The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-23
SECOND REPORT.

The second and more important re-
port is as follows:
Camp Hamilton, Near Santiago,
July 20, 1898
Brig. Gen. Leonard Wood, command
ing Second Brigade Cavalry Divis-
ion.
"Sir-In obedience TO your directions.
| herewith report on the operations
OF my regiment from the LIST to the 18th
instances, inclusive
"As l have already made you two
reports about the first days operations,
| shall pass over them rather briefly.
On the morning of the first day, my
regiment was formed at the head of
the Second brigade by Eel Paso sugar
mill. When the batteries opened, the
Span1ardS replied 20 us with Shrapnel
which killed and wounded several of
the men of my regiment We then
marched toward the right and my reg
iment crossed the ford before the bal
loon came down there, and attracted
the fire of the enemy so at that point
we lost no one My orders had been
to march forward until 1 joined Gen.
LaWtons left wing, but after going
about three-quarters of n mile, was
halted and told to remain in reserve
near the creek by deep lane
The bullets dropped thick among us
and many OF my men were killed or
wounded, among them being Cant.
ONeill, whose loss was a heavy blow
10 the regiment for he was singularly
gallant and efficient officer
Acting Lieut.. Haskell was also shot
at this time. He showed the utmost
courage, and had been of great use
during the fighting and marching. 1t
seems to me some action should be ta-
ken about him.
you then sent me word to move
forward in support of the regular cav
airy. and I advanced the regiment in
column of companies, each company de-
ployed as skirmishers. We moved
through several skirmish lines of the
regiment ahead of us, as it seemed to
me our only chance was in rushing the
entertainments in front instead of fir
ing at them from a distance.
Accordingly we charged the block
house and entertainments on the hill to
our right against heavy fire. 1t was
taken in good style, the men of my regi-
ment thus becoming the first to cap
ture any fortified position and break
through the Spanish lines.
THE guidons of G and E troops were
first at this point, but some of the men
of A and b troops, who were with me
personally got in ahead Of them. At
the last wire fence up this hill l was
obliged to abandon my horse, and after
that went on foot. After capturing this
hill, we first of all directed heavy fire
upon the San Juan hill to our left,
which was at the time being assailed
by the regular infantry and cavalry,
supported by Capt. Parker's gatling
guns
"T3y the time San Juan was taken a
large force had assembled on the hill we
HAD previously captured, consisting of
not only my regiment, but Of the Ninth,
and of portions of the other cavalry
regiments.
1--WE then charged forward, under a
heavy fire across the valley against
the Spanish intrenchment in the hill
in the rear of San Juan hill This
we also took, capturing several pris-
oners. We then formed in whatever Or
der we could and moved forward, driv-
ing the Spanish before US to the crest
of the hills in our front, which were
Immediately opposite the city OF Sanu-
ago itself.
''Here L received orders TO halt and
hold the line of hill crest. 1 had at the
time fragments of the Sixth cavalry
regiment and an occasional infantry
man under me-three or four hundred
men all told. AS L was the highest
rank there, l took command OF all OF
them, and so continued until the next
morning The Spaniards attempted
were easily driven back, and then I'M
til after dark we remained under a
heavy fire from their rifles and great !
guns, laying fiat on our faces on
Capt. Parkers gatling battery
Capt Parkhurst's gatling battery
was run up to the right of my regiment |
and did most excellent and gallant SER
vice. In order 10 charge, the men
had Of course been obliged to throw
I1afr a N "a h.
ing to sleep in and nothing to eat. We
were lucky enough, however, to find
in the last block house captured, the
Spanish dinners still cooking, which we
ate with relish.
THE food consisted chiefly of rice
and peas with a big pot containing
stew of fresh meat, probably for the
officers. We also distributed the cap
tured Spanish blankets as far as they
would go among our men, and gathered
a good deal of Manser ammunition for
the use in the Colt rapid-fire guns
which were being brought up. That
night we dug entertainments across our
front.
cat 8 o'clock in the morning the
Spaniards made another attack upon
us which was easily repealed, and at
rifle and shrapnel fire. We lay all day
long under this, replying whenever we
got the chance.
I'm the evening" at about 8 o'clock, |
the Spaniards fired three guns and then |
opened a very heavy rifle fire, their |
skirmishers coming well forward
got all my men down into the trenches |
as did the other command near me, and |
we opened a heavy return fire. The |
Spanish advance was stopped, and af- |
ter an hour, their fire died away.
"This night we completed most of the |
trenches and began to build bomb |
proofs. The protection afforded our
men was good, and next morning I had |
but one man wounded from the rifle |
and shell fire until Il Aslock when the |
truce came.
II do not mention the officers and men |
who particularly distinguished them
selves, as l have nothing to add in this |
respect to what was contained in my
two former letters. There were nu-
merous Red Cross flags flying in the |
various parts of the city, two of them |
so arranged that they directly covered |
batteries in our front, and for some |
time were the cause of our not firing /
at them. The Spanish guerillas were
very active, especially in our rear,
where they seemed, by preference, to
attack the wounded men who were be-