The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-17
A PORTLAND BOY.
Who Was o Hero Of the Battle of La
Quasina.

captain Charles G. Ayres 10th Cavalry
He Is the Man Who Rescued Major
Bella Worthy Son of Worthy Sire.
Inc New York Tribune has the follow
ing concerning Captain Charles G. Ayres
OF the Regulars. who is Portland boy
ana High school graduate.
captain Charles g. Ayres of the 10th
onlteo States Cavalry, Regulars, who
was one Oh the heroes of the fight at La
Quasina, where Hamilton Fish and
Captain Carron, ef the Rough Riders.
were kllled, mas been recommended to the
war department. by General Young and
Colonel Roosevelt for distinguished gal
lantry in battle. He was appointed to
the Military Academy from New York as
cadet-at-large in 1874 by President
Grant. He is the son of Major-General
Romeyn B. Ayres of Portland who
General Grant said was the best artillery
commanders in his army, and the great
great-grandson of General Henry Dear
born, who. after serving on Washington q
staff, was commander-in-chief during the
War of 1912 and Secretary of War Under
President Jefferson. ri isG
Coming from such fighting stock it was
only to be expected that Captain Ayres,
on June "a last, when the Rough Riders
and the list and 10th Regular Cavalry
engaged the first Spaniards upon Cuban
soil and drove them back to the entrench-
ments around the city, should have been
well in front of the American. forces.
His special act of bravery 1Nbloh caused
him to be reported for medal of honor
occurred when Major Bell of the 1st
Cavalry, fell leading his regiment, bull
let having broken the bone Of his leg.
Captain Ayres under terrific storm of
Spanish bullets, which had momentarily
stopped the American advance, hurried to
Major Bells assistance with several
subordinates, and carried the helpless
officer to place of safety.
These who witnessed the occurrence de-
clared that it seemed miraculous that
Captain Ayres and his men got back
alive On the little hill where the captain
stood during the hottest part of the fight
nine mon we're killed or wounded, his
corporal standing by his side was shot
through the head, and his tru1npeters
temple was brushed by bullet while his
arm was touching that Of the captain
Before he went TO Cuba for many years
Captain Ayres had continuous duty in
the Indian country, and participated
with distinction in the campaign brought
to close when his company killed the
Indian renegade Victoria. On one occa-
sion, at Fort Davis, Texas, at the risk of
his own life, he disarmed and controlled
desperate, saving a brother officers
life, the ball from the scoundrel's pistol
intended for that officer cutting cash
across Ayres's chest. he being at the time
prominent at the battle of Five Forks,
and the record shows that fifteen years
after the war when q military court was
organized to investigate the grievances of
General 6. K. Warren relative to the part
he took in that battle: General Ayres was
called as a witness The court asked him
if division of regulars had not been at.
tached to his command and what became
of it. He testified that he had com.
manded such division, but none Of its
men survived. He had left half of them
dead at Gettysburg and the balance were
buried in the Wilderness. When General
Ayres gave this testimony there was not
a dry eye in the court room.