The Dons
were, however, soon convinced of their folly in this respect, as we
always had a volley for the hats and a much stouter one for the enemy
as he raised to reply to the volley at the hats. The Tenth Cavalry had
fought Indians too long in the West to be foiled in that manner.
We were annoyed much by the Spanish sharpshooters stationed in tops of
the beautiful palms and other trees of dense foliage. A number of
these guerillas were found provided with seats, water and other
necessaries, and I am told some of them had evidently robbed our dead
to secure themselves an American uniform, that they might still carry
on their nefarious work undetected.
Many of the disabled received their second and some their mortal
wound, while being conveyed from the field by litter-bearers.
Though it was the tendency for a time to give the sharpshooter story
little or no credence, but to lay the matter to "spent bullets"; it
seemed almost out of the question that "spent bullets" should annoy
our Division Hospital, some four or five miles from the Spanish works.
It would also seem equally as absurd that a bullet could be trained to
turn angles, as several of our men were hit while assembled for
transfer to general hospital and receiving temporary treatment at the
dressing station located in an elbow of the San Juan River.
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