The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1898-08-05
Story of the Rough Riders
First Charge.
FOUGHT LIKE VETERANS
Cowboys and MilliOnaires
Side by Side.

Quasimas is the name gwen to the
battlefield where, on June "a, the First
United States volunteer cavalry, better
known as the Rough Riders, received its
baptism of FIRE and behaved with the
coolness and intrepidity of veteran
troops. But all the glory of a decisive
defeat of the Spaniards did not belong
to the Rough Riders, The Tenth cav
airy distinguished itself and some troops
OF the First United States cavalry were
also engaged New Yorker in the
Rough Riders, who witnessed the charge
OF the Tenth up ridge on the right OF
the valley where Colonel Woods regi.
ment seemed to be caught in trap, was
very enthusiastic after the battle over
the dashing style in which the black
troopers went for the position Of the
Spanish and captured it. 81 don't know
wha. kind of cavalry they made" he
said, "but they are glorious success as
infantrymen. There can be no better
soldiers in the world, and yet I used to
doubt whether the negro could fight
with as much dash as the white man."
The First United States cavalry
claims the credit OF having opened the
engagement with the discharge OF
Hotchkiss gun In the direction of force
OF Spaniards which was plainly in view
on the crest Of hill. 1t is said that the
Spaniards did not open fire on the
Rough Riders until few minutes later.
There are two things that should be
said with emphasis before the battle is
described in detail. One is that the
Rough Riders were not ambushed as
that word is generally understood, and
the other is that none Of them was shot
by his comracee in an overlapping line
In the rear. There have been hints
that this happened, but they do serious
injustice to Colonel Wood and Leuten-
ant Colonel Roosevelt, and also to
General Young, who was in command
Of the brigade engaged. The brigade
was part, it should be understood, of
General Wheeler's corps
The night before Quasmas General
Young sent for Colonel Wood of the
Rough Riders and in substance, said to
him Colonel, | have reliable informa-
tion that the Spanisrds have taken
very etroDg position beyond Sevills,
near the junction of the trail over the
mountain at Siboney and the valley
road, and expect to infiict defeat on us
there if we advance. think the bri
gade can fight the first battle of the war
tomorrow morning and drive the enemy
back on Santiago"
General Young got his information
about the position OF the Spaniards from
General Demetrio Costillo's scout, and
1t proved to De correct. Colonel Woods
regiment climbed the hill at Siboney
soon after sunrise, and the Tenth took
the valley road starting later. Behind
the Rough Riders at some distance
marched the First. The country in
which the troops were to operate can
best be described as chaos OF high
hills and mountain peaks. So prodigally
are they Tnassed about that it should not
be difficult for a resourceful and de.
termined enemy to annihilate an in.
vading army. Colonel Woods men
marched with heavy packs at the regu-
lation step and suffered terribly from
the heat Many OF them threw away
their blankets or coats on the way, and
10 per cent fell out, 30 at one tim9 a
considerable ha II was necessary.
The fenth cavalry, Injured to hot
weather matching, went along Cheenly
enough, but when the battle began they
we're some distance behind the Rough
Riders. The Tenth, however had bet.
ter road to marcn over. That which
Colonel Woods regiment took was q
mere trail through the woods, where it
was net always possible for four men to
march abreast, Let it be- understood
that the Rough Riders were proceeding
along one Of the ridges OF which there
are SO many in the valley that ends at
Santiago. The course OF the Tenth was
10 the bottom Of the valley, Overlook.
ing the rldge ON both sides was some
high ground, and in front was consid.
erable hill.
The Spanish position was in the shape
OF horseshoe, 80 that volley firing
could be- detected from three sides on a
regiment advancing along the ridge.
On both sides OF the trail were dense
taickets, in which the giant cactus
known as the Spanish bsyonet presom.
mated, but the trend OF these thickets
was slightly upward on the right and
sharply downward on the left.
Captain 0spron Of the volunteers was
riding at point. or ahead OF the main
body, when ho became aware Of the
presence Of the Spaniards In force On a
hill to the right. He halted his little
body OF men and sent word hack to
Colonel Wood, The latter at once gave
orders to deploy on both sides OF the
trail, and enioined silence, especially on
tue left, where there was some shouting
aud laughing. for the men, tagged out as
they were from heat and marching,