He went
down to the little rivulet, laid
down and drank enough water to
satisfy thirsty horse, got entirely
we'll of his wound, and is now Maj
or, or Lieut.. Colonel, in the staff
A few minutes after
wards the officer with the same
troop, Lieut., Byram-this same
Byram who has done up the Moro
outlaws in such neat shape-came
by also reeling and staggering and
blinded by blood from an ugly cash
on his forehead made by a Mauser
bullet. He too was making for the
little rivulet. He also laid down
and drank a horse's allowance of
water, then got up and started up
the hill towards the battery and
his troop. The doctor and some
hospital men caught him and told
him he must lie down and be quiet
'Oh, h-p said he; here's Capt.
Knox laid out and / am the only
officer with my troop, am going
back to it, Which he did and
steadily advanced with his troop
until the Spaniards fed fIom their
position.
"He has reflected much honor on
his native state and will no doubt
reflect much more.
eff this Miller is the one I think
he is-Lieut. A. M. Miller-I also
know him well and he is also fine
officer and did splendid service at
the battle of San Juan. After the
battle he and lived in the same-I
don know what to call it. it was
simply poncho spread over bush,'
which was all we had to keep off
the heavy rains and hot sun from
three of us for about ten days.
Miller had a bad case of yellow few
er afterwards but pulled through
all right.
both Of these men are fine, gal