The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-04
First Definite Statement of the Panic
Among "a Portion Of the Seventy
First New York Regiment.
REITERATED IN DISORDER
UNDER A CALLING FIRE AND WERE
ORDERED TO HIDE IN THE JUNGLE,
But Later Recovered Their Courage
and Went to the Front-Praise for
Many Gallant Men and Officers.

Correspondence Associated Press (Copyright.)
SANTIAGO DE CUBA. July 22.-Major
General Shafter having authorized the pub
LEGATION of the official report of Brig. Gen.
]. Ford Kent of the battle of July !, 2 and
3, a certified copy of the report is now fur
rished to the Associated Press by Maj A
c. Sharpe, assistant adjutant general, First
Division, Fifth Army Corps. The report
follows:
Headquarters First Division, Fifth A. c.,
In the Field. Fort San JUAN
Near Santiago de Cuba, July T.
ITO the Assistant Adjutant General. Fifth Army
Corps
"Sir-I have the honor to submit the fol-
lowing report of the operations of my COM
mand in the battle of July L. On the after
noon of June 80. pursuant to orders given
me verbally by the corps commander at his
headquarters, moved my Second and
Third Brigades (Parson and Wikoff) for
ward about two miles to a point on the
Santiago road near corps headquarters.
Here the troops bivouacked. The First
Brigade CHawkins) remained in it's camp
on the two preceding days, slightly in rear
of corps headquarters.
ION the following morning (July u at z
o'clock I rode forward to the hill where
Captain Grimes's battery was in position
l here met Lieutenant Colonel McCiernand
assistant adjutant general, Fifth Corps
who pointed out to me a green hill in the
distance, which was to be my objective, on
my left, and either he orrLieutenant Miley
of Major General Skaters staff, gave me
directions to keep to my right on the main
road leading to the city of Santiago. had
previously given the necessary orders for
Hawkins's brigade to move early, to be fol-
lowed in turn by Wikoff and Parson
Shortly after Grimes,s battery opened fire
1 rode down to the stream and there found
General Hawkins at the head of his brigade
at point about 500 yards from the Eel Paso
sugar house. Here 1 gave him his orders
1.-The enemy's artillery was now replying
to Grimess 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 a delay
in my advance of fully forty minutes. Lieu
tenant Miley of General Skaters staff, was
at this point and understood how the divi-
sion was delayed, and repeated several
times that he understood / was making all
the progress possible 9. ea
THE ENEMY'S RIGHT TURNED.
General Hawkins went forward, and
word came back in a few minutes that it
would be possible to. observe the enemy s
position from the front. / Immediately rode
forward with my staff. The fire of the en-
emy's sharpshooters was very distinctly
felt at this time. I crossed the main ford
of the San Juan river, Joined General Haw-
kins, and with him observed the enemy s
position from a point some distance in adj
vance Of the ford. General Hawkins deemed
it possible to turn the enemy's right at
Fort San Juan, but later, under the heavy
fire. this was found impracticable for the
First Brigade but was accomplished by
the Third Brigade coming up later on Gen
eral Hawkins's left.
Having completed the observation with
my staff, proceeded to join the head of
my division, just coming under heavy fire.
Approaching the First Brigade, directed
them to move alongside the cavalry (Which
was halted. We were already suffering
losses caused by the balloon near by at
tracing fire and disclosing our position.
The enemy's infantry fire, steadily in
creasing in intensity now came from all
directions, not only from the front and the
dense tropical thiekets on our TANKS, but
in our rear, and from shrapnel apparently
aimed at the balloon. Lieutenant Colonel
Derby. of Skaters staff, met me about
this time and informed me that trail or
narrow way had been discovered from the
balloon a short distance back leading to
the left of a ford lower down the stream
I FASTENED to the forks made by this road
and soon after the Seventy-first New York
Regiment, of Hawkinss brigade, came up
l turned them into the bypath indicated
by Lieut.. Col. Derby leading to the lower
ford, sending word to General Hawkins of
this movement This would have speedily
delivered them in their proper place on the
left of the brigade, but under the CALLING
fire of the enemy the leading battalion of
this regiment was thrown into confusion
and recoiled in disorder on the troops in
the rear AT this critical moment the off,
GERS of my staff practically formed a cor
don behind the panic-stricken men and
urged them 70 again go forward. / finally
ordered them to lie down in the thicket and
clear the way for others of their own regi-
ment, who were coming up behind. This
many of them did and the second and third
battalions came forward in better order and
moved along the road towards the ford
One of my staff officers ran back waving
his hat to hurry forward the Third Brigade
who upon approaching the forks found the
way blocked by the men of the Seventy
first New York. There were other men of
this regiment crouching in the bushes,
many of whom were encouraged by the
advance of the approaching column to arise
and go forward.
IRKSOME DELAYS.
'.As already stated j had received orders
some time before to keep in rear of the
cavalry division Their advance was much
delayed, resulting in frequent halts, pre-
sumably to drop their blanket rolls and due
to the natural delay in fording a stream.
These delays. under such a hot fire, grew
exceedingly irksome and therefore pushed
the head of my division as quickly toward
the river In coluinR Or Hles Of twos, paral-