The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-09
BY GENERAL SKATER
SIORAING OF THE HEIGHTS OF
san JUAN.
THROUGH A ZONE OF WiTHtRlNG FIRE
Desperate Valor of Rents Third Brigade.
Adobe Carlos Munoz, One Cuban Among
Many Americans, Praised for his
Valuable Assistance.

Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.
Headquarters Of the First Division of
the Fifth Army Corps. near Santiago
de Cuba. July neutrality-suspicious.
Associated Press Major General Shat
ter having authorized the publication
OF the official report Of the Bri&adier
General. j. Ford Kent. Of the battle Of
July LIST. Il certified copy of
sociated Press by Major \. {. Sharpe.
Assistant Adjutant General First Di-
vision, Fifth Army Corps.
h opening portions Of the report deal
with orders given and the first move
ment toward San Juan hill on the morn
ing of July 1st. He details his inspec-
ton Of the enemy'S position made AT
the front and the opening Of the fire by
Grimes Battery. He then continues:
Having completed the observation with
my staff. | proceeded to join the head
Of my division just coming under heavy
fire. We We're already suffering losses
caused by the balloon near by attracting
fire and disclosing our position.
The enemy's infantry fire. steadily in
l 81 Ill ilIltiIHltA W Ill
all directions. not only from the front
and the dense tropical thickets on our
TANKS. but from sharpshooters thickly
posted in trees in our rear. and from
Shrapnel apparently aimed at the bal
loon. Lieutenant Colonel Derby. of
Shafter's staff. met me about this time
and Informed me that 4 trail or narrow
WAY had been discovered from the bal
loon a short distance back leading to the
left Of a ford lower down the stream.
| fastened to the forks made by this
road, and soon after the Se~yenty-tirst
New York Regiment Of Hawkins brigade
came up. | turned them into the by-path
indicated by Lieutenant Colonel Derby
leading to the lower ford. sending word
to General Hawkins of this movement.
This would have speedily delivered them
in their proper place on the left Of the
brigade. but under the CALLING fire of The
enemy. the leading battalion of this regl-
nlent was thrown into confusion and re-
coiled in disorder on the troops III the
rear. At this critical moment the Off
GERS Of my staff practically formed a
Gordon behind the panic-Stricken men
and urged them to again go forward. |
finally ordered them to lie down in the
thicket and clear the way for others of
their own regiment. who were coming
up behind. This many Of them did. and
the second and third hattalions came
forward in better order and moved along
the road towards the ford. One of my
staff officers ran back waving his hal
TO hurry forward the third brigade. who
upon reaching the ford found the way
blocked by men of the Seyenty-frst New
York. There We're other men of this
regiment crouching in the bushes. many
Of whom were encouraged by the adj
vance Of the approaching column to arise
and go forward. l pushed the head Of
my division as quickly as | could to-
ward the head Of the river in column or
files Of twos paralleled In the narrow
way by the cavalry. Owing to the CON
gested condition Of the road. the progress
of the narrow column was, however.
painfully slow. | again sent a staff Off
Ger ut a gallop to urge forward the
brigade reached the forks at 12:20 p.
m. and hurried on the left. stepping
over PROSTATE forms of men Of the
Seventy-first. This heroic brigade ICON
sisting Of the Thirteenth, Ninth and
Twenty-fourth United States Infantry
speedily crossed the stream and was
quickly deployed to the left Of the lower
ford. While personally experimenting
this movement Colonel Wiffotf was kill
ed. the command of the brigade then
devolving upon Lieutenant Colonel
Worth. Thirteenth Infantry. who inn
mediately fell severely wounded. and
then upon Lieutenant Colonel l-lscum,
Twenty-fourth Infantry. who five min
utes later also fell under the whitening
fire of the enemy. The command of the
brigade then devolyed upon Lieutenant
Colonel f. =. Ewers. Ninth Infantry.
Crossing the lower fork five minutes
later. the Tenth and Second assembled
the high ridge beyond. driving back the
enemy in the direction of his trenches.
Colonel T.. Z. Pearson. Tenth Infantry,
commanding the Second Brigade. ana
the officers and troops under his cOnl-
| manG deserve great credit for the sol
dierly manner in which this movement
| was executed. | earnestly recommend
Colonel Pearson for promotion. Prior
to this advance of the Second Brigade.
the Third. connecting with HAWKINS
gallant troops on the light. had moved
toward San Juan. sweeping through 4
zone of most destructive fire. scaling Il
| steep and difficult hill and assisting in
capturing the enemy's strong position.
Fort San Juan. at 100 p. m. This crest
| was about one hundred and twenty-five
feet above the general level and was
defended by deep trenches and 4 loop
holed brick fort. surrounded by barbed
wire entertainments.
Credit is almost equally due to the
Sixth. Ninth. Thirteenth. Sixteenth and
Twenty-fourth Regiments of infantry.
The Thirteenth Regiment captured t4e
enemy's colors. waving over the fort.
but unfortunately destroyed them. dis
tributing the fragments among the men.
The greatest credit is due to the officers
of my command. whether company. bat
| Talon rauip,aDtu] or hrioa6p command
ers. who so admirably directed the for
nation of their troops. unavOidably in
termiXed in the dense thicket. and made
| the desperate rush for the distant ana
strongly defended crest. / ave already
mentioned the circumstances of my
] Third Brigade's advance across the