The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-06-10
b FREDERICK FUNSTON.
acknowledgements United states Army
CHAPTER XII

CHAPTER XII.
We had six guns. as follows one
Sims Dudley dynamite gun, our old
friend Cayo Hueso. two Hotchkiss -
Founders. and two two-pounders on
tthis occasion dynamite gun was FOR
| the first time 10 be used In war The
lprcjectile OF this weapon consisted OF
: q cylindrical brass case about two
! inches IN diameter and Is inches long,
containing a bursting charge OF ave
pounds OF nitro .gelatine. A small
/ charge OF smokeless powder was used
20 compress the air by means OF which
the projectle was expelled from the
/ gun.
The powder charge OF course could
not act directly on this explosive, or
the gun would have been blown TO
atoms a the first shot The shell could
easily De seen in the air, resembling
swallow In flight
AT last Gen Garcia gave the word
/ 20 open on the Quartet de la Cabal
lcria. The dynamite gun was given
the honor OF leading the ball There
was no little uneasiness as 20 what
would happen when this uncanny
weapon was fired, and there was not
much OF a tendency 10 stand too close
TO H.
When the lanyard was pulled the
gun gave what sounded like loud
cough. and Jumped little, We we're ia
some doubt as 10 whether II had
gone on or not. but looking toward
the Quartet de la Cabalieria saw a
most astounding spectacle A section
OF the brick wall was blown Ia max.
ing hole large enough 10 have ad
mitted a good sized truck A cloud Of
dust and fragments OF the wall rose
90 feet in air and descended In a
shower on the roof
Our other FIVE guns now crashed
out, making wall OF smoke in front
OF our position. From the various
forts and blockhouses came crack.
ling sound that soon swelled almost
10 roar, and in less than minute
a big pun OF smoke rose from a gun
pit beyond the Quartet dc la Cabal
leria and almost instantly shrapnel
burst in front OF our parapet. shower
ing IL with fragments and bullets.
Then came a pun Of smoke and a
boom from another pit near the first
one. and second shell barely cleared
our heads.
While the shells from our rihed
breech-loaders made very respectable
holes in the walls, those from the
dynamite gun created havoc, every
shot blowing quantities OF bricks and
roofing tiles high in the air. Very
wisely, the garrison had vacated the
building after the first shot. and now
from the trenches around It main
tanned on as a hot and persistent
fire. The barrack having been wrecked
In short order there was nothing TO
be gained by a further bombardment
Of its ruins, and we aimed at the
trenches with the double purpose OF
throwing shells into them and Of
breaking up the wire entanglements
Immediately in front
All or this time we were being pelt-
ed by shells as fast as two Krupp
breech-loaders could be served Shells
were bursting all about US. and oc-
casionally one would wreck a portion
OF our gun parapet hope IL will not
be taken as unseemly Boosting, but
as stating an absolute fact, when
say that far from feeling any uneasi-
ness we were as cool as cucumbers,
and considered that we were having
the time OF our lives But II had
taken participation In a good many
stiff fights 10 bring us TO such state
OF mind.
Shortly after our fight had begun
Il had developed that the weeds on
our front were interfering with the
sighting OF the guns. / considered
outing them out Of the way sol
diers and not an officers Job, and
called on several OF the rank and Ale,
but they were so slow In responding
that Janney ran out into the open
and with his machete did the work.
utterly oblivious Of the bullets and