Evening star., 1898-09-30
ATTACK ON AGUADORES
General Dufield Describes the Work of His
Brigade.
Bridge Over the Stream Was Broken
Gallantry of the Volunteers
Under Fire.

SOipS, IDS SupiilltSu " the w al Dtpttit
ment his report of the operations of his
command during the Santiago campaign.
The report, which made public by the
department last night, follows:
Headquarters Separate Brigade, I'd Army
Corps, September "A.
Lieut.. Col T.. }. McClernand, Assistant
Adjutant General, 5th Army Corps.
Sir: l have the honor to submit the fol-
lowing report OF the operations of the above
command during the campaign about San
lago, Cuba. l was taken sick with yellow
fever and removed to the yellow fever
hospital from Siboney the 10th of July,
and have only just received the official or
ders and papers relating thereto, which is
the reason OF my delay.
Pursuant to orders from the commanding
general of the army through Maj. Gen.
Graham, commanding I'd Corps, | arrived
on the U. S. S. Yale at Siboney, Cuba, at
am on the 9th of June 1895 with the
35d Regiment, Michigan Infantry Nolun-
teers, Col c. l.. Boynton commanding, and
the 1st Battalion of the 34th Michigan In
fantry Volunteers Maj. Winans command
ing, and reported to you on board the U.
S. transport Seguranca off Daiquiri. De-
barkation of the troops, each man carrying
one hundred rounds of ammunition, was
completed at pm, but the ratons were
not all unloaded until the morning Of June
%.
Object of the Movement.
On June 80 l reported to you at your
headquarters at the front and received di-
rections as to the part to be taken by me
with the 33d Michigan in the intended bat
tie of the following day. These were to
relieve Gen. Bates, in command of the post
at Slboney, who was to proceed with his
two regiments to the front forthwith. On
the next day July u l was to proceed with
the 33d Michigan from Siboney to the
bridge at AguadOres. along the railroad by
the sea, with a view of attracting the at
tention of the SDaniards in that direction
and preventing them from attacking your
left flank.
1t was late in the day when 1 returned to
Siboney, and the troops did not get the
necessary rations issued to them until 30
a m. The command was embarked on the
railroad train at $50 am July l. The 1st
and part of the I'd battaliOns formed the
first section. as there were not sufficient
cars to take the entire command on one
train. On arriving at IL point about d mile
east of Aguadores bridge and out OF view
of the enemy, L disembarked the troops and
sent back the train for the remainder of the
regiment. l had never seen the locality,
and while waiting for their arrival | per
sonally reconnotered the position with the
captain of the Cuban outpost and Private
Hines, from the beginning of the rrestle at
the east end of the railroad cut and also
from the hill on the north side of the track.
Capt. Alger, Capt. Mcmillan and Lieut.
Pound of my staff also recCnnoitered the
position by my direction. | also examined
the locality with Capts. Alger and McMi-
ian from the SeaShOre at the mouth of the
river. l annex an accurate sketch of the
locality made by Lieut.. George l.. Harvey
adjutant, 33d Michigan, after the occupa-
ton of ASuadores by our forces.
Position of the Enemy.
The river Aguadores, not far above this
point, joins the San Juan river, which at
the bridge is from six to seven hundred
feet wide and not fordable Its banks on
both sides are quite high and precipitous.
The enemy, which l estimated from de-
tail l saw forming in the parade ground of
the fort, while l was examining the locali-
ty, to be about five hundred strong We're
posted in the rifle pits along the bank of
the river on both sides of the railroad and
in the block house and the fort. These in
trenchmentS were so strongly made that
the shots from the Gloucester failed to dis
mantle or seriously injure them. and they
were so placed that they protected the
troops In them from any fire from seaward.
The ground, like that about Santiago, was
covered with heavy underbrush and so
thick that it was impossible for troops to
move even in column of fours.
When this examination was completed
the remainder of my force had come up
about $50 am, making a force of about
800 men, l directed Colonel Boynton to
send forward a line of skrmishers, sup
porting them with battalion. The skr-
mishers went forward under command of
Lieutenant Mcdonald and the battalion in
command of Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt
on each side of the railroad and advanced
toward the river. The remainder of the
regiment was put In position in the woods
on each side of the track about a hundred
yards west of the water tank. In cross
ing the railroad cut to take it's position L.
Company suffered loss of two killed and
three wounded.
End of Bridge Blown Up.
l had established signal communication
with the Gloucester, which prepared for
their advance by rapid firing which did
not, however, prevent a vigorous and eff
fective reply by the enemy to the fire of
our skirmishers. Our troops were at great
disadvantage, because their Springfield
rifles and smoky powder at once discovered
their location to the enemy, while the lat
ter were armed with Mausers and smoke
less powder. The enemys artillery direct
~ commanded the approach to the river
by the railroad cut and tresties, one gun
being placed opposite and in line with
them The Aguadores end of the bridge
had been blown up for nifty feet or more
and had no boat or other mode of cross
ing Captain Alger of my staff volunteered
to lead a party of men and swim ACROSS