The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-23

WASHINGTON. Dec. 22.-The war de-
partment today made public two reports
of Col. Roosevelt on the fights Of the
First United States volunteer cavalry
CRoush Riders) in front Of Santiago.
one is addressed 10 Col Wood, COM
manding and the second is TO Gen. Wood.
after Col. Roosevelt took command Of
the regiment. The war department has
hitherto refused to make the reports
public.
The first report says:
Trenches outside OF Santiago. July 1.
1895. Col. Leonard Wood. commanding
Second cavalry brigade:
''Sir-On July the regiment, with my
self in command, was moved out by your
orders. directly following the First bri-
gade. Before leaving the camping ground.
several OF cur men were wounded By
sirrapnel. After crossing the river at the
ford We moved along and up the right
bank, under fire and were held In reserve
at u sunk road. Here We lost "a good
many men including Capt. We'll killed
and Lieut.. Haskell wounded. We then
received your order to advance ana sup
port the regular cavalry in the attack on
| the intrenchments and block houses on the
| hills to the left. The regiment was de-
moved forward until We came to the rear
| most lines of the regulars. We continued
| 10 move forward until / ordered a charge,
| ana the men rushed the block house and
| rifle pits on the bill 10 the right of our
advance. They did the work in fine
shape, though suffering segere.y; the
suidons OF Troops Il and 6 were .rst
| planted the summit. though the first
/ men Zip We're some OF A and b troopers
NTH VIC NF.a fLarr tslR Ara.
| on the intrenchments on hin to our
| left which some OF the other regiments
| were assailing and which they carried a
| fow minutes later. Meanwhile we were
/ under a heavy fire from the intrench-
monts along the hills 10 our front from
| whence they also shelled with piece Of
/ field artillery until some of our maTksmen
/ sHenced IL. When the men got their wind
| We charged again and carried the second
| line Of iutrenchments with rush Swing
| ing to the left we then drove the Spanish
| over the brow of the chain Of hills 'front.'
| ing on Santiago by this time The reGi-
| ments were much mixed and were
| under very heavy fire. both Of shraQnel
and from rides. from the batteries. in
| trencanonts auu forts Immediately in
/ front of the city. ON the extreme front
| nov found myself in command, with
! fragments NJ the six cavalry regiments
| and two batteries under me.
''The Spaniards made one or TWO efforts
| To retakp the i0e. but were promptly
| driven back. Both Gen. Sumner and YOU
sent ne word 10 hold the line az all haz-
| ards and that night we dug line OF In
| trenchrlents across our front. using TIA
| captured Spanish intrenchment tools. we
| lad nothing 10 eat except what We cap
! tnred from the Spaniards. bat their dinners
! had fortunately been cooked. and We ate
/ them with relish. having been fighting al
/ DAY we had no blankets or coats, and
/ lay n the trenches all night.
The Span;ards attacked rs once in th-
/ night. and q; 3awn they opened a heavy
ar..llery and rife FIRE. Very grea, assist
| aace was rendered Us hy Lieut. parksr's
| Ga;liug battery At critical moments. II,
| fought ais guns At the extreme front "a,
the firing line in 4 way that repeatedly
! called fortA The cheers * nay men. One
/ u :he Spanish batteries which was used
| against Us vas directly n front ~ the hos
/ rI;a} 50 that the Red Cross flag few ove'
the b4ttery. saving II from our fire for q
/ considerable period The Spanish Mausel
bullets made clean wounds. bat they alsC
used = "copper" 1aCketei or brass jackefct
/ bullet which exploded. making very bat
wounds indeed,
| since ;hen We have continued n ho}t
| the ground. the food has been short. ans
| untl today We could not get our blanket:
| or shelter tents while the msa lay all dag
under the fre q the Spanish batteries
~. tatr~nchmen:s and guerrillas IL th.
trees. ard worked all night IN tae trenches
! never taking or their shoes. hut they ar,
IN excellent spirits ard ready and anNJou.
! "a carry out any orders they receive. 4
ths end - the frs day the eight troops
were commanded. Two by captains. thre.
/ hv first Neutenants. tWo ~ second Eeu
tenants ana ane by TIE sergeant whom
you made ac1nE lieutenant,
We vent .ate re Sight about 40 strong
/ e5cAty-sgx Mere Killed cr wounded ar
/ the-e are half dozen missing The g~ea
/ hear pros1r8te1 nearly torty rssu. sugne 81
| sne Ness In the regiment Besides Capt
j o'NsG ard I4epb Haskell Tisuts fsahy
/ pevereAUx ard CsSr we're wounded A.
! behaved VIII great gsi.autry. As for Capt
/ 0Ne8 hts loss Is one q the severest sha
/ could Atye hefalica our regiment jis wa
. a man of cod head. great executive abll
/ i.v as1 literally daunt,eSs courage.
The Eyeyvillss 81 ;1c ;rees 70, only fret
/ AZ our troops hu: seeEne3 % aeyate them
/ selves to shooting a. th~ Surgeons TIE h1S
I p.sa1 ass.Stants wt:E Red C'r3ss baaAaGe
+ on tHel- arms the wounded who were be
+ tne carried la litters, an1 the htrylng par
! ,ses May q these Saerri.ias we're dress
/ ed n green uniforms
| We sent cat g Ge.zY O. shRrYSnoo;r
| araoue those IN our rear. also aiong III
| ltus here taey had bsen shooting ~
wsun3ed ard k3lsd tz:r,seu-
aao showed signal y2lcr would ueeess.tAt'
1