The Men Were At Times
Wholly Hidden From Each Other, And From Him; Probably At No One Time
Did He See More Than Two Of His Troops Together.
It was only by the
firing that he could tell where his men lay, and that they were
always advancing.
The advances were made in quick, desperate rushes - sometimes the
ground gained was no more than a man covers in sliding for a base.
At other times half a troop would rise and race forward and then
burrow deep in the hot grass and fire. On this side of the line
there was an occasional glimpse of the enemy. But for a great part
of the time the men shot at the places from where the enemy's fire
seemed to come, aiming low and answering in steady volleys. The fire
discipline was excellent. The prophets of evil of the Tampa Bay
Hotel had foretold that the cowboys would shoot as they chose, and,
in the field, would act independently of their officers. As it
turned out, the cowboys were the very men who waited most patiently
for the officers to give the word of command. At all times the
movement was without rest, breathless and fierce, like a cane-rush,
or a street fight. After the first three minutes every man had
stripped as though for a wrestling match, throwing off all his
impedimenta but his cartridge-belt and canteen. Even then the sun
handicapped their strength cruelly. The enemy was hidden in the
shade of the jungle, while they, for every thicket they gained, had
to fight in the open, crawling through grass which was as hot as a
steam bath, and with their flesh and clothing torn by thorns and the
sword-like blade of the Spanish "bayonet." The glare of the sun was
full in their eyes and as fierce as a lime-light.
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