corner of Caney, where the principal Spanish force lay, with their hats on
sticks to deceive our riflemen. From this position the enemy poured in a
fearful fire. The Seventeenth had to lie down flat under the pounding, but
even then men were killed.

"'General Chaffee dashed about with his hat on the back of his head like a
magnificent cowboy, urging his men on, crying to them to get in and help
their country win a victory. Smokeless powder makes it impossible to
locate the enemy, and you wonder where the fire comes from. When you stand
up to see you get a bullet.

"'We finally located the trenches, and could see the officers moving about
urging their men. The enemy was making a turning movement to the right. To
turn the left of the Spanish position it was necessary to get a
blockhouse, which held the right of our line. General Chaffee detailed
Captain Clark to approach and occupy this blockhouse as soon as the
artillery had sufficiently harried its Spanish defenders.

"'Clark and Captain Haskell started up the slope. I told them I had been
on the ridge and knew the condition of affairs, so I would show them the
way.

"'We pushed right up to the trench around the fort, and, getting out our
wire-cutters, severed the barbed wire in front of it. I jumped over the
severed strand and got into the trench.

"'It was a horrible, blood-splashed thing, and an inferno of agony. Many
men lay dead, with gleaming teeth, and hands clutching their throats.
Others were crawling there alive.

"'I shouted to the survivors to surrender, and they held up their hands.

"'Then I ran into the fort and found there a Spanish officer and four men
alive, while seven lay dead in one room. The whole floor ran with blood.
Blood splashed all the walls. It was a perfect hog-pen of butchery.

"'Three poor wretches put their hands together in supplication. One had a
white handkerchief tied on a stick. This he lifted and moved toward me.
The other held up his hands, while the third began to pray and plead.

"'I took the guns from all three and threw them outside the fort. Then I
called some of our men and put them in charge of the prisoners.

"'I then got out of the fort, ran around to the other side, and secured
the Spanish flag. I displayed it to our troops, and they cheered lustily.

"'Just as I turned to speak to Captain Haskell I was struck by a bullet
from the trenches on the Spanish side.'"

Before five o'clock, on the morning of Ju