The times., 1898-08-06
WHEELER At SANTIAGO
Report ON the Gallant Fight OF
fhe Cavalry Division.
"LIrTLs OLD FIGHTING JOE"
He Would Not Listen TO a Sugges-
tfon of Retreat, Hut Held and In
Others Thought Unite nabie - a
Brave Soldiers Simple Story.

Wheeler is a copy of the dispatches which
were sent to Gen. Shafter by Gen. Whee-
,er, beginning June Is and ending July 2.
On July ], at $40 p. M, Gen Wheeler.
writing from San Juan, has the follow
ing to say about Withdrawing from the
position we had won:
II examined the line in front of Woods
brigade and gave the men shovels and
picks and insisted on their going right
to work l also sent word TO Gen. Kent
TO come and get intrenching tools, and
saw Gen Hawkins in person and told
him the same thing. They all promised
10 do their best, but say the earth is very
difficult. as a great part of it is rocky.
The positions our men carried were very
strong and the intrenchments were very
strong.
No Retreat for Him.
"A number of officers have appealed to
me TO have the line Withdrawn and take
up a strong position farther back, and i
expect they will appeal TO you. / have
positively discountenanced this, as il
would cost US much prestige.
1.-The lines are very thin, as so many
AAASH hoNS 6ObC ~ AiAN itei WIN
and so many are exhausted, but ] hope
these men can be got up tonight, and.
with our line intrenched and Lawton on
our right, We ought 10 hold tomorrow,
but ] fear il will be a severe day. If we
can get through tomorrow all right we
can make our breastworks very strong
the next night.
You can hardly realize the exhausted
condition of the troops. The Third and
Sixth Cavalry and other troops were up
marching and halted on the road all last
night and have fought for twelve hours
today, and those that are not on the
line will be digging trenches tonight
II was on the extreme front line. The
men were lying down and reported the
Spaniards not more than 800 yards in
IheiE front"
The following is the full report of Gen.
Wheeler on the operations before Santi-
ago de Cuba:
"Forward the Light Brigade"
Before Santiago, Cuba, July Z, 1895.
ITO Adjutant General, Fifth Army Corps:
"Sir: After the engagement of June 2i
] pushed forward my command through
the valley Lawton's and hents COM
mands occupying the hills in the vicinity
OF that place. After two days rest Law
ton was ordered forward, and on the
night Of the 3ath instructions were given
by Mai Gen. Shafter to this officer to
attack Caney, while the cavalry division
and Kents division were ordered to move
forward on the regular Santiago road.
The movement commenced on the morn
ing of July /. The cavalry division adj
vanced and formed its line with its left
near the Santiago road, while Kent's di-
Vic with ifS right
joining the left of the cavalry division.
''Col. McClernand, of Gen. Skaters
stan, directed me TO give instructions TO
Gen. Kent which ! complied with in per-
son, at the same time personally directing
Gen. Sumner TO move forward. The men
were compelled 10 wade the San Juan
River to get into the line. This was done
under very heavy fire of both artillery
and infantry. Our balloon having been
sent up right by the main road, was made
q mark of by the enemy. 1t was evident
that we were as much under fire in form
ing the line as we would be in an ad-
vance, and I therefore pressed the com
mand forward from the covering under
which it was formed. 1t merged into
open space in full view of the enemy. VINO
occupied breastworks and batteries on
the crest Of the hill which oyerlooks San
tiago, officers and men falling at every
shot.
''The ID Yankees Are Running.,,
The troops advanced gaIlanrIy. soon
reached the foot of the hill and as
cended, driving the enemy from their
works and occupying them on the crest
Of the hills. To accomplish this REQUIRED
courage and determine ton on the part
OF the officers and men of high order,
and the losses We're very severe Too
much credit cannot be given TO Gen. Sum
ner and Gen. Kent, and their gallant bri-
gade commanders, Col. Wood and Col.
Carroll, of the cavalry, Gen Hamilton 6.
Hawkins, commanding First Brigade;
kent's division, and Col Pearson. com
manding Second Brigade Col. Carroll
and Major Vessels were both wounded
during the charge, but Major Vessels
was enabled TO return and resume COM
mand. Gen. Wyckoff commanding Kent's
Third Brigade, was killed at l2:I0. Lieut..
Col Worth took command, and was
wounded at R-l5; Lieut.. Col Liscom then
took command, and was wounded at I2:2O.
and the command then devolved upon
Lieut.. Col. Ewers. Ninth Infantry. Upon
reaching the crest l ordered breastworks
10 be constructed, and sent 10 the rear
for shovels, picks, spades and axes.
Dead on Their Feet
The enemy's retreat from the ridge
was precipitate, but our men were so
thoroughly exhausted that it was i'm
possible for them to follow Their shoes
were soaked with water by wading the
San Juan River, they had became drench-
ed with rain, and when they reached
the crest they We're absolutely unable
10 proceed farther Notwithstanding this
condition, these exhausted men labored
during the night to erect breastworks,
furnish details TO bury the dead and
carry the wounded back in improvised
itters.
y sent word along the line that re-
endorsements would soon reach us and
that Lawton would join our right and
that Gen Bates would come up and
strengthen our left After reaching the
crest OF the ridge. Gen. Kent SEM the
Thirteenth Regulars to assist in strength
ening our right. AT midnight Gen. Bates
reported. and / placed him in a strong
position on the left of our line Gen.
Lawton had attempted to join rs from
Caney. but when very near our lines he
was fired upon by the Spaniards and
turned back, but Joined us next day at
noon by a circuitous route During all
the day on July q the cavalry division.
Kents division and Batess brigade were
engaged with the enemy, being subjected
10 fierce fire and incurring many cas-
ualties, and later in the day Lawton's
division also became engaged
A Good Word for All
During the entire engagement my staff
performed their duties with courage,
judgment and ability. Special credit is
due to Lieut. Col. ]. H. Dorst. Major
William d. Beach, Capt Joseph E. Dick