The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-06-29
Rough Rider. sho, From Ambush.

Col. Wood at the right and Lieut.. Col
Roosevelt at the left led q charge which
turned the tide of battle and sent the
enemy flying over the hills toward
Santiago.
1t is now definitely known that 10 u sn
on the American side were killed. while
90 were wounded or are reported 70 be
missing. 1t is impossible to calculate the
Spanish losses. but it is known that they
were far heavier than those of the Amer
leans, at least as regards actual loss of
life. Already 81 dead Spanish soldiers
have been found and buried, while many
others are undoubtedly 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
wounded were all removed.
A complete list of the killed on the
American side. revised to o'clock Satur-
day. is as follows:
AMERICANS KILLED.
Capt Allyn X. Capron, First United
States volunteer cavalry; Sergeant Ham
ilton Fish. Jr., Troop L, First United
States volunteer cavalry; Sergeant Do
berty, Troop A, First United States vol
unteer cavalry; Sergeant Marcus Russell
Troop G, First United States volunteer
cavalry. Sergeant Russell lived in Troy.
n. Y, and was formerly colonel on Gov.
HIPS staff. Private Legfett, Troop A.
First United States volunteer cavalry
Private Harry Heffner, Troop g, First
United States volunteer cavalry; Private
Milden w. Danson. Troop L. First United
States cavalry; Private w. T. Irwin, Troop
f, First United States volunteer cavalry;
Private Slennok, Troop f. First Regular
cavalry; Private Krupp, Troop B, First
regular cavalry; Private Stark, Troop A,
First regular cavalry Private Dix, Troop
X, First regular cavalry Private Kelbe,
Troop X, First regular cavalry.
That the Spaniards were thoroughly
posted as TO the route to be taken by the
Americans in their movements towards
Sevilla was evident, as shown by the
careful preparations they had made. The
main body of the Spanisrds was posted
Gu hill, on the heavily wooded slopes of
which had been erected two blOckhouses,
1iauked by irregular entertainments of
stone and fallen trees. At the bottom of
these hills run two roads along which
Lieut. Col. Roosevelt's men and eight
troops OF the First and Tenth cavaly,
with battery Of four howitzers, advanc-
ed. These roads are but little more than
gullies, rough and narrow, and at places
almost impossible. In these trails the
fight occurred. Nearly half a mile sep
arated Roosevelts men from the regulars,
and between them and on both sides of
the road in the thick underbrush was
concealed force of Spaniards that must
have been large, judging from the terrific
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 Quasina, and early in
the morning Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt's men
started off up the precipitous bluff back
of Siboney TO attack the Spaniards, Gen
eral Young at the same time taking the
road at the foot of the hill. About half
mile out from Siboney some Cubans,
breathless and excited, rushed into camp
with the announcement that the Span
iards were but little ways in front and
were strongly entrencheS. Quickly the
| Hotchkiss guns out in the front were
br Jught to the rear, while a strong scout
| ing line was thrown oUt. Then cautiously
and in silence the troops moved forward
until a bend in the road disclosed hill
where the Spaniards were located. The
guns were again brought to the front az d
| placed in position, while the men crouch
cd down in the road. waiting impatiently
to give Roosevelt's men. who were toll
ing over the little trail along the crest of
the ridge, time I, ge. up.
At go a. m. General Young gave the
command to the men at the Hotchkiss
guns to open fire. That command was
the signal for a. fight that has seldom been
equaled. The instant the Hotchkiss guns
were fired, from the hillsides command
ing the road came volley after volley
from the Mausers of the Spaniards.
Don't shoot until you see something to
shoot att yelled General Young. and the
men. with set jaws and cleaning eyes,
obeyed the order. Crawling along The
edge OF the road and protecting the n
selves as much as possible from the fear
ful fire of the Spaniards. the troops, some
of them stripped to the waist, watched
the base of the hill. and when any part Of
Spaniard became visible, they fired.
Never for an instant did they falter.
In the meantime. away of 70. the left
oouid be heard the crack of the rifles of
Colonel Woods men, aud the regular.
deeper-toned volley-firing of the Span
iards.
over there the American losses were
the greatest. Colonel Woods men, with
an advance guard well ont in front and
two Cuban guides before them. apparently
with no flsnkers. went squarely into the
trap set for them by the Spanish, and only
the nnfaltering courage of the men in the
face of a fire that would make even a vet
eran quail. prevented what might easily
have been disaster. As il was, Troop l..
the advance guard under the unfortunate
Capron. was almost surrounded, aud but
for the reinforcemenis huiriedly sent for
ward, every man would have probably
been killed or wounded.
There must have been nearly fifteen
hundred Spanish in front and to the sides
of Us" said Lient. Col. Roosevelt to-day. |
when discussing the fight ''They held |
the ridges with ritie-pits and machine
guns, and hid body of men in ambush |
in the thick jungle at the sides of the |
road over which we we're advancing. Our |
ivAnce guard struck the men In ambush |
and drove them out But they lost Cap |
tain Capron. Lieutenant Thomas. and |
about fifteen men killed or wounded.
''The Spanish firing was accurate, so ae-
curate indeed that it surprised me; aud |
their firing was fearfully heavy.
"I want 10 say word for own men," /
continued Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt. Every |
officer and man did his duty up to the
handle. Not man fiinched."
From another officer who took PROM
inent part in the fighting more details
were obtained. "When the firing began"
said he, Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt took the
right wing with Troops G and X, under
Capts. Hewellyn and jenkins, and NOV
ed TO the support of Capron. who was get
ting il hard. At the same time Col. /
Wood and Maj. Brodie took the left /
wing and advanced in open order on the /
Spanish right wing. Mai. Brodie was
wounded before the troops had ad-
vaneed 100 yards. Col. Wood then took /
the right wing and shifted Col. Roosevelt