Evening journal., 1898-06-27
THE FIRST BATTLE
Story Of the Engagement
Which Took Place
at SeVilla.
HEAVY SPANISH LOSS.
Thirty-nine Bodies Already Found
and Buried.
CHAFFEE NOW OCCUPIES SEVILLA.
Heroic Work Of the Rough Riders-Bur-
ial Of the Dead Americans-our Army
Now In Camp within Four
Miles OF the Rnemy.

Now In Camp within -Four
Miles Of the Rnemy.
JURAGUA, Cuba, June %, via King
ston. Jamaica, June 27--The initial fight
OF Colonel Woods Rough Riders and the
troopers OF the First and Tenth regular
cavalry VIII be known In history as the
battle OF La Quasina. That II did not
end In perfect slaughter OF Ameri-
cans was not due 20 any miscalculation
In the plan OF the Spaniards, for as per-
feet ambuscade as was ever formed In
the brain OF an Apache indian was pre-
pared, and Lieutenant Colonel Roose-
welt and his men walked squarely into
1t. For 11k hours they held their ground
under a perfect storm OF bullets from
the front and sides. and then Colonel
Wood to the right and Lieutenant Colo
mel Roosevelt TO the left led charge
which turned the tide Of battle and sent
the enemy flying over the hills toward
Santiago.
1t Is now definitely known that 16
men on the American side were killed,
while 60 were wounded, or are reported
to be missing. II is impossible to call
oulate the Spanish losses. but II is
known that they were far heavier than
those OF the Americans, at least as re-
CARDS actual loss OF life. Already 81
dead Spanish soldiers have been found
and buried while many others are un-
doubtedly lying IN the thick underbrush
on the side OF the gully and on the
slope OF the hill where the main body
Of the enemy was located. The wound
ed were all removed.
l..
posted as TO the route TO be taken by
the Americans in their movement to-
ward sevllla was evident, as shown by
the careful preparations they had made.
The main body OF the Spaniards was
posted on a hill, on the heavily wooded
slopes of which had been erected two
blockhouses fianked, by irregular in
trenchments OF stone and fallen trees.
At the bottom OF these hills run two
roads, along which Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelts men and eight troops Of the
First and Tenth cavalry with n battery
Of four howitzers, advanced. These
roads are but little more than gullies,
rough and narrow, and at places almost
impossible. In these trails the fight oc-
Cured Nearly half a mile separated
Roosevelts men from the regulars. and
between them and on both sides OF the
road IN the thick underbrush was con-
caaied a force OF Spaniards that must
have been large, judging from the ter
rifle and constant fire they poured In on
the Americans.
The fight was opened by the First
and Tenth cavalry under General
Young A force of Spaniards was
known to be In the vicinity Of La Qua
sina, and early In the morning Lieu
tenant Colonel Roosevelt's men started
on up the precipitous bluff back Of ST.
honey 70 attack the Spaniards on thell
right flank. General Young at the same
time taking the road at the foot OF the
hill. About 2h miles out from Siboney
some Cubans, breathiess and excited
rushed into camp with the announce.
ment that the Spaniards were but lit.
tie way In front and were strongly in.
trenched. Quickly the Hotchklss gun.
out In the front were brought to tn,
rear, while strong scouting line wat
thrown out. Then cautiously and II
silence the troops moved forward unit
bend IN the road disclosed a hill wherl
the Spaniards were located. The gun
were again brought TO the front an,
placed In position while the mel
crouched down In the road, waiting i'm
patiently to give Roosevelts men, whl
were toiling over the little trail alonl
the crest Of the ridge, time TO get up.
At 1880 a. m. General Young gave tn
command 10 the men at the Hotchkls
guns to open fire. That command wa
the signal for a fight that for stubborn
ness has seldom been equaled. The In
slant the Hotchkiss guns were fire
from the hillside commanding the roa
came volley after volley from the Mau
sers Of the Spaniards.
Don't shoot until you see somethin
TO shoot att" yelled General Young an
the men. with set jaws and gleamin
eyes, obeyed the order. Crawling alon
the edge of the road and protectin
themselves as much as possible froT
the fearful fire OF the Spaniards, tn
troopers, some of them stripped to IN
waist, watched the base OF the hill. an
when any part Of a Spaniard becam
visible they fired.
Colonel Woods men, with an advan,
guard out in front and two Cuban guide
before them, but apparently with I
fankers. went squarely into the trap s.
for them by the spaniards and only Il
unfaltering courage Of the men in q
face OF fire that would even make
veteran Qudli lItNenteu what mlBl
easily have been a disaster As Il wa
Troop L. the advance guard under q
unfortunate Captain Capron. was a
most surrounded. and but for the rec.
forcements hurriedly sent forward e.
cry man would probably have been XII
ed or wounded. "There must have be-
nearly 1900 Spaniards In front and
the sides OF US" said Lieutenant Colon
Roosevelt today when discussing 4
fight They held the ridges with ri
pits and machine guns and hid a boz
OF men In ambush IN the thick jungle
the sides OF the road over which \
were advancing. Our advance qua
struck the men In ambush and dro
them out But they lost Captain Ca
ron. Lieutenant Thomas and about
men killed or wounded.
THE Spanish firing was accurate.