The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-01-23
Juan, and impatiently awaiting the
word to open fire.

ue ileH VI Tue DdllelltS SpIdnS tense
~ into position, and as sharp ordel
broke the silence, a lean-faced ma,
jerked his arm sidewise. A line O.
thick, red fame leaped out of the long
thin muzzle, bellying cloud of vel
lOWish-White smoke rolled and tum
bled and made the air murky. Anoth
er gun belched forth it's projectile
and soon all the guns were laundering
with well-ordered precision.
The men were all crouched now
waiting for orders. Over their heads
the terrible hum of the Mauser balls
was incessant. Showers Of leaves
and branches fell among them. Every
few seconds, it seemed, someone
would tumble to the ground and lie
motionless or else writhe in silent
pain. Captain Mills was close by Hol.
tons side when a ball struck that of.
t1cer in the side of the head, back of
the eyes, and passed clean through
Holton could even hear the sound the
bullet made as it struck the skull, a
dull impact, thud like the clack of
two sticks.
Holton bent over him and then left
him for dead.
Crouching close to the ground he
made his way along the lines, deter.
mined to find place where he could
see something. He had viewed as
much of this visitation Of sightless
death in these dense woods as he
could stand.
Half-crawling, he suddenly came up
on the Rough Riders in fever of
rage. Sumner had been ordered by
Shafter to await orders here at the
edge of the woods, but where were
the orders? How long were they to
be delayed? An hour from now there
would be no Americans to receive or.
ders.
To Holton it appeared as though
the army had been deserted, left to It's
fate when suddenly word came from
Lieutenant Miley, representing Gen.
eral Shafter, who was ill. -sk,s5
ner's division to move at once onsKet-
tie Hill, lying to the east Of SsufJuan
and somewhat nearer the trails from
which the soldiers were to enter upon
their attack. &
Instantly from out of that fringe Of
woods and into the open, rooted with
a torrent of lead, sprang the negro
regulars and the Rough Riders, bawl.
ing their famous "yip zip" at the top
Of their lungs, while from a clump Of
trees near the San Juan ford Parkers
little battery of gatling guns ratified
necessarily. To the left, out of the
woods, flowed regiment after regi.
ment Of white regulars, with that gal
liant soldier, Gen. Hamilton Hawkins,
at their head, making for the block.
house on San Juan hill.
Holton, drawn irresistibly by the
spirit of the conflict had seized CIR.
bine from dead soldier, and in his
excitement he cut across from the
foot of Kettle Hill and found himself
first on the edge of the small lake ".
ing between Kettle Hill and San Juan
hill, and then, as though the transi-
ton had been affected by magic. he
was among Hawkins infantrymen on
the slope Of San Juan-lying down
and firing, then going forward In a
crouchlng rush, just as he saw the
men around him doing. Once, lying
! down, he looked behind and on either
side and marveled that the long, thin
blue line of charging men was NOT
wiped out utterly. There seemed AZ
few of them.
Here and there he saw advancing
groups, and then again one man. veil.
ing and firing all by himself The
bullets poured upon them pitilesslv
Men were falling on all sides.
AS he Veered along the slope Of tho
hill young regular officer passed him
unconcernedly swapping pictures Of
the charge and yelling for his men to
come on. He smiled at Holton and
Holton smiled back.
Then with yell the onrushing so,.
diers came to their first rifle-pit, A
few dead Spanish soldiers Law in n
but otherwise 1t was unoccupied Int
the long trench poured the men f,ring
few voileys at the trenches above
and then leaping out and piling on m
the hill Wy
Hallway up Holton saw a man with
the shoulder-straps Of a colonel .
Incorporating fellow, with side wb,..
kers. He had turned to speak to Shat.
ter's aide, Lieutenant Miley, who had
Just come up with the men Of tho
Third cavalry. 'ne
How are you. colonel?" smiled
Miley. '''ieo
How" Colonel Hamilton said M
more, for a bullet entered bis onan
mouth and bade him hold bis .na aoa
for evermore. ''"'e
AND now the men began pouring m
to the top Of the hill, lying behind ~ ~
crest and discharging bullets 1T t t,,s
spanlards who were fleeing down the
other side. making helter-skelter ~, -.
thelr entertainments toward sant,.a"
,nose VINO reached there. and not all
aia' Joined a heavy force OF span,ar a..
~. Tias s., mere and turned their fire unon
inc niil they had 50 recently leit. Thu .
q hail Of laad Aa~ A" Anus