The herald., 1898-08-06

and turned back but Joined us next day at
| noon by a circuitous route. During all the
day on July 2, the cavalry division, kent's
division and Bates brigade were engaged
with the enemy, being subjected to a fierce
fire and mourning many casualties, and
later in the day Lawton's division also be-
came engaged.
During the entire engagement my staff
performed their duties with courage, judg-
ment and ability. Special credit is due to
Lieut. Col. ]. H. Dorst, Maj. W. A Beach,
Capt. JOS. E. Dickman and Lieut.. NJ. +.
Steel. l desire also to say that Lieuts. Jas
II. Reeves and Jos. Wheeler. jr., Capt.
| VIM. Aston Chanler, Maj. B. A. CARING
ton, Aurelius Mestre and Corporal John
/ Landmark also deserve high commenda-
ton for courage and good conduct.
| Maj. West. my quartermaster, deserves
| special commentator for his energy and
good conduct during the campaign, and
Maj. Nalerey Harvard and Leonard Will
son have also done their full duty.
Capt. Hardie and First Lieut.. p j. Koes-
ter, with Troop G. Third cavalry, were de-
tailed with headquarters and conducted
themselves handsomely under fire. The
superb courage displayed by the officers
and men will be specially mentioned in the
reports of subordinate commanders.
Our losses were as follows:
First brigade: Third cavalry-Killed, 8
men; wounded, 6 officers, II men; strength.
officers, 90; men, 420. Sixth cavalry-Killcd,
4 men; wounded, officers. 50 men; strength,
16 officers AT men. Ninth cavalry-Killed,
2 officers, men; wounded, officers and II
men; strength, II officers, 2N men.
| Second brigade: First cavalry-Kiled,
officer, IL men; wounded officer, Al men;
missing, ! man. strength, q officers, sol
men. Tenth cavalry-Killed, officers, s
men; wounded, officers, So men; missing,
4 men; strength, % officers, AGO men.
First volunteer cavalry-Killed, officer,
- men; wounded 5 officers, II men; miss
ing, man; strength, % officers, SIT men.
Gen. Kents report of the casualties has
been forwarded. There were killed, u
officers, 81 men; wounded, 36 officers, sci
men; missing. GO men.
The strength given in the statement
above Is the aggregate strength of the COM
| mand but as there We're many details the
above figures are about Is per cent greater
than the force actually engaged in battle.
Gen. kent's force on July was about 1900.
| The command has been active in strength
ening their positions. and commanders and
their staffs have thoroughly informed
themselves as to the Typographical fea.
lures of the country and the situation of
the enemy. Very respectfully,
JOSEPH WHEELER,
Major General Volunteers
Accompanying the report Is copy Of the
dispatches which were sent to Gen. Shat
ter by Gen. Wheeler June % and ending
July q On July / at 800 p. m, Gen. Wheel
err writing from San Juan, has the fol-
lowing to say about withdrawing from the
position we have won:
| II examined the line in front of Woods
brigade and gave the men shovels and
| picks and insisted on their going right to
| work. l also sent word to Gen. Kent TO
come and get intrenching tools and saw
| Gen. Hawkins In person and told him the
same thing. They all promised to do their
best. but say the earth is very difficult to
| handle, as a great part of 1t is rocky.
| 1.-THE positions our men carried were very
| strong and the intrenchments were very
| strong. A number of officers have ap-
| pealed to me to have the line withdrawn
| and take up strong position farther back
and 1 expect they will appeal to you.
| have positively discountenanced this as II
would cost us much prestige.
| 1.-THE lines are very thin, as 50 many men
| have gone to the rear with wounds and SO
many are exhausted. but hope these mer
can be gotten up tonight and with our line
intrenched and Lawton on our right we
ought to hold tomorrow, but fear 1t Will
be a severe day. If we can get through
| tomorrow, all right; we can make our
| breastworks very strong the next night.
You can hardly realize the exhausted con-
dition of the troops. The Third and Sixth
| infantry and other troops were up march
ing and halted on the road all night and
| have fought for twelve hours today. and
those that are not on the line will be Gig
ging trenches tonight.
II was on the extreme front line. The
men were lying down and reported the
| Spaniards not more than 800 yards In their
'front.'"
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