adventures and letters-第45节

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ee　told　me　to…day　that　it　was　Wood's　charge　that　won　the　day；　without　it　the　tenth　could　not　have　driven　the　Spaniards　back　Wood　is　a　great　young　man；　he　has　only　one　idea　or　rather　all　his　ideas　run　in　one　direction；　his　regiment；　he　eats　and　talks　nothing　else。　　He　never　sleeps　more　than　four　hours　and　all　the　rest　of　the　time　he　is　moving　about　among　the　tents　Between　you　and　me　and　the　policeman；　it　was　a　very　hot　time　Maybe　if　I　drew　you　a　map　you　would　understand　why。

Wood　and　Gen。　Young；　by　agreement　the　night　before　and　without　orders　from　anybody　decided　to　advance　at　daybreak　and　dislodge　the　Spaniards　from　Las　Guasimas。　　They　went　by　two　narrow　trails　single　file；　the　two　trails　were　along　the　crests　of　a　line　of　hills　with　a　valley　between。　　The　dotted　line　is　the　trail　we　should　have　taken　had　the　Cubans　told　us　it　existed；　if　we　had　done　so　we　would　have　had　the　Spaniards　in　the　frontband　rear　as　General　Young　would　have　caught　them　where　they　expected　him　to　come；　and　we　would　have　caught　them　where　they　were　not　looking　for　us。　　Of　course；　the　Cubans　who　are　worthless　in　every　way　never　told　us　of　this　trail　until　we　had　had　the　meeting。　　No　one　knew　we　were　near　Spaniards　until　both　columns　were　on　the　place　where　the　two　trails　meet。　　Then　our　scouts　came　back　and　reported　them　and　the　companies　were　scattered　out　as　you　see　them　in　the　little　dots。　　The　Spaniards　were　absolutely　hidden　not　over　25　per　cent　of　the　men　saw　one　of　them　for　two　hours　I　ran　out　with　the　company　on　the　right　of　the　dotted　line；　marked　〃our　position。〃　　I　thought　it　was　a　false　alarm　and　none　of　us　believed　there　were　any　Spaniards　this　side　of　Santiago。　　The　ground　was　covered　with　high　grass　and　cactus　and　vines　so　that　you　could　not　see　twenty　feet　ahead；　the　men　had　to　beat　the　vines　with　their　carbines　to　get　through　them。　　We　had　not　run　fifty　yards　through　the　jungle　before　they　opened　on　us　with　a　quick　firing　gun　at　a　hundred　yards。　　I　saw　the　enemy　on　the　hill　across　the　valley　and　got　six　sharp　shooters　and　began　on　them；　then　the　fire　got　so　hot　that　we　had　to　lie　on　our　faces　and　crawl　back　to　the　rear。　　I　had　a　wounded　man　to　carry　and　was　in　a　very　bad　way　because　I　had　sciatica；　Two　of　his　men　took　him　off　while　I　stopped　to　help　a　worse　wounded　trooper；　but　I　found　he　was　dead。　　When　I　had　come　back　for　him　in　an　hour；　the　vultures　had　eaten　out　his　eyes　and　lips。　　In　the　meanwhile　a　trooper　stood　up　on　the　crest　with　a　guidon　and　waved　it　at　the　opposite　trail　to　find　out　if　the　firing　there　was　from　Spaniards　or　Len　Young's　negroes。　　He　was　hit　in　three　places　but　established　the　fact　that　Young　was　up　on　the　trail　on　our　right　across　the　valley　for　they　cheered。　　He　was　a　man　who　had　run　on　the　Gold　Ticket　for　Congress　in　Arizona；　and　consequently；　as　some　one　said；　naturally　should　have　led　a　forlorn　hope。　　A　blackguard　had　just　run　past　telling　them　that　Wood　was　killed　and　that　he　had　been　ordered　to　Siboney　for　reinforcements。　　