As
the afternoon wore on, however, the Spaniards became bolder, and made
an attack upon the position. They did not push it home, but they did
advance, their firing being redoubled. We at once ran forward to the
crest and opened on them, and, as we did so, the unmistakable drumming
of the Gatlings opened abreast of us, to our right, and the men
cheered again. As soon as the attack was definitely repulsed, I
strolled over to find out about the Gatlings, and there I found Lieut.
Parker with two of his guns right on our left, abreast of our men, who
at that time were closer to the Spaniards than any others.
From thence on, Parker's Gatlings were our inseparable companions
throughout the siege. They were right up at the front. When we dug our
trenches, he took off the wheels of his guns and put them in the
trenches. His men and ours slept in the same bomb-proofs and shared
with one another whenever either side got a supply of beans or coffee
and sugar. At no hour of the day or night was Parker anywhere but
where we wished him to be, in the event of an attack. If a troop of my
regiment was sent off to guard some road or some break in the lines,
we were almost certain to get Parker to send a Gatling along, and,
whether the change was made by day or by night, the Gatling went.
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