Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-29

Col Roosevelt
the first days operations briefly. The
capture of San Juan hill is described
as follows:
you sent me word to move forward
iu support OF the regular cavalry.
advanced the regiment in columns of
companies. We moved through sew
eral skirmish lines Of the regiment
ahead of us. We charged a block
house and entrenchsnents on the hill
to our right against a heavy fire. 1t
was taken in good style, the men of
my regiment thus being the first to
capture any fortified position and
break through the Spanish line. AT
the last wire fence up this hill | was
obliged to abandon my horse and after
that went on foot. After capturing
this hill we first Of all directed heavy
fire upon San Juan hill to our left
By the time San Juan was taken,
| large force had assembled on the hill
we had previously captured, consisting
not only of my own regiment, but the
9th and portions of other cavalry regi-
ments. We charged forward under a
heavy fire across the valley against
the Spanish entertainments on the hill
in the rear of San Juan hill. This we
also took, capturing several prisoners.
We then formed in whatever order we
could and moved forward, driving the
Spanish before us to the crest of the
hills ~ our front which were
Immediately opposite Santiago Here
I received orders to halt
and hold the crest Of the hill. I had at
that time three or four hundred men
all told. | took command of all of
them and SO continued until the next
morning. The Spaniards attempted to
make counter attack that afternoon,
but were easily driven back, and then
until after dark we remained under a
heavy fire from their rifles and great
guns, lying fiat on our faces on the
gentle slope just behind the crest. In
order to charge, the men had been
obliged to throw away their packs; we
had nothing to sleep in and nothing to
eat. We were lucky enough, however,
to find in the last blockhouse captured
Spanish dinners still cooking, which
we ate with relish. That night we
dug entertainments across the front
At o'clock in the morning the Span
iards made another attack upon us,
which was easily repulsed, and at
o'clock they opened the day with a
heavy rifle and shrapnel fire. All day
long we remained under this, replying
whenever we got a chance. In the
evening the Spaniards fired three guns
and then opened very heavy rifle fire,
the skirmishers coming well forward.
got all of my men down into the
trenches as did the other command
near me; we opened heavy return
fire, and the Spaniards' advance was at
once stopped. After another hour the
fire died away. This night we COM
pleted most of the trenches and began
to build bomb proofs. The protection
morning l had but one man wounded
from rife and shell fire until IL o'clock
when the truce came. For the next
seven days, until the 10th, we lay in |
our line while the truce continued. We
had continued that week at making
bomb proofs. Medical supplies were
lacking and the men suffered again.
The officers Clipped in and bought
beans, tomatoes and sugar so they
might have some relief from the bacon
and hard tack. With great deal of
difficulty we got them coffee. As for
the sick and wounded, they suffered so |
in the hospitals when sent to the rear
for the lack of food and attention that |
we found it best to keep them at the
front and give them such care as our |
own doctors could. Thirteen of our
wounded men continued to fight |
through the battle in spite |
of wounds. On the 10th |
the truce was at an end and |
the bombardment reopened. AS far as
our lines were concerned it was strong, |
but on the Spanish part feeble. We
suffered no losses. On the 18th we
moved three-quarters of mile to the
right, the truce again being on Moth /
ing happened here, except that we con-
tinued to watch and did our best to ger
our men, especially the sick, properly
fed, and having no transportation and
being able to get hardly any through
the regular channels, we used anything
that we could find in the shape of cap
tured Spanish cavalry horses and
abandoned mules, which had been shot,
but which our men took and cured,
diminutive skinny ponies purchased
from Cubans. etc. By these means and
by the exertions of the officers. we were
able from time to time to get supplies