In the Trenches 177 



and cured, and two or three Cuban ponies. Hither- 

 to we had simply been sleeping by the trenches or 

 immediately in their rear, with nothing in the way 

 of shelter and only one blanket to every three or 

 four men. Fortunately there had been little 

 rain. 



We now got up the shelter tents of the men and 

 some flies for the hospital and for the officers; 

 and my personal baggage appeared. I celebrated 

 its advent by a thorough wash and shave. 



Later, I twice snatched a few hours to go to the 

 rear and visit such of my men as I could find in the 

 hospitals. Their patience was extraordinary. Ken- 

 neth Robinson, a gallant young trooper, though 

 himself severely (I supposed at the time mortally) 

 wounded, was noteworthy for the way in which he 

 tended those among the wounded who were even 

 more helpless, and the cheery courage with which 

 he kept up their spirits. Gievers, who was shot 

 through the hips, rejoined us at the front in a fort- 

 night. Captain Day was hardly longer away. Jack 

 Hammer, who, with poor Race Smith, a gallant 

 Texas lad who was mortally hurt beside me on the 

 summit of the hill, had been on kitchen detail, was 

 wounded and sent to the rear ; he was ordered to go 

 to the United States, but he heard that we were to 

 assault Santiago, so he struggled out to join us, and 

 thereafter stayed at the front. Cosby, badly 



