An officer rode by our part of the line about half-past 9
and informed us of it. A few minutes later we heard the roar
of the big guns, though at the time I little thought of what
was going on. In the afternoon we heard cheering on our line
way to the left, and as the good news came along it was
taken up, and soon the whole line was shouting.
On the morning of July 5th the non-combatants left Santiago
by two roads, one passing through our line. It was a pitiful
sight. During the forenoon of the 5th we moved about a mile
to the right and began intrenching. This position was very
near the Spanish line, and quite elaborate works were
constructed. We remained in this position until the morning
of the 11th, when the regiment was ordered to the right of
the line, about three miles. Here we intrenched. About 1
P.M. a truce was announced.
At 9.15 P.M. a staff officer came to the regimental
commander's tent and informed him that the regiment was to
be on the line at 12 o'clock midnight, and as soon as the
moon rose to advance through the jungle until fired on, when
the line was to halt and intrench. The night was stormy and
any moon there might have been was obscured by the clouds.
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