Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-01-15
Juan. and impatiently awaiting the


order came, but come it did at last.
The men of the batteries sprang tense
ly into position, and as sharp order
broke the silence, a lean-faced man
jerked his arm sidewise. line of
thick. red flame leaped out of the long.
thin muzzle, a bellying cloud of vel.
lowish-white smoke rolled and tum-
bled and made the air murky. Anoth-
er gun belched forth its projectiIe,
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. 1t seemed, someone
would tumble to the ground and lie
motionless or else writhe in silent
pain. Captain Mills was close by Hol-
toms side when a ball struck that of.
ficer 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.
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 a 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 its
fate when suddenly word came from
Lieutenant Miley. representing Cen
eral Shafter, who was i'll. for Sum
ner's division to move at once on Ket!
tie Hill, lying to the east OF San Juan
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 yip' at the top
of their lungs, while from a clump of
trees near the San Juan ford Parker's
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 a car.
bine from a dead soldier. and in bis
excitement lie cut across from the
foot OF Kettle Hill and found himself
first on the edge of the small lake ly-
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
crouching rush, Just as he saw the
men around him doing. Once, lying
down, he looked behind and on either
side and marveIed that the long, thin
blue line OF charging men was not
wiped out utterly. There seemed 80
few OF them.
Here and there he saw advancing
groups. and then again one man, yell
ing and firing all by himself. The
bullets poured upon them pitilessiy.
Men were falling on all sides.
As he veered along the slope OF the
I,fll ~.
unconcernedly swapping pictures of
the charge and yelling for his men to
come on. He smiled at Holton, and
Holton smiled back
Then with a yeil the onrushing sol
diers came TO their first rifie-pit. A
few dead Spanish soldiers lay In ii.
but otherwise it was unoccupied. Into
the long trench poured the Lien, hring
a few yolleys at the trenches above
and then leaping out and piling OIL up
the hill.
Halfway up Holton saw a man with
the shoulderstraps of q colonel. a
fellow. with side whis-
kcrs He had turned to speak to Shat
ter's aide, Lieutenant Niiley. who had
Just come up with the men of the |
Third cavalry.
How are you. coIonel?" smiled
Miley.
How" Colonel Hamilton said no
more. for bullet entered his open
mouth and bade him hold his peace |
for evermore.
And now the men began pouring up |
to the top of the hill. lying behind the |
crest and discharging bullets at the !
Spaniards who were fleeing down the |
other side. making helter-sKelter for |
their entertainments toward Santiago. |
Those who reached there. and not all |
did. Joined heavy force of Spanards |
living there and turned their fire npon |