The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-04
GEN. EN.KENT'SOFFICIALRE REPORT OPERATION OF THE DIVISION ON
 JULY l, 2, 3.

OPERATION OF THE DIVISIoN ON
 JULY l, 2, 3.
 Terrible Fighting and Heavy Losses on
 the Second Dny-A Balloon Disclosed
 Position of TrOops-Under Calling
 Fire of the Enemy the Leading Bat-
 taliOn Was Thrown Into Confusion
 and Recoiled fin Disorder-Oficers of
 Rents Staff Formed Gordon Behind
 Panic Stricken Men and Urged Them
 Forward-The Bloody Fighting of the
 Command Cannot be Adequately De-
 scribed in Words.
 'ICopyrlght, 1898, The Associated Press.J
 Headquarters of the First Division oaa
 the Fifth Army Corps, near Santiago
 de Cuba, July 22.-Major General Shaf-
 ter has authorized the publication of the official report of General Kent. The
 report is as follows:
 Headquarters First Division,
 Fifth Army Corps,
 Tn the Field, near Santiago de Cuba, July ', 1898.
 Assistant Adjutant General, Fifth Army Corps:
 Sir-I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command in the battle of July 1: On the afternoon of June 30, pursuant to orders given me very briefly by the corps commander at his headquarters, I moved my second and third brigades, Pearson and Wickoff, forward about two | miles, near corps headquarters. Here the troops bivouacked. The first brig ade (Hawkins) remained in it's camp of the two preceding days, slightly in rear of corps headquarters. On the follow ing morning at o'clock I rode forward
 to the hill where Captain Grimes bat tery was in position. I here met Lieu tenant Colonel McClernand, assistant adjutant general of the Fifth corps,
 
 the distance which was to be my ob- jective point, on my left, and either he or Lieutenant Miley of Major General Shafter's staff gave me directions to keep my right on the main road lead- ing to the city of Santiago. I had pre- viously given the necessary orders for Hawkins brigade to move early, to be followed in turn by Wickoff's and Pear sons.
 Shortly after Hawkins battery open ed fire I went to the front. Here gave Hawkins his orders. The enemy's ar tillery was replying to his fire from the rear. At this point I received instruc- tions to allow the cavalry the right of way, but for some unknown reason they moved up very slow, thus causing de- lay in my advance of fully forty min utes. Lieutenant Miley of General Shaf- ter's staff was at this point and under stood how the division was delayed and repeated several times that he underA stood that I was making all the prog ress possible. General Hawkins went | forward and word came back that it | would be possible to obstruct the ene- my's progress I rode forward with my Sldll. luG lire Ol tuH tlleIly WdS Nbly y distinctly felt at this time. I crossed the main ford of the San Juan river, | joined General Hawkins and with him observed the enemy's position from a point some distance in advance of the ford, General Hawkins deemed 1t pos sible to turn the enemy's right at Fort San Juan, but later, under the heavy fire, this was found impracticable for the first brigade, but was accomplished by the third brigade coming up later on General Hawkins left.
 Having completed the observation with my staff, I proceeded to join the head of my division Just coming under heavy fire. I directed the First bri- gade to move alongside the cavalry. We were already suffering losses caus-
 ed by the balloon nearby disclosing our position. I then turned the troops into a bypath. This would have | speedily delivered them from their per- | ilous position but under the galling | fire of the enemy, the leading battalion | was thrown into confusion and recoil- ed in disorder. At this critical moment the officers of my staff practically | formed a cordon behind the panic stricken men and urged them to again go forward. I finally ordered them to lie down In the thicket and clear the way for others who were coming up from behind. This they did. One of my staff officers ran back waving his hat to hurry forward the Third brigade, | who upon approaching the forks found the way blocked by men of the 71st | New York. There were other men of | this regiment crounching in the bushes, l many of whom were encouraged by the
 advance of the approaching column to 1 arise and go forward. As already stat l ed, had received orders sometime be- l fore to keep in the rear of the cavalry | division.
 1 Their advance was much delayed re- | sulting in frequent halts, presumably 1 to drop their blanket rolls and due to l the natural delay in fording a stream. l These delays grew exceedingly irk- | some and l therefore pushed the head 1 of my division as quickly as I could to- 1 ward the river in column of files or | twos paralleled in the narrow way by | the cavalry. This quickened the for | ward movement and enabled me to get | into position as speedily as possible for nr -Hnarr