The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-23
His Regiment the First TO Capture a
FOrtified Position and to Break
ThrOugh the Spanish Lines,
LOST MANY OF HIS BRAVE MEN
AND THE OTHERS SUFFERED TER
RIBLY FOR LACK OF SUPPLIES.
Partial List of Troopers Who Distin-
guished Themselves-CrueI Work
of GuerrilIas in Trees.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-The War De-
partment to-day made public two reports of
Colonel Roosevelt on the fights of the First
United States Volunteer Cavalry (Rough
Riders) in front of Santiago. One is ad-
dressed to Colonel Wood, commanding, and
the second is to Brigadier General Wood,
after Roosevelt took command of the regi-
ment. 1t will be noticed that the second re-
port covers some of the incidents mentioned
in the first, but the story told by Colonel
Roosevelt is so interesting and such valu-
able contribution to the history of the San
tiago campaign that both reports are here
given. The War Department has hitherto
refused to make these reports public. The
first report, which is dated Trenches Out
side of Santiago, July A." and addressed to
Col. Leonard Wood, Commanding Second
Cavalry Brigade says:
'Sir-On July l the regiment with myself
in command, was moved out by your orders
directly following the First Brigade. Before
leaving the camping ground several of our
men were wounded by shrapnel. After
crossing the river at the ford we were
moved along and up the right bank under
fire. and were held in reserve at a sunk
road. Here we lost good many men, in
cluding Captain ONeil killed and Lieut..
Haskell, wounded. We then received your
order to advance and support the regular
cavalry in the attack on the intrenchments
and blockhouses on the hills to the left. The
regiment was deployed on both sides of the
road and moved forward until we came to
the rearmost lines of the regulars. We con-
tinued to move forward until L ordered a
change and the men rushed the blockhouse
and rifle pits on the hill to the right of our
advance. They did the work in fine shape,
though suffering severely: the guidons of
Troops E and G. were first planted on the
| summit; though the first men up were some
of "A and B troopers who were with me.
We then opened fire OH the intrenchments on
hill to our left, which some of the other
regiments were assailing and which they
carried few minutes later Meanwhile we
were under a heavy rifle fire from the in
trenchment on the hills to our front, from
whence they also shelled with a piece of
field artillery until some of our marksmen
| silenced it.
WITH A. RUSH
when the men got their wind we charged
again and carried the second line of i'm
trenchments with a rush. Swinging to the
left we then drove the Spaniards over the
brow of the chain of hills fronting on SAINT
| iago. BY this time the regiments were much
mixed and we were under a very heavy fire
both of shrapnel and from rifles, from the
batteries. intrenchments and forts immedi-
ately in front of the city. On the extreme
| front now found myself in command with
| fragments of the six cavalry regiments and
| the two batteries under me- The Standards
made one or two efforts to retake the line
but were promptly driven back Both Gen.
| Sumner and you sent me word to hold the
| line at all hazards and that night we dug
| line of intrenchments across our front, using
| the captured Spanish intrenchment TOOLS
| We had nothing to eat except what we cap
tured from the Spanards; but their dinners
had fortunately been cooked, and we ate
them with a relish, having been lighting all
day. We had no blankets or coats, and lay
| by the trenches all night.
THE Spaniards attacked us once in the
night, and at dawn they opened heavy ar
tillery and rifle fire. Very great assistance
was rendered us by Lieutenant Parker's
Gatling battery at critical moments. He
fought his guns at the extreme srout of the
firing line in way that repeatedly called
for the cheers of my men. One of the Span
ish batteries which was used against us was
directly in front of the hospital so that the
Red Cross flag flew over the battery saving
it from our fire for a considerable period
The Spanish Mauser bullets made clean
wounds, but they also used copper-jack-
eted or brass-jacketed bullet, which ex-
ploded, making very bad wounds, indeed
Since then we have continued to hold the
ground; the food has been short, and until
to-day we could not get our blankets, coats
or shelter tents, while the men lay all day
under the fire of the Spanish batteries. in
trenchments and guerrllas in trees, and
worked all night in the trenches, never even
taking off their shoes, but they are in ex-
cellent spirits, and ready and anxious to
carry out any orders they receive.
MANY KILLED AND WOUNDED.
"At the end of the first day the eight
troops were commanded, two by captains,
three by first lieutenants. three by second
lieutenants and one by the sergeant whom
you made acting lieutenant. We went into
the fight about 400 strong. Eighty-six were
killed or wounded and there are half dozen
missing. The great heat Frustrated nearly
forty men, some of them among the best
in the regiment. Besides Captain ONeil
and Lieutenant Haskell, Lieutenants
Devereaux and Case were wounded. All be-
haved with great gallantry. AS for Captain
O'Neill, his loss is one of the severest that
could have bcfallen the regiment. He was
a man or cool mead, great executive ability
and literally dauntless courage.
The guerrillas i'm trees not only fired at
our troops but seemed TO devote themselves
especially to shooting at the surgeons, the
hospital assistants with Red Cross BAN
dages on their arms the wounded who We're
being carried in litters and the burying par
ties. Many of these guerrilas We're dressed
in green uniforms. Wo sent out u detail
OF sharashooters among those in our rear,