The Indianapolis journal., 1898-09-30

igan Infantry Volunteers, Major Winahs
commanding, and reported to you on board
the United States transport Siguranca. off
BaiQuiri Debarkation of the troops each
man carrying 100 rounds of ammunition,
were not all unloaded until the morning of
June 80.
headquarters at the front and received di-
rections to the part to be taken by me
with the Thirty-third Michigan in the in
tended battle of the following day. These
were to relieve General Bates, in command
of the post at Siboney, who was to proceed
with his two regiments to the front forth
ceed with the Thirty-third Michigan from
Siboney to the bridge at Aguadores along
the railroad by the sea, with view OF at
tracing the attention of the Spaniards in
that direction and preventing them from at
tacking your left flank.
1T was late in the day when 1 returned
to Siboney, and the troops did not get the
necessary rations issued to them until l 80
a. m. The command was embarked on the
railroad train at $3.50 a. m. July j. The frst
and part of the second battalions formed
the first section, as there were not sufficient
cars to take the entire command on one
east of Aguadores bridge and out of view
OF the enemy l disembarked the. troops and
sent back the train for the remainder of the
regiment / had never seen the locality
and while waiting for their arrival l per-
sonally reconnoitered the position with the
captain of the Cuban outpost and Private
Hines from the beginning of the trestle at
the east end of the railroad cut, and also
fron the hl on the north side Of the track ae,
tenant Pounds. of my staff, also recon-
noitered the position by. my direction |
Alger and Mcmillan, from the seashore at
the mouth of the river. l annex an accu-
rate sketch of the locality, made by Lieut.
George L. Harvey. adjutant Thirty-third
Michigan, after the occupation of Aqua
dores by our forces.
ENEMY WE'LL INTRENCHED.
"The River Aguadores, not far above this
point, joins the San Juan river which, at
the bridge, is from six to seven hundred
feet wide and not fordable. It's banks or
both sides are quite high and precipitous.
The enemy which l estimated from detail
l saw forming in the parade ground of the
fort, when l was examining the locality,
to be about five hundred strong, were
posted in the rifle pits along the bank of
the river on both sides of the railroad and
in the blockhouse and the fort. These in
trenchments were SO strongly MADE that
the shots from the Gloucester failed to dis
mantle or seriously injure them, and they
were so placed that they protected the
troops in them from any fire from seaWard.
The ground, like that about Santiago, was
covered with heavy underbrush and so thick
that it was impossible for troops to move
even in column of fours. When this examl-
nation was completed, the remainder Of my
force had come up about 9;30 a. m, making
a force of about nine hundred men. dl-
rected Colonel Boynton to send forward
line of skirmishers. supporting them with
battalion. The skirmishers went forward
under command of Lieutenant Mcdonald
and the battalion in command of Leuten-
ant Colonel Schmidt on each side OF the
railroad. and advanced towards the river.
The remainder of the regiment was put in
position in the woods on each side or the
track about hundred yards west OF the
water tank.
I'm crossing the railroad cut to take its
position Company l. suffered loss OF two
killed and three wounded had established
cfC Gloucester.
which prepared for their advance by rapid
firing, which did not, however, prevent
vigorous and effective reply by the enemy
to the fire of our skirmishers. Our troops
were at great disadvantage, because their
Springfield rifles and smoky powder at once
discovered their location to the enemy,
while the latter were armed with Mausers
and smokeless powder The enemys artil-
lery directly commanded the approach to
the river by the railroad cut and trestles,
one gun being placed opposite and IN line
with them. The Aguadores end of the bridge
had been blown up for fifty feet or more
and / had no boats or other mode of cross
ing CAPTAIN Alger, Of my staff volunteered
to lead party of men ana SWIM across
but in my Judgment. this was lmpracI-
cable l. therefore, directed Colonel Boyn-
ton to have Lieut. Col Schmidt push his
battalion forward to the position shown on
the accompanying map and open fire Wig
orously. This he did promptly. The enemys
artillery began shelling the railroad. track
ting in position and during the entire en-
gagement, with the exception of a few
short intervals when interrupted Dy the Ire
from the Gloucester
THE RETREAT.
cat 1905 o. m. my skrmishers reported
that the enemy were receiving reinforce
ments The demonstration continued
until about p. M. when Colonel Schmidt's
battalion was withdrawn and rejoined the
second and third battalions of the regi-
ment The Cuban outpost resumed their po-
sition and the train which was used in the
morning then took back to Siboney, which
was entirely unguarded. the second and
third battalions and most of the wounded.
1t returned soon after for the hrSt battal-
ion and the rest of the wounded. The entire
regiment in Siboney by p: m. The
casualties were two enlisted men killed and
six wounded.
commendable Although it was their first
experience under fire. and the enemy's ar
tillery opened fire very suddenly and q G ef-
ward. / beg leave to mention the following
members of my staff for courageous and
Capt c. Dewitt Wilcox. A A. G.; Capt.
Fred M. Alger. A. A.. G: acting aid-de-
camp; Capt James H. Mcmillan. A. 9. M,
who volunteered as aid Lieut.. j. II.
Paund Thirty-third Michigan Volunteers.
acting A. D. C C., and Lieut.; G. II. Brown,
Company F. Inirfyothirdf I'M IN M1lc;higan, @ acting
call attention to the efficient services of
Maj. Charles B. Nancrede, chief surgeon,
VINO volunteered MS services, ana Major
Vaughn. regimental surgeon, and First
Lieutenant Bailey, assistant surgeon. These
officers attended promptly and skllfully to
the wounded where they fell. exposing
themselves to the fire of the enemy while
so doing. submit in this connection the
report of Colonel Boynton, commanding the
Thirty-tEird Michigan Infantry
1.-The demonstration was renewed July
by battalion under command of Major
Webb Thrty-third Michigan, with 2 loss
of one fatally wounded. The United States
ship Harvard had on July / arrived with
the remainder of my brigade, consisting of
the Ninth Massachusetts and the remaining
two battalions of the Thirty-fourth Michi-
gan. and | was directed by you to bring all
the troops at Sboney, recruits and en-
gineers. to my camp, where you saw me
yesterday before daylight. These drec-
was directed to send the Ninth Massachu-
setts and Thirty-fourth Michigan forward
and remain in command at Siboney with the
Thirty-third Michigan. As none OF the Of
ficers of the two former regiments was ac-
quainted with the locality mentioned in
your order, / sent them forward under the
conduct of Captain Ager.
July / was relieved of the command of
| the post of Siboney by Major General
Young and applied to you for permission TO
come to my two regiments at the front but
remaining regiments arrived. General
| Young was taken i'll and left for the United
| States on transport July 4, and turned the
| command over to me. July Captain Will
| cox was taken i'll with yellow fever. Capt.
| Alger took his place and performed its
duties most satisfactorily.
ION the 8th Of July was taken Ill, but