The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-23

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2g.-The war
department to-day made public two re-
ports Of Colonel Roosevelt on the Hghts
OF the First United States volunteer
cavalry (Rough Rtders) in front of San
tiago. The first is addressed to Colonel
Wood. commanding, and the second to
Brlgadler General Wood, after Colonel
Roosevelt took command OF the regl-
ment. The war department has hlth-
erto refused to make these reports pub
lie. The second and more important
report dated Santiago July 20, Is as fol-
lows:
an obedience to your directions.
herewith report on the operations Of my
regiment from the LIST to the 18th lnsts.,
inclusive.
"As have already made you two re-
| ports about the first days operations, l
shall pass them over rather briefly. ON
the morning of the first day my regi-
( ment was formed at the head Of the
second brigade by the I'll Paso sugar
mill. When the batteries opened, the
Spaniards replied to us with shrnpnel,
/ which killed and wounded several OF
the men Of my regiment. We then
marched toward the right and my regl-
ment crossed the ford before the bal
loon came down there and attracted
the fire Of the enemy, so that ut that
| point we lost no one. My orders had
| been to march forward until l Joined
General Lawton's left wing, but after
going about quarters OF mile,
| I was halted and told to remain in re-
serve near the creek by a deep lane.
The bullets dropped thick among US for
I the next hour while we lay there and
many OF my men were killed or wound
/ ed. Among the former was Captain
| O'Nelll, whose loss was very heavy
blow to the regiment, for he was q SIN
( gulRrly gallant and efficient officer.
/ Acting Lieutenant Haskell was also
shot at this time. He showed the ut
most courage and had been Of great use
during the fighting and marching. It
| seems to me some action should be
taken about him. You then sent me
word to move forward in support Of the
| regular cavalry and / advanced the reg
| iment In column OF companies, each
| company deplOyed as skIrmishers. We
| moved through several sldrmish line OF
| the regiment ahead OF u.s. as 1t seemed
4 to me our only chance was in rushing
the entertainments In front instead OF
firing ut them from distance.
That Gallant Charge.
Accordingly we charged the block
house and entertainments on the hill to
our right against a heavy fire. It was
taken in good style. the men Of my reg
iment thus being the first to capture
any fortified position and to break
through the Spanish line. The Suidons
OF G and T. 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. AZ the last wire
| fence up this hill; was obliged to nban-
don 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 assalled by the regular
| infantry and cavalry supported by
| Captain Parker's gattling guns. BY
the time San Juan was taken a large
force had assembled on tho hill we had
| previously captured, consisting not only
| Of my own regiment, but of the Ninth
and of portions of other cavalry regi-
ments. We then charged forward un-
der II very heavy fire across the wiley
against the Spanish entrenchments on
the hill In the rear OF the Sun Juan hill.
/ lnlB We HlhO luOht capturing bENEAdl
| preisOnerS We then formed In what
| ever Orde. we could and moved for
ward, driving the Spanish before us TO
the crest OF the hills In our front, which
were Immediately opposite the city Of
| Santiago itself. Here l received orders
| to hale and hold the line Of hill crest,
| ] had at that time fragments of the
Sixth cavalry regiment and an occn-
SiOnal infantTymHn under me-three or
| four hundred men all told. As was
| the highest there, took command OF
all Of them and SO continued until next
morning. The Spanlards attempted to
make q counter attack that afternoon,
| but were easily driven back, and then
| until after dark We remained under n
| heavy fire from their rifles and great
| guns, lying fiat on our faces on gentle
slope Just behind the crest. Captain
Parkhursts gattllng bnttery was run
up to the rigt OF my regiment, and did
most excellent and gallant service. In
order to charge the men had. OF course,
been obliged to throw away their packs,
and we had nothing to sleep In and
nothing to eat.
Ate spaniards' Dinner.
eve were lucky enough, however, to
flnd in the last block house captured,
the Spanish dinners still cooking, which
we ate with relish. They consisted
chiefly OF rice and peas. with big pot
containing n stew OF fresh meat, prob
ably for the officers. We also dlBtrib-
uted tho captured Spanish blankets MS
| far as they would go, among our men
and gathered good deal OF Mauser
ammunition for the use in the Colt
rapid fire gun which was being brought
| up. Tint night we dug entertainments
| across our front. At 3 o'clock I'm the
morning the Spanlnrds made another
attack upon us which was easily re-
PEELED and at 4 they opened the day
| with heavy rifle and shrapncl fire.
"All day long we remained under this,
replying whenever we got the chance.
In the evening at about 8 O'Clock the
| apaniRrds fired three guns md then
opened very henvy rifle fire, their
| HlEirmlshers coming well forward. l
| got nil my men down Into the trenches
| as did the other command near me, aud
| we opened a heavy return FIRE. The
| Spanish advance was mt once stopped
and after an hour their fire died away
This night we completed most OF our
trenches and began to build bomb
proofs. The protection afforded TO our
men was good and next morning had
but one man wounded from tho rifle
and shell ilro until II o'clock when the
truce came. 1 do not mention the Oiil-
Cora and men who particularly dlstin-
| Eulshcd themselves. ns | have DOthing
! to udd In thts respect 30 what was con-
talned In my two former letters
"Thcrc were numerous Rcd Crosn
| flHgs flying In the various phrtH Of the
| aeua ~ Hn "a