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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