The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-06-30
BY 4 Brave CHARGE.
How Rough Riders Routed
the Enemy at La
Qausina.
NUMBER OF DEAD SIXTEEN.
Over Sixty Troopers We're
Wounded or Are Re-
ported Missing.

Jaragua, Cuba, June %, via Kings
ton, Jamaica, June 26.-The initial
fight of Col. Woods Rough Riders and
the troopers of the First and Tenth
Regular Cavalry will be known in his
tory as the battle of La Quasina. That
it did not end in the complete slaugh-
ter Of the Americans was not due to
any miscalculation in the plan of the
Spaniards, for as perfect an ambuscade
as was ever formed in the brain of an
Apache Indian was prepared, and
Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt and his men
walked squarely into it. For an hour
and half they held their ground I'M
der perfect storm Of bullets from the
front and sides, and then Col. Wood at
the right and Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt at
the left, led a charge which turned the
tide Of battle and sent the enemy flying
over the hills toward Santiago.
1t is now definitely known that six
teen men en- the American side were
killed, while sixty were wounded or
are reported to be missing. 1t is i'm
possible to calculate the Spanish losses,
but it is known that they were far
heavier than those Of the Americans,
at least as regards actual loss of life.
Already thirty dead Spanish sol
| diers have been found and buried,
while many others are undoubtedly ly.
ing in the thick underbrush on the
sides of the gully and on the slope of
the hill, where the main body of the
enemy was located. The wounded
were allremoved.
ENEMY HELD STRONG POSITION.
That the Spaniards were thoroughly
posted as to the route to be taken by
the Americans in their movement to-
ward Sevilla was evident, as shown by
the careful preparations they had made,
The main body of the Spaniards was
posted on hill, on the heavily wooded
slopes Of which had been erected two
blockhouses, fanked by irregular in
trenchments of stone and fallen trees.
At the bottom of these hills run two
roads, along which Lieut.. Col. Roose-
velt's men and eight troops of the First
and Tenth Cavnlry, with battery of
four howitzers, advanced. These roads
are but little more than gullies, rough
and narrow, and at places almost i'm
passable. In these trails the fight &C.
CURED. Nearly half mile separated
Roosevelt's men from the regulars, and
between them and on both sides Of the
road, in the thick underbrlsh, was
concealed force Of Spaniards that
must have been large, Judging FROM
the terrific and constant fire they
psHred in on the Americans
The fight was opened by the First
and Tenth Cavalry, under Gen. Young.
A force of Spaniards was known to be
in the vicinity of La Quasina, and
early in the morning Lieut.. Col,
RoOssvelt's men started off up the
precipitous bluff back of Siboney to at
tack the Spaniards on their right flank.
Gen. Young at the same time taking
the road at the foot of the hill.
DISCOVERED BY CUBAN SCOUTS.
About two and half miles out from
SibOney some Cubans, breathless and
excited, rushed into camp with the an
nouncement that the Spaniards were
but a little way in front, and we're
strongly eutrenched. Quickly the
Hotchkiss guns out in the trent were
brought to the rear, while strong
scouting line was thrown out. Then.
cautiously and in silence, the troops
moved forward, until a bend in the
road disclosed hill. The guns were
again brought to the trent and placed