Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-04

|
| aimed al the balloon. Lieut.. Col. Derby
| of Skaters staff met ME about this time
and informed me that a trail or narrow way
had been discovered from the balloon a
short distance back leading to the left of q
| ford lower down the stream. | FASTENED to
the forks made by this road and soon after
the list New York Regiment of Hawkins
brigade came up | turned them into the
| by-path indicated by Lieut.. Col. Derby
| leading TO the lower ford sending word TO
| Gen. Hawkins of this movement This
would have speedily delivered them in their
proper place on the left of their brigade
| but under the CALLING fire of the enemy
the leading battalion of this regiment was
thrown into confusion and recoied in dis
order on the troops in the rear.
Panic-stricken Soldiers.
"At this critical moment the officers of
my staff practically formed Gordon be-
hind the panic-stricken men and urged
| them TO again go forward. 1 finally order
| ed them to lie down in the thicket and clear
the way for others of their own regiment,
who were coming up behind This many of
them did and the I'd and 3D. Battalions
came forward in better order and moved
along the road toward the ford. One of my
staff officers ran back, waving his hat TO
hurry forward the I'd Brigade, who upon
approaching the forks. found the way block
ed by men of the list New York There
We're other men Of this regiment crouch
| ing III the bushes. many of whom were en-
couraged by the advance of the approach
ing column to arise and go forward
las already stated, / had received or
dcrs some time before to keep in rear OF
the cavalry division. Their advance was
much delayed. resulting in frequent mats,
presumably to drop their blanket rolls
and due to the natural delay in fording
stream. These delays under such a hot
fire grew exceedingly irksome, and l there
fore pushed the head of my division as
quickly | could toward the river in
column files of twos, paralleled in the
ened the forward movement and enabled
me to get into position as speedily as pos
sible for the attack
stepped over Them.
owing to the congested condition of the
road the progress of the narrow column
was, however painfully slow. I again sent
staff officer at a gallop to urge forward
the troops in rear. The head of Wikoff's
brigade reached the forks at 12:20 pm,
and hurried to the left stepping over
PROSTATE forms of men of the list This
heroic brigade Consisting of the 18th, 9Th
| and oath United States Infantry speedily
crossed the stream and were quickly de-
ployed to the left of the lower ford.
While personally experimenting this
movement Colonel Wikoff was killed, the
command of the brigade then devolving
upon Lieutenant Colonel Worth, 18th In
fantry who Immediately fell severely
! wounded, and then upon Lieutenant Colonel
later, also fell under the whitening fire OF
the enemy. The command of the brigade
then devolved upon Lieutenant Colonel T.
p. Ewers, 9th Infantry. Meanwhile 1 had
again sent a staff officer to hurry forward
the I'd Brigade which was bringing up the
rear. The 10th and I'd Infantry, soon ar
irving at the forks, DETECTED to the
left to follow the Sd Brigade, while the
2lst was directed along the main road TO
support Hawkins.
Crossing the lower fork a few minutes
later the 10th and I'd moved forward in
column in good order toward the green
knoll, already referred to my objective
on the left. Approaching the knoll the
regiments deployed passed over the knoll
and ascended the high ridge beyond driv-
ing back the enemy in the direction of his
trenches. | observed this movement from
the fort on San Juan hill.
Praise Given.
Colonel f. P. Pearson. 10th Infantry,
commanding the ID Brigade, and the Off
GERS and troops under his command de-
serve great credit for the soldierly man.
ner in which this movement was executed.
L earnestly recommend Colonel Pearson for
promotion. Prior to this advance of the
I'd Brigade the Sd. connecting with Haw-
kins gallant troops on the right had
moved toward Fort San Juan. sweeping
through a zone of most destructive fire
scaling a steep and difficult hill and as
Sisting in capturing the enemy's strong
position. Fort San Juan, at 80 pm This
crest was about 10 feet above the general
level and was defended by deep trenches
and loopholed brick fort surrounded by
barbed-wlre entanglements
General Hawkins some time after 1
reached the crest, reported that the 9th
ana 10Th Infantry had captured the hill.
which L now consider Incorrect ana credit
IS almost equally due the 9Th 9Th 18th
10Th and 24th Regiments of Infantry Iyy-
ing TO General Hawkins representations |
quarters about 3 pm. that the Gin and
10Th infantry Regiments had captured the
hil The 18th Regiment captured the enc
my colors. waving over the fort bur un-
fortunately destroyed them distributing
the fragments among the men because
as was asserted, it was a bad omen two
or three men having been shot while as
slsting Private Arthur Agnew Comn,pv X
Ism infantry, the captor. All fragments
which could be recovered are s,Ih,ni+,ad
with this report
His Gallant Officers.
The greatest credit is due to the officers
OF my command, whether company, battal-
ion, regiment or brigade commanders. who
so admirably directed the formation of
their troops, unavoidably intermxed in the
dense thicket, and made the desperate rush
for the distant and strongly defended crest
have already mentioned The circum-
stances of my 3D. Brgades advance across
the ford, where in the brief space of ten
minutes it lost its brave commander O6ilIed1
and the next two ranking officers bv dis
abling wounds.
Yet, in spite of these confusing condi-
lions, the formations We're effected without
hesitation, although under a singing fire
companies acting singly in some circun-
stances and by battalion and regiments in
others, rushing through the jungle. across
the stream waist deep, and over the wide
bottom thickly set with barbed wire en-
Engagements. In this connection | desire
to particularly mention First Lieutenant
Wendell l.. Simpson, adjutant, 9th Infan-
try, acting assistant adjutant general 3D.
Brigade, who was noticeably active and
efficient in carrying out orders which | had
given him to transmit TO his brigade COM
mander, who no longer existed.
The enemy having retired TO a second
line of rifle pits, | directed my line to hold
their positions and intrench. At ten min
utes past pm l received almost stimuli
taneously two requests, one from Colonel
Wood, commanding a cavalry brigade and |
one from General Sumner, asking for as
sistance for the cavalry on my right, as
they were hard pressed. 1 Immediately
sent to their aid the 18th Infantry who
promptly went on this further mission de-
spite the heavy losses they had already
sustained.