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American Correspondent on SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

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Important Account of the Battle of San Juan Hill

(SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR), American Correspondent Describes Battle for Cuba in the wake of San Juan Hill.
This is a colorful and detailed letter from Augustus H. Gansser, American correspondent, editor and politician of German descent, written in pencil on Correspondence stationery depicting the bald eagle above the US and Cuban Flags, July 14, 1898, four pages, Very Fine. Written in the trenches before Santiago de Cuba, and accompanied by the original envelope addressed to "News Tribune, Detroit, Mich." The extraordinary detail of this letter offers the finest account of the Spanish-American War we've seen to date. Gansser makes reference to the Rough Riders, The Maine, and Yellow Fever. A fantastic first hand account of the action just prior to the Spanish capitulation of Santiago de Cuba the following day and complete surrender of all forces just three days later. Gansser, in the typical fashion of a reporter offers a detailed and colorful account of the Battle of San Juan Hill:

"Your correspondent spent Sunday night in the firing line before Santiago, and from the trenches of the Rough Riders had an excellent view of another round in the fight under Senor Limores battle rules. Returning from a long scout toward Aquadores Tuesday evening, shortly after the bombardment was opened... we hurried to the front. The fleet threw occasional shells over the harbor bluffs and our live artillery put in some telling shrapnells where the Spanish lines were dimly visible, and especially where the scattering Spanish shells were fixed. We seen an officer of the Second Infantry step up to... the enemy fire when a shell burst beside him and he was literally torn to pieces. The desultory firing continued until sundown and then gradually died away. All night the men stood by their army and before sunrise they munched their hardtack and corned beef and as soon as it was light enough to see the dim outline of Spanish trenches... 600 yards away drew our rifle fire, and the artillery took an occasional turn at this target practice....

Sunday night when the firing ceased we distinctly heard some Spanish officer address his men and when he stopped the Spaniards gave three hearty cheers "Viva Spaniola" and the cry was carried down their lines, so we conclude they are still some dying for honor foes in line before us... The volunteers on the other hand are determined to stay to the end. They enter the conflict with old ammunition and not much soldier experience but inspired with patriotism and remembering The Maine. The battlefield between the creek and the historic heights is dotted with little mounds, bearing rude funeral inscriptions of the hero dead. At the field hospital the tents of suffering are gradually relieved, either by the last long roll... or transfer to the coast, to the hospital ships and American healing...

The 34th has many sick in quarters each day due to privation and exposure. Monday afternoon just as the Ohio, Illinois and Mass regiments straggled up the heights from Libonay, they were greeted by a terrific rain storm that poured all that night, drenched everything and made the roads impassable. General Pando with his professional troops is still feared at headquarters where General Miles arrived yesterday...

Last night the Washington volunteers fired at random and roused the entire camp in the drenching rain. Two batteries of heavy artillery are stuck in the mud and the 34 after all night guard is helping to get these necessary guns to the front. The terrible rains and yellow fever reported at Libonay are dreaded by our troops for the little springs are now torrents of dirty surface water and the continuous rains prevent us from having fire to boil it. Matches, writing paper, envelopes and similar little necessities bring unheard of prices among the troops and the refugees take advantage of these conditions and the soldiers small change is getting very scarce. Wild rumors agitate the troops, but Michigans Tigers patiently work to hasten Santiagos surrender, as the only real solution. Gansser."

Augustus H. Gansser (1872-1951), American correspondent, editor and politician of German descent.

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