Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-04
Tells of the. Heroic Advance Upon
Santiago.
REPORT OF TEE BATTLE
High Praise for Officers and Men
Under Him.
THEIR ELOQUENT WOUNDS

Copyright. 1898. by the Associated Press.l
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July 22-Majo-
General Shafter having authorized the pub
lication of the official report of the briga-
der general, J. Ford Kent, of the battle
of July /, and s, a certified copy of the
report is now furnished to the Associated
Press by Major A. C. Sharpe, assistant ad-
jutant general LIST Division, 5th Army
Corps. The report is as follows:
Headquarters LIST Division,
Fifth Army Corps. in the Field,
Fort San Juan,
Near Santiago de Cuba. July I, 1898.
THE Assistant Adjutant General, 5th Army
Corps
''Sr: 1 have the honor to submit the fol-
lowing report of the operations of my COM
n.and in the battle of July l:
ION the afternoon of June 80 pursuant
to orders given me verbally by the corps
commander at his headquarters, l moved
my I'd and Sd Brigades Parson and
WikofD forward about two miles to
point on the Santiago road near corps
headquarters. Here the troops bivouacked
the LIST Brigade Hawkins) remaining in
it camp OF the two preceding days, slight
ly in rear of corps headquarters.
Rode to the Hill.
ION the following morning July y at 1
o'clock l rode forward to the HILL where
Captain Crimes battery was in position
l here net Lieutenant Colonel McClernand,
assistant adjutant general, 9TH Army
Corps, who pointed out to me a green
hill in the distance, which was to be my
objective on my left, and either he or
Lieutenant Miley of Major General Shat
ter's staff gave me directions to keep my
right on the main road leading to the city
L.l viz hn
necessary orders to Hawkins brigade to
move early, to be followed in turn by
Wikoff and Parson. Shortly after Grimes
battery opened fire I rode down to the
stream and there found General Hawkins
al the head of his brigade at point about
80 yards from the FL Paso sugar house.
Here | gave him his orders.
1.-THE enemy's artillery was now reply
ing to Grimes battery. L rode forward
with Hawkins about $50 yards, closely fol-
lowed by the 9th Infantry, which was lead
ing the LIST Brigade. At this point l re-
ceived instructions 10 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 Lieutenant Miley of Gen
eral Skaters staff was at this point and
understood how the division was delayed,
and repeated several times that he under
stood | was making all the progress pos
sible.
Observed the Enemy.
Gen. Hawkins went forward and word
came back in a few minutes that it would
be possible to observe the enemy's posi-
ton from the front. l Immediately rode
forward with my staff The fire of the
enemys sharpshooters was very distinct
ly felt at tits time. l crossed the main
ford of the San Juan river, Joined Gen.
Hawkins and with him observed the en-
emy's position from point some distance
in advance of the ford. Gen. Hawkins
deemed it possible to turn the enemy's
right at Fort San Juan, but later under
the heavy fire, this found fmprac-
ticable for the LIST Brigade, but was ac-
compished by the Sd Brigade coming up
later on Gen. Hawkins left.
Having completed the observation with
my staff, l proceeded to join the head of
my division, just coming under heavy fire
Approaching the list Brigade. l directed
them to move alongside the cavalry (Which
was halted). We We're already suffering