The San Francisco call., 1898-08-04
LOST HEART
 UNDER FIRE Record of the Seventy First New York. REPORT OF GENERAL KENT BATTALION NIC-STRICKENA AT
 SANTIAGO. Staff Officers Formed Gordon Be- hind the Men and Thus Pre- vented a Disastrous
 Rout.
REPORT OF GENERAL KENT
BATTALION PANIC-STRICKEN AT
 SANTIAGO.
Copyrighted 1898, by the Associated Press.

Copyrighted. 1898. by the Associated Fress.
 HEADQUARTERS OF THE FIRST DIVISION OF THE FIFTH ARMY CORPS, NEAR SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July 22 Correspondence of the Asso- ciated Press. Major General Shafter having authorized the publication or the official report of Brigadier General T: Ford Kent of the battle of July l, and 3, a certified copy of the report IS now furnished to the Associated Press
 In his report, which is dated July (, General Kent, after detailing the move 1nents which brought on the battle or July 1, gives the first official statement covering certain incidents of that en- gagement.
 During the advance General Kent re- ports the division suffered heavy losses, caused by the balloon near by attract ing the enemy's fire and disclosing the position of the division. Describing the fighting in the vicinity of the main ford of the San Juan River the report says; The enemys infantry fire, steadily in creasing in intensity, now came rom all directions, not only from the front and the dense tropical thickets on our HanEs, but from sharpshooters thickly posted in trees in our rear, and from shrapnel, apparent ly aimed at the balloon.
 Lieutenant Colonel Derby of Shafter staff met me about this time and inform ed me that a trail or narrow way had been discovered from the balloon a snort lower down the stream. l hastened to the forks made by this road and soon after the Seventy first New York Regiment of Hawkins brigade came up turned them into the by path indicated by Lieu tenant Colonel Derby, leading to the lower ford, sending word to General flaw lriT hi l speedily delivered them into their proper place on the left of their brigade, but un- der the galling fire of the enemy the leading battalion of this regiment was thrown into confusion and recoiled in dis order on the troops in the rear.
 At this critical moment the officers of my staff practically formed cordon be- hind the panic-stricken men and. urged them to again go forward. flnally order ed them to lie down in the thicket and clear the way for others. of their own regiment, who were coming up behind. This many of them did, and the Second and Third battalions came forward in better order and moved along the road
 One of my staff officers ran back. way ing his hat to hurry forward the Third forks, found the way blocked by men of the Seventy first New York. There were other men of this regiment crouching in the bushes. many of whom were encour- aged by the advance of the approaching column to arise and go forward.
 AS fafFeHuy SlaCeU, l naG TSCb1VeQ OfQefS some time before to keep in the rear of the cavalry division. Their advance was much slower, resulting in frequent halts. presumably to drop their blanket rolls and due to the natural delay in fording a stream.
 These delays. under galling fire grew exceedingly irkSome, and 1 therefore pushed the head of my division as quick ly as I could toward the river in column or files of twos paralleled on the narrow way by the cavalry. This quickened the following movement and enabled me to get into position as speedily as possible for the attack. Owing to the congested condition of the road the progress of the narrow column was, however, painfully slow.
 I again sent staff officer at a gaIlop to urge forward the troops in the rear. The head of Wyckoff's brigade reached the forks at 1920 p. m. and hurried on the left, stepping over prostrated forms brigade, consisting of the Thirteenth, Ninth and Twenty-fOurth United States Infantry, speedily crossed the stream and lower ford. While personally superintend- ing this movement, Colonel Wyckoff was killed, the command of the brigade then devolying upon Lieutenant Colonel diately fell, severely wounded, and then upon Lieutenant Colonel Liscum, Twen- ty-fourth Infantry, who, five minutes the enemy: The command of the brigade then devolved upon Lieutenant Colonel T. P. Ewers, Ninth Infantry.
 Meanwhile I had again sent staff of ficer to hurry forward the Second Brig ade, which was bringing up the rear. The Tenth and Second Infantry, soon ar irving at the forks, were defected to while the Twenty-first was directed along the main road to support Hawkins.
 Crossing the lower ford few minutes later, the Tenth and Second moved for in in cron6 order iowa rd the green knoll already referred to as my objective on the left. Approaching the knoll the regiments deployed, passed oyer the knoll and descended the high ridge beyond driving back the enemy in the direction of his trenches. I observed this move from the fort on San Juan hill
 Colonel F. r. Pearson, Tenth Infantry, commanding the Second Brigade, and of f1cers and troops under his command, de- serve great credit for the soldierly man ner in which this movement was exc cuted I earnestly recommend Colonel Pearson for promotion.
 Prior to this advance of the Second Bri- gade, the Third,-~ connecting with flaw kins' gallant troops on the right, moved toward Fort San Juan, sweeping through a zone of most destructive fire, sealing the steep and difficult hill and assisting in capturing the enemy's strong position, Fort San Juan, at 1:30 D. m. This crest was about 125 feet above the general level and was defended by deep trenches and a loopholed brick fort, surrounded by barbed wire.
 The greatest credit is due to the off, cers of my command, whether company, battalion, regiment or brigade com manders, who so admirably directed the formation of their troops, unavoidably intermixed in the dense thicket, and made the desperate rush for the distant and strongly defended crest.
 General Kent praises the members of his staff and urges that they should at least be brevetted for gallantry un- der fire, and he particularly praises the conduct of T. J. Kirkpatrick, as- sistant surgeon, on duty with the Twenty-fourth Infantry, and First Lieutenant J. D. Miley, Fifth Artillery aid to General Shafter. The conduct of Brigadier General H. s. Hawkins is also highly commended.