The state herald., 1898-08-05
BATTLEOF SAN JUAN.
HOW 1T WAS FOUGHT.
Graphic Description of Ono of tho Noted
Combats of tho War-Undcr wither
inG Fire Our Boys Scaled tho Steep HILL

When the military statlstician com.
pletes his work and military experts
nnalyze the totals showing the num-
Der OF men engaged and those killed
and wounded 1t will be found that the
battle of San Juan was one of the
bloodlest on record.
San Juan hill is within the outskirts
OF Santiago in front of Campo de
Marti. On 1t Is n block house and line
OF rifle pits, the advanced line of
spanish intrenchments. A triple line
OF Darb-wire entanglements supple
mented the natural and constructed
defenses which crested the hill. 1t
may be put down as fact that the
charge which swept the Spaniards
from this hill and block house was
made, not against orders, but without
orders from any officer commanding a
'division or brigade. 1t was the spon-
tane0us forward movement Of two
Drigades which could not be stopped
or checked until the troops halted,
breathless but victorious, on ton of
San Juan hlll.
In order that the lnyman may nm
.derstand how regiment goes into ne
lion 1t will be necessary to start mt
! the beginning with an individual com
mund and follow 1t through to the
end. On the afternoon of June 31st.
the day before the battle. the Ninth
Z infantry was In camp at Sevilla, three
z and cne-half miles from Siboney,
where 1t had-been for several days. At
1910 O'Clock tlint afternoon the gen
eraf" (bugle calp the signal for break-
. ing camp. was sounded. Camp was
struck at once and the men moved in
light marching order carrying shelter
!. tents. ihlankcts, cantccps. 120 rounds
OF, afninNUition, one days ratior,s In
.haversad fnd the rifle in the direc-
:. .flpn of 3tiago No one In the regi-
mcnts mt thestiine what was up,
Where ~ We're going or anything
else. e1 hat the officers were told
tney W have Il short march that
As.4 Regiment moved ahead 1t
'-fopn1Sctr troops moving also In the
SAME direction, and from the general
>. air >nf activity and hustle the officers
ana men realized something serious
was going to happen soon. That night
about III O'Clock the regiment birou-
acked in an open space by the road-
side, having marched about four miles
The march was very slow because of
the passage of artillery and wagon
trains with ammunition. The rain
Hooded the road and turned part of 1t
into n swamp. Soon after midnight
the command was aroused to draw
three days rations. This still further
confirmed the opinion that n battle
was imminent. A few hours after re-
veille at daybreak the booming of
guns was heard in front. n messenger
gnllopcd mp and the general was
sounded Immediately. In five minutes
the regiment again was pounding
the road" Frequent halts occurred.
and 1t was about . o'clock when wy
koff's brigade composed OF the Ninth.
Thirteenth and Twenty-fourth. formed
In rle Of regiments, column of fours.
In nn open space on the banks OF San
Guiana creek.
At this time there was no sound of
firing. In n few minutes the brigade
moved forward, the Thirteenth lead
Ing. then the Ninth and Twenty
fourth. In column of fours up the trail.
From this point on the story of the
regiment Is told by lieutenant Of
the Ninth Infantry, who gives his
personal experience: