took position on our left. Pickets kept
up firing from 2.40 A.M. until 5.25, when the engagement became
general. Shortly after 6.00 A.M. our artillery opened on the Spanish
works, who promptly returned the compliment. During the firing the
Dons exploded a shell in the muzzle of one of our pieces. Adjutant
Barnum fell at 6.30 A.M.; his wound was promptly dressed, when I
started to the Division Hospital with him. Though seriously hurt, I
have never seen a better natured man. While en route, we laid him down
to eat a can of salmon _found in the road_. In response to his query,
"What's up, Sergeant?" the salmon was passed him; he helped himself,
no further questions were asked, and the journey was resumed. On
arrival at the hospital he was quickly examined and placed on a
comfortable cot. Many of the attendants were completely played-out
from overwork.

A visit to a field hospital will have a lasting place in your memory.
Every way you turn, amid the cries and groans, you get a beck or call
to ease this, or hand me that, and one feels badly because of his
inability to extend them material aid in their sufferings.

On returning to the front, I found the regiment as hotly engaged as
when I left it some hours before. As the fighting was from trenches,
many of our men were wounded by shells. Sharpshooters were on hand as
usual. I was sent to the Captain of Troop E, under the crest of the
hill, with orders to dig an approach to one of the enemy's trenches,
evacuated the day before; also to bury some of their dead. While
delivering the order, it being necessary to get very close on account
of the noise, one of those ever vigilant sharpshooters put a bullet
between our faces. The Captain asked me to cut the wire fence so his
troops could get through more rapidly; while telling me, another
bullet passed so close as to disturb the Captain's mustache. He took
it good-naturedly, only remarking as he smiled, "Pretty close,
Sergeant-Major!"

Firing ceased about 8 P.M. After all had had supper we changed
position further to the right, where work on trenches was resumed.
About 10.30 P.M. the Spaniards made an attack upon our lines, and I
have never before or since seen such terrific firing; the whole
American line, which almost encircled the city, was a solid flame of
fire. The enemy's artillery replied, also their much-praised
"Mausers," but to no avail; they had opened the ball, but Uncle Sam's
boys did not feel like yielding one i