The herald., 1898-12-23
On the Work Of Rough Riders
Before Santiago
THINGS WHICH WERE NOT PROVIDED
Included Practically Everything Which Soldiers Might Have
Been Expected to Need From Food for Fighters
to Aid for the Wounded
A.soclated Press Special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.--The war de-
partment made public today two reports
Of Colonel Roosevelt's on the fights of the
First United States volunteers Trough
Riders) in front Of Santiago. One is ad-
dressed to Colonel Wood, commanding, and
The second is to Brigadier- General Wood,
after Colonel Roosevelt took command OF
the regiment.
The war department has hitherto refused
TO make these reports public.
THE FIRST REPORT
; The first report says:
TRENCHES OUTSIDE OFSANTIAGO,
July 4, 1898. Leonard Wood, Commanding
Second Cavalry Brigade: Dear Sir-On
July the regiment, with myself in COM
mand, was moved out by your orders, di-
rectly 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 sunken
road. Here we lost good many men, in
Guiding Captain O'Nei, killed, and Lieuten-
ant Haskell, wounded. We then received
your order to advance and support the
regular cavalry in the attack on the in
trenchments 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 foremost lines of the
regulars. We continued to move forward
until / ordered charge, 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 guerdons of Troops Il and
G were first planted on the summit, though
the first men up were some of A and B
troopers, who were with me. They then
opened fire on the entertainments on a hill
to our left, which some of the. other regi-
mcnts were assailing and which they car
ried few minutes later. In the meanwhile
we were under a heavy rifle fire from the
iutrenchmerlts along the hills to our front,
from whence they also shelled us with a
piece Of field artillery until some OF our
lAArksmen siienced 1t. When the mem got
their wind we charged again and carried
the second line Of intrenchments with a
rush. Swinging to the left, we then drove
the Spaniards over the brow of the chain
OF hills fronting on Santiago. By this time
the regiments were much mixed and we
were under very heavy FIRE, both Of shrap-
mel and from rifles, from the batteries, en-
trenchments and forts Immediately in front
of the city. On the extreme front now
found mysef in command, with fragments
of the Sixth cavalry regiment and the two
batteries under me. The Spaniards made
one or two efforts to retake the line, but
were promptly driven back.
t,s HOLD THE LINE !.
Both General 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 Span
ish intrenchment tools. We had nothing to
eat except what we captured from the
Spaniards, but their dinners had fortu-
nately been cooked, and we ate them with
relish, having been fighting all day. We
had no blankets or coats, and lay by the
tackled us once in the nighA and at dawn
they opened heavy artillery and rifle fire.
Very great assistance was rendered us by
Lieutenant Parker's gatling battery at crit
ical moments. He fought his guns at the
extreme front of the firing line in way
that repeatedly called forth the cheers of
my men. One of the Spanish batteries that
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 considerable period. The Spanish
.Mauser bullets made clean wounds, but
they also used copper -jacketed or brass
jacketed bullet, which exploded, making
very bad wounds indeed.
FOOD GETS SCARCE
Since then we have continued to hold the
ground. The food has been short, and
until today we could not get our blankets,
coats Or shelter tents, while the men lay
al day under the fire of the Spanish bat
teries, intrenchments and guerrillas in trees,
even taking off their shoes; but they are
to carry out any orders they receive.
At the end of the. first day the eight
troops were commanded, two by captains,
three by first lieutenants, two by second
lieutenants, and one by the sergeant whom
you made acting lieutenant,
We went into.the fightabc 400 strong
Eighty-six. were killed or wounded, and
there are half-a-dozen missing. The great
heat prostrated nearly forty men, some of
them among the best in the regiment. Be-
sides Captain O'Neil and Lieut.. Haskell,
Lieutenants Leahy, Devereatx and Cass
were wounded. An behaved with great
eallantry. As for Captain O'Neil, his loss
Is one of the severest that could have be-
fallen tie itpimen., lie was a man III c,ol
head, great executive ability and literally
dauntless in courage.
FIRING AT WOUNDED
The guerrillas in trees not only fred at
our troops, but seemed, to devote them
sclvest especially to shooting at the sur
geons, the hospital assistants with Red
Gross badges on their arms, the wounded
who were being carried in litters, and the
burying parties. Many of these guerrillas
were dressed in green uniforms.
We sent out detail Of sharpshooters
among those in our rear, also along the line
where they had been shooting the wounded.
mid killed thirteen. ~ Z Z
The attempt to give list Of the men