The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-01-23

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heights which the soldiers had taken,
compelling the regulars, Rough Riders.
and the white and negro cavalrymen,
who had rushed over from Kettle Hill,
to flatten themselves in the pits which
had been prepared by the enemy.
TO Holton, as he lay huddled in a
french with Rough Rider on one side
of him and a dead .Spaniard on the
other, it seemed as though the immo-
lation of the entire army must follow
an attempt upon the entertainments
before the objective point Of the cam
paign was attained, and yet such an
attack was what he had counted upon,
as it would have enabled him, had he
escaped the leaden storm, to make his
way into Santiago.
Cervera had threatened in event OF
the success of the American land cam
paign, to turn his guns upon the city,
and as long as his vessels were in
their present position, they constituted
a menace to the army that certainly
presented prospects Of the latters ulti-
mate success in rather a doubtful
light. And until the forts guarding
the harbor were invested from the
land side, naval attack would prove
too hazardous to undertake.
Over toward Ell Caney the thunder
Of cannon and the racketing Of small
arms showed that LaWton and Chaffee
were not having the easy time in TAX
ing the place that had been expected.
Indeed Holton could see that it must
be determined whether San Juan itself
was to be held. All the men were now
in the pits on the hill, discharging
their weapons from cover, and keep
ing as close to mother earth as they
could nestle.
The situation, as it appeared to the
navy man, was curious one. The
men had taken the hill, but what were
they going to do with it? They could
not go back and they could not go for
ward. Their position was surely an
anomalous one.
+ A fine lot of siege artillery, as Hol
ton saw 1t, would solve the situation,
and, indeed, as he thought this, bat
tery, red guidons flying and men
came rolling and swaying up
he hill.
Quickly Numbering, the men aimed
hastily, and sent volley of projectiles
flying into Santiago. But the huge
yellow clouds had no sooner arisen
and the reports had not died away,
than it seemed as If the fire of the en-.
tire Spanish force was concentrated
On that row of guns on the hilltop.
Shells screamed, bullets whined, artil-
lerymen fell one after the other.
Thus many minutes did not elapse
before the gunners went rafting away
down the hill much faster than they
had come up. The effect Of this on
The minds of the men, hanging on the
hill as though by their teeth, was not |
at all reassuring.
Late In the afternoon Lawton and
Chaffee stormed through from Ell
Caney, where they and their men had
fought magnificent battle, and bring
Ing reinforcements of four odd thou
sand, materially increased the hopeful
ness of the situation.
At the same time Gen. Joe Wheeler
and his staff came out to the trenches
with determination not to yield an
inch Of the position gained. Twilight
fell and silence settled over the hill.
Then came darkness.
For an hour Holton lay, wondering,
How soon would it be be-
fore the army would move farther on
toward Santiago? That it would be
delayed, Holton had rea-
son to fear.
He arose from his place of retreat
with sudden resolution. Slowly he
turned until he faced the lights OF
Santiago, and then with half wave
Of his hand toward the brave men who
had been his comrades, he stepped
along the hilltop.
Halfway down the hill he turned
and made another gesture toward the
American lines. 1t was sort Of fare