The Cavalry at Santiago 133 



melee good soldiers are always prompt to recognize 

 a good officer, and are eager to follow him. 



We kept up a brisk fire for some five or ten min- 

 utes; meanwhile we were much cut up ourselves. 

 Gallant Colonel Hamilton, than whom there was 

 never a braver man, was killed, and equally gallant 

 Colonel Carroll wounded. When near the summit 

 Captain Mills had been shot through the head, the 

 bullet destroying the sight of one eye permanently 

 and of the other temporarily. He would not go 

 back or let any man assist him, sitting down where 

 he was and waiting until one of the men brought 

 him word that the hill was stormed. Colonel Veile 

 planted the standard of the First Cavalry on the hill, 

 and General Sumner rode up. He was fighting his 

 division in great form, and was always himself in 

 the thick of the fire. As the men were much ex- 

 cited by the firing, they seemed to pay very little 

 heed to their own losses. 



Suddenly, above the cracking of the carbines, rose 

 a peculiar drumming sound, and some of the men 

 cried, "The Spanish machine-guns!" Listening, I 

 made out that it came from the flat ground to the 

 left, and jumped to my feet, smiting my hand on 

 my thigh, and shouting aloud with exultation, "It's 

 the Catlings, men, our Catlings!" Lieutenant 

 Parker was bringing his four Catlings into action, 

 and shoving them nearer and nearer the front. Now 



