Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-08-04

NEAR SANTIAGO DE CUBA. July 22.-
Major General Shafter having authorized
the publication of the official report of
Brigadcr General J. Ford Kent. of the bat
tie of July /, > ANA g. n certified copy of
the report is now furnished to the Asso-
ciated Press by Major a. c. Sharpe. as
sstant adjutant general. First division.
Fifth army corps. The report is as follows:
HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION,
FIFTH ARMY CORPS. FORT SAN JUAN.
NEAR SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July Z. 1898.
TO Assistant Adjutant General. Fifth
Army Corps. Sir:-I have the honor to sub
nit the following report of the operations
of my command in the battle Of July /:
on the afternoon Of June 80. pursuant to
orders given me verbally by the corps
commander at his headquarters, I moved
my Second and Third brigades Parson and
Wikoff) forward about two miles to point
on the Santiago road near corps headGuar-
tiers. Here the troops bivouacked, the First
brigade (Hawkins) remaining in its camp
| of the preceding two days, slightly in rear
of corps headquarters.
On the following morning. July !. at
O'Clock ! rode forward to the hill where
! Cartain Grimes battery was in position. L
| here met Lieutenant Colonel McClernand.
assistant adjutant general, Fifth corps,
! who pointed out to ME green hill in the
| distance which was to be my objective on
| my left, and either he or Lieutenant Miley,
| of Major General Skaters staff, gave me
| directions to keep my right on the man
road leading to the city of Santiago. l
had previously given the necessary orders
| for Hawkins brigade to move early. to
| be followed in turn by Wikoff and Parson.
| Shortly after Grimes battery opened tire
| | rode down to the stream and there found
| General Hawkins at the head of his brig
| ade at point about go yards from the
FL Paso sugar house. Here 1 gave him
| his orders.
! The enemys artillery now replying
TO Grimes battery. ! rode forward with
| Hawkins about $50 yards. closely followed
| by the Sixth infantry. which was leading
the First brigade. At this point received
! instructions to allow the cavalry the right
of-way but for some unknown reason they
moved up very slowly. thus causing delay
in my advance of fully forty minutes. Lieu
tenant MIiley, of General Skaters staff.
was at this point, and understood how the
division was delayed, and repeated several
times that he understood I was making all
the progress possible. General Hawkins
| went forward. and word came back in a
few minutes that il would be possible to
observe the enemys position from the front.
Immediately rode forward with my staff.
The fire of the enemy's sharpshooters was
very distinctly felt at this time.
/ crossed the main ford of the San Juan
river joined General Hawkins and with
him observed the enemy's position from 4
point some distance In advance of the ford
General Hawkins deemed it possible to turr
the enemy's right at Fort San Juan, but
later under the heavy fire. this was found
impracticable for the First brigade, but Wa:
| NV bo I'd hripaia VI
up later on General Hawkins left.
Having completed the observations will
nv staff I proceeded to join the head o.
my division. just coming under heavy fire
| Approaching the First brigade. l directed
them to move alongside the cavalry (Which
was halted). We We're already sufferin:
Losses. caused by the balloon near by at
tracing fire and disclosing our position.
The enemy's fire. steadily increasing ii
intensity now came from all directions, no
! only from the front and the dense tropica
thickets on our TANKS, but from sharp
| shooters thickly posted in trees in our rear
and from shrapnel apparently aimed a
| the balloon. Lieutenant Colonel DERBY, O
Skaters staff met me about this time an'
informed me that trail or narrow wal
had been discovered from the balloon ;
! short distance back leading to the left of ;
ford lower down the stream. l hastened Il
/.
; the Seventy-tirst New York regiment, o
! Hawkins brigade came up. l turned then
, into the by-path indicated by Lieutenan
Colonel Derby, leading to the lower ford
/ sending word to General Hawkins of thi
movement.
This would have speedily delivered then
. in their proper place on the left of thei
brigade but, under the calling fire of tn
enemy. the leading battalion of this regi
ment was thrown into confusion and re
coied in disorder on the troops in rear.
At this critical moment, the officers o
} my staff practically formed 4 Gordon be
hind the panic-stricken men and urge
them to again go forward. I finally or
: dered them to lie down in the thicket an
/, clear the way for others of their own reg
, iment. who were coming up behind. Thi
l | many of them did, and the Second an
/ Third battalions came forward in battl
5 order and moved along the road toward tn
ford.
p one of my staff officers ran back. wavin
;. his nat TO hurry forward the Third brigade
who. upon approaching the forks. toun
! the way bIockaded by men of the Seventy
first New York. There We're other men {
this regiment Crouching in the bushe.
many of whom were encouraged by III
advance OF the approaching column
arise ana go forward
As already stated. | had received order
:; some time before TO keep i'll rear of III
= cavalry division. Their advance was muC
d delayed, resulting in frequent halts. pr
l., Sumably to drop their blanket rolls, an
= due 10 the natural delay in fordins
h stream. These delays under such a h,
i fire grew exceedingly irksome and | Their,
e fore pushed the head of my division :
= | quickly as | could toward the river
II column or files Of twos paralieled in II
II narrow way ny the cavalry. This quicl
ened tile following movement and enable
| me TO get into position speedily as po
sible for the attack. Owing to the conges
: ed condition of the road. the progress
e the narrow column was. however. painful
( | slow.
e | again sent a staff officer al a gallop
A urge forward the troops in the rear. TT
head off Wikoff's brigade reached the fort
al l-:ao D. IN. and hurried on the left srel
ping over the PROSTATE forms of men
ip the Seventy-iirst. This heroic briyaG
y consisting OF the Thirteenth. Ninth al
81 Twenty-fourth United States infaatr,
T. speedily crossed the stream and Wei
is quickly d, pioyed TO the left of the low,
= ford. Willie personally experimenting th
movement. Colonel Wikoff was killed, II
| command OF the brigade then devovir
& upon Lieutenant Colonel Worth. Thirte1nr
IS infantry, who Immediately fell severe
~ wounded. and then upon Lieutenant Col
re- mel Liscum, Twenty-fourth infantry, VIII
or five minutes later. also fell under the wit
e. ering fire of the enemy. The command
-, the brigade then devolved upon Lieutena
Se Colonel f. p. Ewers. Ninth infantr