The age-herald., 1898-09-30
DUFFIELD GIVES
 LONG REPORT On the Operations of His Command
 Around Santiago. -I LE M iauILI ALEI 1 OiAL EI-lL l
TAKEN WITH YELLOW FEVER
And on That Account Was Unable to
 Render Report E1rlier.
TROOPS AT GREAT DISADVANTAGE
TheOld Spring gfelds ith'Smokey Pow der Revealed Their Positions to the Enemy, Who Were Hid-
 den Behind Underbrush.

Washington, September 29.-Brigadier- General Henry M. Duffleld, commanding the separate brigade of the Second army corps, has submitted to the war department his report of the operations of his command during the Santiago campaign. The report which was made public by the department tonight, is in part as follows:
 Headquarters Separate Brigade, Second Army Corps, September A.-Lieutenant- Colontl E. J. McClelland, Assistant AdJu- tant- General, Fifth Army Corps: Sif:-I have the honor to submit the following re- port of the operations of the above com mand during the campaign at Santiago. l was taken sick with yellow fever and re- moved to the yellow fever hospital at Sib- oney on the 18th of July, and just received the official orders and papers relating there to, which is the reason of my delay.
 On June 30 reported to you at headquar- ters at the front (SiboneO and received di- rections as to the part to be taken by me with the Thirty-thrd Michigan in the in tended battle of the following day. Thest' were to relieve General Bates, in command of the port at Siboney, who was to proceed with his two regiments to the front forth- with on the next day (July D. was 10 proceed with the Thirty-third Michigan 10 the bridge at Aguadores along the rai.road with a view to attracting the attention or the Spanards and preventing them rom attacking your left flank.
 The Troops Disembarked
 The command was embarked on the rall- road train at 3:S0 a. m, July l, In two sections. On arriving at point about mile east of Aguadores bridge ana out or view of the enemy, disembarked the troops and sent back the train Tor the re- mainder of the regiment. While waiting for their arrival I personally reeonnol- tered the position with the captain or the Cuban outpost and Private Hines rom the beginning of the trestie at the east end of the railroad cut and also from the hill on the north side of the track. Cap tain Alger, Captain McMilan and Lieuten- ant Pound, of my staff, also reeonno1tered the position by my direction l also ex- amined the locality with Captains Alger and McMillan from the sea shore at the mouth of the river.
 The river Aguadores not Tar above th1S point joins San Juan river, which at the bridge is from 600 to 700 feet wide and not fordable. Its banks on both sides are quite high and precpitous. The enemy which I estimated from detail l saw form ing in the parade ground of the fort while I was examining the locality, to be about DUU strong, were posted III lHS pilS along the bank of the river on both sides of the railroad and in the block house and the fort These entrenchments were so strongly made that the shots from the Gloucester failed to dismantle or seriously injure them and they were so placed that they protected the troops in them from any fire from seaward. The ground, like that about Santiago, was covered with heavy underbrush and so thick that it was im- possible for troops to move even in column ~f tt1x. completed the remainder of my forces had come up about 930 a.. m., making a force of about 900 men. 1 directed Colonel Boyn- ton to send forward a line of skirmshers, supporting them with battalion. The SkifmiSher5 went forward under command o. Lieutenant Mcdonald and the battalion in command of Lieutenant Colonel Schmidt or 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 the track about hundred yards west of the water tank
 Loss of Two Killed
 In crossing in the railroad cut to take it's position Company L suffered loss of two killed and three wounded. I had estab- lished signal communication with the Glou- cester which prepared for their advance by rapid firing which did not, however pre- vent vigorous and effective reply by the enemy to the fire of our skirmishers. Our
 
 their Springfield rifles and smokey powder at once discovered their location to the enemy, while the latter were armed with Mausers and smokeless powder. The ene- my's artillery directly commanded the ap- proach to the river by the railroad cut and trestes, one gun being placed opposite and in line with them. The Aguadores end of the bridge had been blown up for 50 feet or more, and I had no boats or other modes of crossing. Captain Alger, of my staff, volunteered to lead a party of men and swim across, but in my judgment this was impracticable.
 In these operations, I desire to commend for personal bravery and sold'..~ly courage Captain Alger and Acting 4Sle-de-Camp A. c. Milan, who volunteered ade Lieutenant J. Pund, Thirty-th I'd Michigan volunteers, acting aide-de-camp and Lieu tenant H. G. Brown Company F, Thirty third Michigan, acting ordnance officer. I also feel it my duty to call attention to the efficient services of Major c. B. Nancrede, chief surgeon, who volunteered h,s ser vices and Major Vaughn, regimental sur geon and First Lieutenant Bailey, assist ant surgeon. These officers attended promptly and skillfully to the work in which they were engaged, exposing them- selves to the fire of the enemy. submit in this connection the report of Colonel Boynton, commanding the Thirty third Michigan infantry.
 The Demonstration Renewed The demonstration was renewed July 2 by a battalion under command of Major Webb, Thirty-third Michigan, with a loss of one fatally wounded. The United States i steamship Harvard had, on July 1. arrived with the remainder of my brigade, consist ing of the Ninth Massachusetts and the remaining two battalions of the Thirty | fourth Michigan. and I was directed by you Ito bring all the troops at Siboney. recruits and engineers to my camp. where | you saw me yesterday before daylight" Those directions were subsequently, modi-