One of the most notable alarms that occurred during the campaign
about Santiago was within two miles of the "Stone Block-House," at
El Caney, on the night before the attack on that place. The brigade
that did the hardest fighting there, and that had been in advance
the greater part of the time from the landing at Baiquiri, received
orders late in the afternoon of June 30th to move forward and take
a position within easy striking distance of El Caney, and to there
rest on arms for the night. The march began at dusk, and, by a long,
circuitous route, ended at 12 o'clock midnight at an open field, which
the guides said was within two miles of the nearest Spanish position in
the town. The march, in single file, up and down hills, over slippery
ground, by men as silent as mice, was a tiresome one. All were glad
to hear the word passed along in low whispers to quietly lie down,
retaining arms and equipment, and bivouac for the night. The silence
of death prevailed. The long line of dark figures on the open field,
silhouetted against the star-lit sky, and the stillness that reigned,
reminded one more of stereopticon views thrown upon canvas, than of the
presence of eighteen hundred fighting men, stealing upon their prey.
It was not a minute after the whispered command to lie down was given
till all except a few selected for duty on outposts had stretched
their weary limbs on the dewy grass.
The outposts were placed around the main body, some few hundred yards
distant, most of them in the direction of the Spanish lines. The
command was soon asleep. There was the usual number of disturbed
dreamers, and occasionally the snorer would burst out in loud and
long-drawn tones, only to be promptly kicked in the ribs by his
light-sleeping comrade. The nocturnal cigarette-smoker was prohibited
from indulging in his nightly practice, and soon there was a long
mass of sleeping humanity, not a sign of wakeful eyes to be seen.
As sudden as the flash of lightning the woods in the direction of the
Spanish lines was filled with yells, screams, and the heavy falling
of feet in rapid retreat.
The brigade sprang to its feet as if each man had been lying on a
stiff spring and the whole touched off simultaneously by the pressing
of a button--every man with loaded and cocked rifle in hand. Then began
the low, mumbling sound of a suddenly aroused camp. The efforts of the
officers who had kept their heads to keep it down were fruitless. It
was a long line of buzzing sounds like the swarming of bees. But the
screaming and yelling continued and grew nearer.
Shouting at the top of his voice at every jump, "They're
coming! they're coming!" tall, lean, red-headed, and hatless, the
recruit sentry came by leaps and strides, and close at his heels a
half-starved Cuban dog, playfully pursuing him, soliciting some of
the hardtack in the recruit's haversack.
It was near dawn before complete order was restored. Many eyes were
opened by that alarm raised by the panic-stricken recruit that never
again closed till closed in death.