Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-12-24

ing the ieanIng regiments breast OF the
Tenth and First cavalry, the rear of
Wheeler division. When General Kent
was asked at Montauk to tell of the
storming of San Juan heights, be said,
"We were ordered to take the heights,
and we took them. In so saying the
general plunged into the thick Of the
battle Of words which has been stirred
up over this very point Of orders. Yet
he paid high tribute to the line off,
GERS and men. He said that it was a
soldiers fight Ragimental command
ers did noblv. but, owing to the ground,
could not see their full commands.
Company officers had to act, and did,
with good effect.
Kents story is that at o'clock on
the morning Of July he went to the
hill where Grimes battery was in posi-
tion before Grimes opened fire, and
there Colonel McClernand, representing
General Shafter, pointed out a green
hill in the distance as Kent's objective,
on the left, he being instructed to keep
his right on the main road leading to
Santiago. The green knoll is on the
same ridge as the San Juan blockhouse,
some hundred yards south of that point,
which is near the road, and therefore
the objective of Kent's right flank.
Kent had already sent Hawkins bri-
gade forward, and shortly after Grimes
battery opened, which was before 8
O'clock he rode on and came up with
Hawkins and his leading regiment, the
Sixth infantry. At that point he was
ordered to give the cavalry the right of
way, which caused delay Of his ad-
vance 40 minutes. During that delay
Hawkins and Kent went to the front
under the fire of sharpshooters and
crossed the main ford of San Juan riv-
er, already reached by the advance
guard of the cavalry division, the Ninth
regiment They looked through the
fringe of trees and saw the enemy's po-
sition. Hawkins thought he could turn
the enemy's right at San Juan, but
Kent did not agree with him and de-
cided to put two brigades into column
for direct attack. Going backward to
hurry his troops, he met them just as
they came under a heavy fire not only
from the front, but from the dense
lCh6l Ou ltlG UaIhS anu lkOlA bhdi
shooters in trees in the rear Of the NOV
ing troops.
The balloon was abreast Of the head
of his division, and shrapnel aimed at
| it fell among his men. The observers in
the balloon pointed out to Kent trail
parallel with the road on its left The
Sixth and Sixteenth regiments were al
ready in the road, past the forks of the
trail, and Kent went back and directed
the Seventy first regiment into the trail.
| to be followed by Wikoff's brigade, IN
support of Hawkins. The Seventy first
became a stumbling block in the way of
| Wikoff's advance, and it was noon
when the head of Wikoff's brigade
reached the fording place.
When the Sixth regiment reached
| the ford, Hawkins was there and said
n to Colonel Egbert, its commander,
Somewhat beyond here you can get
an enfilade fire on those works, aud
| Lieutenant Ord will show you where
| to go in. The works on San Juan
| heights were within view. Marching to
| the front the Sixth formed on the left
| of the Sixth cavalry behind the fringe
of trees, directly opposite San Juan
blockhouse. Colonel Egbert looked oveI
the ground in his front, and, finding
that the cavalry piekets were being fired
upon by Spaniards in the houses in
front, sent out four companies az skir
mishers to re- enforce the troopers. These
companies drew heavy fire from the
Spanish front. This halt was made be
tween the Aguadores and San Juan
Continued next week.