The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-12-21

House, they heard heavy firing at the
b,ockhouse. This led chem to suppose
that the blockhouse had not yet fallen
when they reached the crest of the
ridge. However, the infantry said that
they fred from the captured blockhouse
and vicinity upon the retIeating Span
sards and at their second line. Many
valiant feNowssof Wil;o6e's and Haw-
kins' hrigades fell after the blockhouse
was in the possession Of tbs Americans.
Among these was Lieutenant Ord OF
Hawkins staff, who broke away from
his leader IN order To 80 in with the
men Of hisown regiment, the Sixteenth.
Ord's conduct that day was heroic, his
death most tragic. When the brigade
Ssas nc the creek, deploying for the at
tack, be had said BY Way Of encourage
ment, g You can take il in 80 minutes. .
Maicr Forse Of the First cavalry, who
went forward with his battalion after
3 the capture os kettle hill, was also
I killed
Tie infantry reformed lines at the
bloclshouse and took position to resist
counter attack, which little later was
threatened from the Spaniards in front.
sThe blockhouse was q brick building,
Ioopholed, with trenches on each flank
and IN 'front.' West Of it, toward Santl-
ago, the ground falls into deep depres-
SION Six hundred yards westward, on
both sides Of the main road to Santiago,
the Spanish had strong works On the
American right and left of this depres-
sion the heights are abrupt, and pos
session of these was essential to the
holding Of the blockhouse as well as OF
Kettle bill, because the heights on
the American right of the blockhouse
itself are higher than Kettle hill.
AS soon as the cavalry took possession
3 Of Kettle hill, as already described,
many of the soldiers had rushed for
ward to the west crest and opened with
their carbines upon the Spaniards
around the heights in front. Majors
and captains got their batta1ions and
troops together and with cheer charged
forward. Two troops of the Third cav
airy, led by Major Vessels, Captains
Morton, Hunter and Morgan, dashed
straight for the building known as the
San Juan House. The Ninth and Tenth
cavalry, with part of the rough riders,
seemed to strike for the house. but
owing to distractions the line became
mixed. On this charge. there weIe some
5 casualties. Captain Bigelow and Lieu
tenant Roberts ofthe Tenth We're wound
ed in charging down from Kettle hill
into the swale, and Captain Mccoy
was wounded in ascending the ridge.
CAPTAIN O'Neil. Of the rough riders, was
killed. Soon after reaching the house
Major Vessels and Captain Hunter OF
the Third were hit. The fall Of Major
Vessels left the command of the regi-
ment in the hands Of Captain Morton.
Troops I and B, under Boughton and
Dugan, coming up from San Juan block.
house, joined, and Morton pushed for
ward 265 yards to the crest of the ridge.
The Ninth and part of the rough riders
were of to the righs of that point, and
Captain Galbraith, with Lieutenant
Berkeley and two troops Of the First
cavalry. was also there.
The Sixth cavalry had kept in touch
with the infantry all the way up the
hill to San Juan bIockhouse, and, reach
ing the crest, was on the left Of the
Tenth. Thus tne cavalry had strong
line upon the highest part of the ridge
extending from the Santiago road north
ward toward the Ell Caney road, ready
to form connection with Lawton's left,
according to plan. These troops imme-
diately began intrenohing, some using
tin plates and fingers, and others, es-
pecially the Tenth cavalry, tools brought
along on their backs. The right Of the
line was under fire from blockhouse
off toward the Ell Caney road. Parker
took his guns up the hill, and, under
the direction of cavalry officers, used
them with good effect. It was believed
at the time that the Spaniards were
reacy for counter attack. The Ninth
cavalry on the right Of the line, being
only one battalion strong, asked for help
from the infantry, and finally Kent sent
to its assistance some of the blockhouse
victors-nameIy, the Thirteenth infan-
try.
AS San Juan blockhouse was situated
on the crest of the bridge 60 advance
was made by Wikoff's and Hawkins
troops. They ;nrerched the line from
the San Jnan road, ths Sixth cavalry
position, southwark, using for this work
the Krag.Jorgensen bayonet, which Is
simply very heavy knife with blade
about an inch and half wide. Haw-
d:ns' brigade, which had lost the heavl-
est Of any in clim bing the hill and was
also weakened by the detection of some
hundreds of volunteers, had been