Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-12-10

The first order heard in this brigade
came from Major Vessels to his own
regiment. 1t was, "The Third is order
ed to go through this brushl'' Immedi-
ately Major Jackson's squadron deploy-
ed as skirmishers and attempted to ad
vance. Morton's squadron deployed 200
yards in the rear as support Major
Vessels observed II don't see how we
| can do it, but we will il we can"
Plunging into the brush, the men found
that 1t was only hedge on the border
Of an open field. When the skirmishers
got through, they called out that there
was cavalry moving across the front.
That made 1t necessary to draw the line
| back.
Through the openings in the trees,
Captain Morton and others saw the left
Of the San Juan intrenchments and
| Spaniards with guns at hand 600 or 700
yards away, looking at the American
line. At this time the dynamite and the
Hotchkiss guns in rear Of the brigade
| opened fire on the Spaniards. The dyna-
mite gun was choked with the first car
fridge, and the cavalrymen say that the
Hotchkiss gun was silenced by the
Spaniards, who then turned their rifles
and shrapnel upon the cavalrymen. In
this plight the cavalry remained an
hour and a half, subjected to constant
volley firing and to shrapnel. The Off
GERS of the brigade estimated that the
| cavalry division suffered from rs to 30
per cent of it's casualties around that
crossing Dead and wounded were
brought there through ranks Of men,
only few of whom had been under fire
before. Says Captain Morton. veteran
Of 26 battles, ''It was enough to rattle
the bravest, but not an officer or soldier
left the position, except to help the
wounded -
To some old soldiers it may seem
strange that at Santiago fighting men
left the ranks to help the wounded. But
that is according to the new order Of
things. Every man has first aid pack
age in his kit and it is part Of his duty
to apply it when comrade is stricken
down. If it had not been for this, the
mortality at Santiago would have been
terrible The first aid bandage stops
the flow Of blood and keeps the wound
clean, also giving the patient relief and
hope, which conduce to recovery. In
general, officers criticized the shame
full neglect of wounded" at Santiago.
The next order to this brigade was
brought by aids who came to Major
Vessels and told him that the brigade
was to advance. They could give no
loE T.. IL
he was not in command of the brigade,
but that Colonel Carroll was and was
somewhere on the ground. The aids
| discussed among themselves what was
to be done, and finally agreed that the
brigade had an order to advance.
The cavalry troops spoken of before
as being1in front Of Carroll's brigade
evidently belonged to Woods brigade.
In attempting to move out of the range
of the Spaniards' missiles and also to
| find clear ground to form in the differ
ent regiments got out of line, matter
which caused some confusion to the br
gade commanders 1t was this state of
| things which led to the assertion that
| the general officers were weak at San
Juan ridge The fact is that the ground
was unsuitable for forming and charg-
| ing in brigade columns. The regiments
| kept we'll together until they started to
go up the hill, when some commands
DETECTED to the right or to the left, ac-
| cording as they saw favorable ground
or Spanish position to strike at.
General Sumner says that the cavalry
division was ordered to take position in
| the road near the crossing of San Juan;
that he formed his line, and, being fired
| upon, said to a representative of Gen
| eral Shafter who was present: "We
| cannot stay here without heavy loss.
We must go back or go forward. The
| general added significantly, Forward
| we went!"
There was no lack Of fearless and
capable men to carry orders to the COM
mands through fire and blood. Colonel
]. H. Dorst, the adjutant general Of the
cavalry division, was seen all along the
line all day, and the same of Captain
r. l.. Howe of Summers staff, who
was on horseback until the hill was
| taken.
After the aids had settled it that
Carroll's brigade was to go forward
| Major Vessels ordered his second
squadron to go forward, supported by
the first, and to move at once. Captain
Morton says that the majors did not
take time to pass the orders along to
the mpanies, but shouted out the
command "Forwardp' Then the line
plunged into an almost impenetrable
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