That　was　how　the　report　spread　that　we　were　cut　to　pieces　A　reporter　who　ran　away　from　Young's　column　was　responsible　for　the　story　that　I　was　killed。　　He　meant　Marshall　who　was　on　the　left　of　the　line　and　who　was　shot　through　the　spine　There　was　a　lot　of　wounded　at　the　base　and　the　fighting　in　front　was　fearful　to　hear。　　It　was　as　fast　as　a　hard　football　match　and　you　must　remember　it　lasted　two　full　hours；　during　that　time　the　men　were　on　their　feet　all　the　time　or　crawling　on　their　hands　Not　one　of　them；　with　the　exception　of　；　and　a　Sergeant　who　threw　away　his　gun　and　ran；　went　a　step　back。　　It　was　like　playing　blindman's　buff　and　you　were　it。　　I　got　separated　once　and　was　scared　until　I　saw　the　line　again；　as　my　leg　was　very　bad　and　I　could　not　get　about　over　the　rough　ground。　　I　went　down　the　trail　and　I　found　Capron　dying　and　the　whole　place　littered　with　discarded　blankets　and　haversacks。　　I　also　found　Fish　and　pulled　him　under　coverhe　was　quite　dead　Then　I　borrowed　a　carbine　and　joined　Capron's　troop；　a　second　lieutenant　and　his　Sergeant　were　in　command。　　The　man　next　me　in　line　got　a　bullet　through　his　sleeve　and　one　through　his　shirt　and　you　could　see　where　it　went　in　and　came　out　without　touching　the　skin。　　The　firing　was　very　high　and　we　were　in　no　danger　so　I　told　the　lieutenant　to　let　us　charge　across　an　open　place　and　take　a　tin　shack　which　was　held　by　the　Spaniards'　rear　guard；　for　they　were　open　in　retreat。　　Roosevelt　ordered　his　men　to　do　the　same　thing　and　we　ran　forward　cheering　across　the　open　and　then　dropped　in　the　grass　and　fired。　　I　guess　I　fired　about　twenty　rounds　and　then　formed　into　a　strategy　board　and　went　off　down　the　trail　to　scout。　　I　got　lonely　and　was　coming　back　when　I　met　another　trooper　who　sat　down　and　said　he　was　too　hot　to　run　in　any　direction　Spaniard　or　no　Spaniard。　　So　we　sat　down　and　panted。　　At　last　he　asked　me　if　I　was　R。　H。　D。　and　I　said　I　was　and　he　said　〃I'm　Dean；　I　met　you　in　Harvard　in　the　racquet　court。〃　　Then　we　embracedthe　tenth　came　up　then　and　it　was　all　over。　　My　leg；　thank　goodness；　is　all　right　again　and　has　been　so　for　three　days。　　It　was　only　the　running　about　that　caused　it。　　I　won't　have　to　run　again　as　I　have　a　horse　now　and　there　will　be　no　more　ambushes　and　moreover　we　have　12；000　men　around　us　Being　together　that　way　in　a　tight　place　has　made　us　all　friends　and　I　guess　I'll　stick　to　the　regiment。　　Send　this　to　dear　Mother　and　tell　her　I　was　not　born　to　be　killed。　　I　ought　to　tell　you　more　of　the　charming　side　of　the　lifewe　are　all　dirty　and　hungry　and　sleep　on　the　ground　and　have　grand　talks　on　every　subject　around　the　headquarters　tent。　　I　was　never　more　happy　and　content　and　never　so　well。　　It　is　hot　but　at　night　it　is　quite　cool　and　there　has　been　no　rain　only　a　few　showers。　‘No　one　is　ill　and　there　have　been　no　cases　of　fever。　　I　have　not　heard　from　you　or　any　one　since　the　14th；　which　is　not　really　long　but　so　much　goes　on　that　it　seems　so。　　Lots　of　love　to　you　all。

