New-York tribune., 1898-09-30
GEN DTFFIELD'S REPORT.
THE PART HIS COMMAND TOOK IN THE
FIGHTING AROUND SANTIAGO.


Washington Sept 2s.-Brigadier-General Henry
" Duffeld commanding the separate brsade OF
the Second Army Corps. has submitted to the war
DEPARTMENT his report NJ the operations OF MS
command in the Santiago campaign. The report
which was made public by the Department u"
night was delayed owing To General Duhiein nav
ing been attacked by yellow fever ana removed ~
the hospital from Siboney on July 10 Aiter sta'i"s
the fact Of the landing Of his command at oioones
from tho Yale General Duffed's report says Ms
orders were 10 proceed with the 33d Michigan
from Siboney 20 the bridge at Aguanores d"'""
the railroad by the sea. with view or a''racu''S
the attention Of the Spanards In that direcuo" anu
preventing them from attacking our lei' mann
HIS report describes the execution Of this o'oer
as follows
,rain =, 39o a. m July / The ist and part OF me
2d Battaons formed the hrsi secton. ~ az nom
mard on on, train on arriving at a poin' aoous ,eT
mile east OF Aguadores bridge ana ns nu' and sent
hack tho train for the remainder of tne regmr,n, ,
had seen the locally; ;annroIired ann The po,
sion with the captain Of the Cuoan ouros rs,o '', ~
Private Hines from me t npgl'in nu, and also from
the h on the north side Of the lrack pppnnd ~
nv M San also reconnoi,red the postion ny my ai
recton also examined TIE l1canty WIZ ,ho 1r,omth
Algor and Mcmillan from the seashore Al '''e "'''''
of the river. - -. ..,.,
rh. rt,cr Aguadorcs not far above this poin' JOINS
the san Juan River which at the bridge Is rom s,N
hundred 10 seven hundred feet wide ana nor io'u
able Its hanks on both sides are anl'' "'.' 'ID
nre,initous The enemy. which ! estimated from
n detail saw forming In the parade groun" :" '''
for, uhuo | vac examining the locality 70 M apou'
eva hundred strong posted In the rihe plts
along the bank OF the river on both sides OF 'n'
railroad and In the hlockhouso and the ror'E iheS
entertainments 50 strongly mad" that inc sho,s
from the Gloucester failed 10 dismanue or seriously
90
rro,o,,od III. troops IN them from any hr" from
seward The ground like that about santiago
was covered with heavy underhrush ana SO 'n'cA
that n was impossible for troops to move even III
column OF tours.
AMERICANS FOUGHT AT DISADNANTA"E'
When this examination was completed the re-
r,olndc- o.. my force had come up about go a. m.
making n force Of about nine hundred men d.
roctcd Colonel Roynton to send forward line of
skrmishers supporting them with Il battalion
The skirmishcrs went forward under command ~
Lieutenant Mcdonald. and tho battalion under
command Of Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt, on each
side of the railroad and advanced toward the river
The remainder of the regiment WAS put In position
in the woods on each side Of tho track. about a
hundred wards west Of the water tank. In crossing
tho railroad cut 10 take its position Company l.
suffered a loss Of killed and three wounded
had established signal communication with the
| Gloucester. which prepared for their advance by
/
vigorous and effective reply by the enemy 10 the
fire q, our sklrmishcrs our troops were a, great
Disadvantage because their Springfield rifles and
smoky powder made known their location 10 IN"
enemy while tho latte. were armed with Mausers
ard smokelcss powder The encmy's artillery di-
rectly command ndcd the approach 10 the river by the
railroad cut and res'lcs. one gun being placed op-
posiic and in line wita thcm.
The Aruadores end OF the bridge had been blown
NJ for nfty feet or more. and ! had no boats or
/ other means of crossing. Captain Ager. Of my
staff. yount,t rod TO lead party OF men and swim
across but in my judgment this was impractcabe.
therefore directed Colonel Boynton to have Lieu
tenant Schmidt push his battalion forward to the
position shown on the accompanying map and open
fre vigorously. This he did promptly. The en-
/ omy's artillery began shelling the railroad track
and the woods while our troops were getting IN
/ position and during the entire engagement with
the exception of few shore Intervals. when inter
ruptcd by the Are from tho Gloucester. AZ i2'S
T. IN my skirmishers reported that the enemy
were receiving rcnforcemcnts. The demonstration
was continued until about p. m. when L!euten-
ant-Colonel schmidt battalion was withdrawn
and re,oncd the second and hird hattallons of the
regiment The cuban outpost resumed their posi-
lion and the train which used In the morning
then took back to Slbcney. which WAS entirely un-
guarded the second and third battalions and mos,
Of the wounded !, returned soon afterwsrd lqr
Tho cnt'ro regiment was I'm Sboney by = IN,
The casualties were two enlisted mrh Nlleo ana
six wounded
GAII.ANTRY OF TROOPS PRAISED
The behavior Of the troops most commend
able Although 1t Was their hrst experience under
fro and the enemys artillery opened nre very sud
denly and cncctively no faltcred or turned
/ backward ! beg leave To mention the following
members Of nv STAN for courag"ous and oihciHnt
pii, Wi1cos Garain Frederick " Ascr. Captain
James II. Mc.iilian. Ti"uicnant j. n Pound ana
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