This latter
class of journalists were a menace to the army, a disgrace to their
profession, and a blot upon humanity. Even the Cubans were ashamed of
them.
The detachment resumed the march at half past 1, and encountered some
very difficult road, difficult because it needed repairs. The most
difficult places were the ascents and descents of the hills, and in
nearly every case fifteen or twenty minutes' careful investigation was
able to discover a means of getting around the worst places in the
road. When it was not practicable to go around, J. Shiffer and his
three fellow-teamsters would take a twist of their hands in the manes
of their long-eared chargers, and apparently lift them down, or up, as
the case might be, always landing on their feet and always safely. It
was merely a question of good driving and will to go through. The
worst places were repaired by the detachment before these reckless
attempts at precipice-scaling were made. At one place there was a
detachment of the 24th Infantry engaged in an alleged effort to repair
the road. They did not seem to work with much vim. Chaplain Springer,
having in the morning exhorted them to repentance and a better life
and to doing good works unto their brethren, the enemy, was engaged at
this point in the afternoon, it being Sunday, in a practical
demonstration of what he considered good works.
Pages:
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90