DICK。


After　reading　this　over　I　ought　perhaps　to　say　that　the　position　of　the　real　correspondents　is　absolutely　the　very　best。　　No　one　confounds　us　with　the　men　at　the　base；　and　nothing　they　have　they　deny　us。　　We　are　treated　immeasurably　better　than　the　poor　attaches　who　are　still　on　the　ship　and　who　if　they　were　spies　could　not　be　treated　worse。　　But　for　Whitney；　Remington　and　myself　nothing　is　too　good。　　Generals　fight　to　have　us　on　their　staffs　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　so　I　really　cannot　complain；　except　about　the　fact　that　our　real　news　is　crowded　out　by　the　faker　in　the　rear。


SANTIAGO。

Headquarters　Cavalry　Division；　U。　S。　Army。　Headqrs。　　Wood's　Rough　Riders。

June　29th；　1898。　DEAR　DAD：

I　suppose　you　are　back　from　Marion　now　and　I　have　missed　you。　　I　can't　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am。　　I　wanted　to　see　you　coming　up　the　street　this　summer　in　your　knickerbockers　and　with　no　fish；　but　still　happy。　　Never　mind；　we　shall　do　the　theatres　this　Fall；　and　have　good　walks　downtown。　　I　hope　Mother　will　come　up　and　visit　me　this　September；　at　Marion　and　sit　on　Allen's　and　on　the　Clarks'　porch　and　we　can　have　Chas。　too。　　I　suppose　he　will　have　had　his　holiday　but　he　can　come　up　for　a　Sunday。　　We　expect　to　move　up　on　Santiago　the　day　after　to…morrow；　and　it's　about　time；　for　the　trail　will　not　be　passable　much　longer。　　It　rains　every　day　at　three　o'clock　for　an　hour　and　such　rain　you　never　guessed。　　It　is　three　inches　high　for　an　hour。　　Then　we　all　go　out　naked　and　dig　trenches　to　get　it　out　of　the　way。　　It　is　very　rough　living。　　I　have　to　confess　that　I　never　knew　how　well　off　I　was　until　I　got　to　smoking　Durham　tobacco　and　I've　only　half　a　bag　of　that　left。　　The　enlisted　men　are　smoking　dried　horse　droppings；　grass；　roots　and　tea。　　Some　of　them　can't　sleep　they　are　so　nervous　for　the　want　of　it；　but　to…day　a　lot　came　up　and　all　will　be　well　for　them。　　I've　had　a　steady　ration　of　coffee；　bacon　and　hard　tack　for　a　week　and　one　mango；　to　night　we　had　beans。　　Of　course；　what　they　ought　to　serve　is　rice　and　beans　as　fried　bacon　is　impossible　in　this　heat。　　Still；　every　one　is　well。　　This　is　the　best　crowd　to　be　withthey　are　so　well　educated　and　so　interesting。　　The　regular　army　men　are　very　dull　and　narrow　and　would　bore　one　to　death。　　We　have　Wood；　Roosevelt；　Lee；　the　British　Attache；　Whitney　and　a　Doctor　Church；　a　friend　of　mine　from　Princeton；　who　is　quite　the　most　cheerful　soul　and　the　funniest　I　ever　met。　　He　carried　four　men　from　the　firing　line　the　other　day　back　half　a　mile　to　the　hospital　tent。　　He　spends　most　of　his　time　coming　around　headquarters　in　an　undershirt　of　mine　and　a　gold　bracelet　fighting　tarantulas。　　I　woke　up　the　other　morning　with　one　seven　inches　long　and　as　hairy　as　your　head　reposing　on　my　pillow。　　My　sciatica　bothers　me　but　has　not　prevented　me　seeing　everything　and　I　can　dig　rain　gutters　and　cut　wood　with　any　of　them。　　It　is　very　funny　to　see　Larned；　the　tennis　champion；　whose　every　movement　at　Newport　was　applauded　by　hundreds　of　young　women；　marching　up　and　down　in　the　wet　grass。　　Whitney　and　I　guy　him。　　To…day　a　sentry　on　post　was　reading　〃As　You　Like　It〃　and　whenever　I　go　down　the　line　half　the　men　want　to　know　who　won　the　boat　race　To…day　Wood　sent　me　out　with　a　detail　on　a　pretense　of　scouting　but　really　to　give　the