The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1916-06-16
FIST ON SAN JUAN HILL
Company rs Share in Fight-GalIant
Mistake by Capt. Raffery-Mutiny
Which Never Took Place

A Narrative by E. c. Booth, list, NV.
reprint from n. y. Tribune, April 25, 1897
Time-midnight Of Thursday, June
80. 1898. Scene-near Santiago.
Most Of Co. F, list New York Vol
unteers had crawled into their dol"
tents to gain brief rest, for the 'Ru-
NOR Committee" had given US the i'm
portapt information that we would do
battle on the morrow, and the task OF
giving out individual rations for three
days had occupied the last weary three
hours. I had just traded my ration OF
chewing tobacco piece the size OF
ones thumb-for the use Of Private
Knoblock's fire to boil coffee and man
60 stew, so that my brother and I could
have a cold breakfast, well knowing
that there would be no time for cooking
after reveille. While so engaged a ~
year-old boy approached US, requesting
a light for his candle. Now, candles
were scarce and the greatest luxury OF
the camp, and I wondered why the
boy should be burning one at this late
hour. Waiting until he had gone in
side his tent I crept up softly and
peeped in. He was kneeling and be-
fore him on the ground lay Bible from
which he was slowly reading prayer.
These words were audible: Thy will
be done.
Reveille called US up at 8 am. Alter
a short breakfast, swallowed in haste as
we packed our outfits, we turned into
the road toward Santiago, with rifles,
155 rounds Of ammunition, canteens
and tent rolls, and with haversacks,
pockets and shirt-bosoms stuffed with
rations-on the whole more than fifty
pounds TO a man. Two hours OF steady
tramping toward the front followed, and
then from the distant firing line we
heard the rattle Of scattering volleys OF
musketry. We were marching toward
field where death was busy, and our
heavy burdens ceased to be thought Of
The faces of the men in the ranks were
a study. Some looked grimly satisfied;
others were plainly worried. Among
the latter especially was a sergeant who
had drilled the raw recruits with much
bullying and had striven to impress
upon them the importance of assum-
ing the position Of soldier" never to
come beyant the line, :" and, above all,
to treat the sergeant as little god.
CAT least one-third of the regiment
had been recruited after war was de-
clared). He was now undoubtedly
homesick, and when, suddenly from
the nearby jungle there came a blind
ing flash and awful roar of artillery, he
clapped his hand over his eyes and
plunged into the brush on the further
side of the road. Grimes battery had
started the ball on our side.
Then there began to pass US, going
to the rear, wounded men-Cuban
scouts and our own regulars-stoicial,
accomplishing, more like parts of a
broken machine than shattered human
ity. This and the Ecu, zeu," of con-
tinually flying Mauser bullets had an
irritating effect for the first half hour.
After that it all seemed like the grad
ual preparation of some huge joke,
and the only thing which bothered me
was that l might fail to be in at the
climax.
There also appeared to be going on
a sinful waste Of tons Of ammunition.
AS yet I had seen no one actually hit,
while the wounded passing to the rear
were not at all numerous, but the vol
leYing was incessant, punctuated every
few seconds by the deep boom of can
non and shrek Of bursting bomb and
shrapnel. We did not then know that
the enemy we're merely guessing our
range thru the dense foliage which
concealed their position on the in
trenched hills half a mile away. Our
approach had been gradual, orders
being received occasionally to lie down
and cover"
Close to the Firing Line
Finally we reached position which
appeared to be about seventy-fve yards
back Of the center Of the firing line.
The 10th infantry formed the advance