Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1898-07-26
ROUGH RIDERS VICTORY.
cyelonie Tactics Dismayed the spanish
at Quasimas.
STRIKING GOODNESS OF TIE MEN.

Quasimas IL the name given to the
where. on June "a, the First
States volunteer cavalry, better
known a the Rough Riders, received its
baptism Of Gre aud behaved with the
GOODNESS and %intrepidity OF veteran troops.
But all the glory OF a decisive defeat Of
the Spaniars did not belong to the Rough
Riders. The Tenth cavalry distinguished
itself and some troops OF the First United
States cavalry we're also engaged. A.
New Yorker in the Rough Riders. who
witnessed the charge Of the Tenth up a
ridge on the right OF the valley where
Colonel Woods regiment seemed to be
caught in a trap, was very enthusiastic
after the battle, over the dashing style
In which the black troopers went for the
position Of the Spanish and captured II.
II don't know what kind Of cavalry they
make" he said, but they are q glorious
success as infantrymen, There can be
no better soldiers In the world, and yet |
used 10 doubt whether the negro could
eight with asmuch dash ~ thewhite man."
The First United States cavalry claims
the credit Of having opened the engage.
ment with the discharge Of q Hotchkiss
gun in the direction Of a force OF
5paniards which was plainly In view on
the crest OF a hill. II Is said that the
Spanisrds did not open Gre on the Rough
Eiders until a few minutes later. There
are two things that should be said with
emphasis before the battle Ia described In
detail. One ia that the Rough Riders
were not ambushed, as that word IL gen.
orally understood, and the other ia that
none Of them was shot by his comrades
In an overlapping line In the rear.
There have been hints that this hap.
pened, but they do serious injustice to
Colonel Wood and Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt, and also TO General Young,
who was In command Of the brigade en-
gagged. The brigade was a part, II should
be understood, OF General wheeler's
corps.
The night before QuasimAs General
Young sent for Colonel Wood Of the
Rough Blders and in substance said 10
him: Colonel, l have reliable informa-
ton that the spaniards have taken q
very strong position beyond Seyllla, near
the junction OF the trail over the noun
tain at Siboney and the valley road, and
expect 10 infict a defeat on US there II
we advance. / think the brigade can
eight the drst battle OF this war to- NOR.
row morning and drive the enemy back
on Santiago"
Gen. Young got his information about
the position Of the S~paniards from Gen.
Demetrio's scouts, and II proved TO be
correct. Col. Woods regiment climbed
the hill at Siboney soon after sunrise,
and the Tenth took the valley road, start
ing later. Behind the Rough Riders al
some distance marched the First. The
country In which the troops we're Il
operate can best be described az a chaos
OF high hills and mountain peaks. 81
prodlgally are they massed about that II
should not be difficult for a resourcefuI
and determined enemy TO annihilate al
invading army. Colonel Woods men
marched with heavy packs at the regula.
ton step and suffered terribly from the
heat. Many OF them threw away theiI
blankets or coats on the way, and 10 pei
cent fell out, 30 that at one time o con
siderable halt was necessary.
The Tenth cavalry, Injured to no
weather marching, went along cheeril!
enough, but when the battle began the.
we're some distance behind the Rougl
Riders. The Tenth had. however, a bet
!, ter road to march over. That which Col
Woods regiment took was a mere trai
through the woods, where II was not al
; ways possible for four men to marcI
: abreast. Let II be understood that IN
Rough Riders were proceeding along on
= OF the ridges Of which there are 10 man.
3 In the valley that ends at Santiago. Tn
course Of the Tenth was In the bottom o
5 the valley. Overlooking the ridge OF
b both sides vas some high ground. and Il
front was a considerable hill.
= The Spanish position was in the shap
3 OF q horseshoe 30 that yOlley firing coul
be directed from three sides on a reg
ment advancing along the ridge. o
both sides Of the trail we're dense thicl
! cts, in which the giant cactus known a
the Spanish bayonet, predominated; bu
= the trend Of these thiekets was slight
upward on the right and sharply down
ward on the left.
! Captain CaprOn Of the volunteers wa
riding At point, or ahead OF the mai
body, when he became aware of IN
! presence Of the SpanlaTds In force on
hill TO the right. He halted his littl
body OF men and sent back word TO Cole
mel Wood. The latter at once gave o.
ders 10 deplOy on both sides OF the trai
and enJoined silence, especially on II
left, where there were some shoutin
a and laughter, for the men tagged out d
o they were from heat and marching, wei
. inclined to be hilarious over the prospet
q OF a brush with the enemy. LieutenaI
Q Colonel Roosevelt at M depressed the
d enthusiasm.
n Suddenly from cover on the left iroT
and before the regiment was we'll d,
plOyed there cam a rip. rip. rip {
ID musketry. The firing was direete
d against Troop L, which was in sdvAnc,
Ii IL is said that the Rough Riders on II
extreme left anticipated the SPANS
firing by a few seconds, hut on IN
AZ point there seems TO be some doub
Reference has already been made TO Il
assertion that a HOtchkiss gun handl,
by the First regiment OF cavalry fred h
II first shot. Troop L Of the Rough Ride
~ replied TO the Spanish fire with gre
a spirit and precision. The trail and WOO,
Id on both sides OF IL are still Uttered wi