impossible to advance farther on account of the network of wild
grape-vines that masked the Spaniards from us, and that we must cross
the trail and make to the left. The shouts the men had raised to
warn Capron had established our position to the enemy, and the firing
was now fearfully accurate. Sergeant Russell, who in his day had
been a colonel on a governor's staff, was killed, and the other
sergeant was shot through the wrist. In the space of three minutes
nine men were lying on their backs helpless. Before we got away,
every third man was killed, or wounded. We drew off slowly to the
left, dragging the wounded with us. Owing to the low aim of the
enemy, we were forced to move on our knees and crawl. Even then men
were hit. One man near me was shot through the head. Returning
later to locate the body and identify him, I found that the buzzards
had torn off his lips and his eyes. This mutilation by these hideous
birds was, without doubt, what Admiral Sampson mistook for the work
of the Spaniards, when the bodies of the marines at Guantanamo were
found disfigured. K Troop meantime had deployed into the valley
under the fire from the enemy on the ridge. It had been ordered to
establish communication with General Young's column, and while
advancing and firing on the ridge, Captain Jenkins sent the guidon
bearer back to climb the hill and wave his red and white banner where
Young's men could see it. The guidon bearer had once run for
Congress on the gold ticket in Arizona, and, as some one said, was
naturally the man who should have been selected for a forlorn hope.
His flag brought him instantly under a heavy fire, but he continued
waving it until the Tenth Cavalry on the other side of the valley
answered, and the two columns were connected by a skirmish-line
composed of K Troop and A, under Captain "Bucky" O'Neill.

G Troop meanwhile had hurried over to the left, and passing through