Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-23

washington, December 22.-1ne war
Department to-day made public two re-
ports of Col, Roosevelt on the fights of
the First United States volunteer cav
airy Trough Riders) in front of Santi-
ago. One is addressed to Col. Wood,
commanding, and the second is to Brig.
General Wood after Col. Roosevelt took
command of the regiment. The War
Department has hitherto refused to
make these reports public. The second
and more important report is as fol-
lows
CAMP HAMILTON,
Near Santiago de Cuba,
July 20, 1898.
Brig. General Leonard Wood,
Commanding Second Brigade Cavalry
Division.
Sir:-In obedience to your direction, l
herewith report on the operations of my
regiment from the first to the seventeenth
instants, inclusive:
AS 1 have already made you two re-
ports about the first days operations, l
shall pass them over rather briefly. On
the morning OF the first day my regiment
was formed at the head of the Second
brigade by the Ell Poso sugar mill When
the batteries opened, the Spaniards re-
piled to US with shrapnel, which killed
and wounded several of the men of my
regiment. We then marched toward the
right and my regiment crossed the ford
before the balloon came down there and
attracted the fire of the enemy, so that
at that point we lost no one. My orders
had been to march forward until joined
Cen Lawton's left wing, but after going
about three-quarters of a mile, [ was halt
ed and told to remain in reserve near the
creek by deep lane.
THE BULLETS DROPPED THICK
among us for the next hour while we lay
there, and many of my men were killed
or wounded; among the former was Capt.
O'NeiI, whose loss was a heavy blow to
the regiment, for he was a singularly gall
liant and efficient officer. Acting Lieu
tenant Haskell was also shot at this time.
He showed the utmost courage and had
been of great use during the lighting and
marching. 1t seems to me some action
should be taken about him. You then sent
me word to move forward in support of
the regular cav airy. and I advanced the
regiment in column of companies, each
company deployed as skirmishers. We
moved through several sbirmish lines Of
me our only chance was rushing the en-
trenchments in front instead of firing at
them from a distance. Accordingly, we
charged the block house and entrench-
ments on the hill to our right against a
heavy fire. 1t was taken in good style.
The men of my regiment went thus being
the first to capture any fortified position.
and to break through the Spanish line.
Tba Of nd ire
at this point, but some of the men of A
| and b troops who We're with me person
ally. got in ahead of them. At the last
| wire fence up this hill, l was obliged to
| abandon my horse. and after that went on
foot After capturing this hill. we first
of all directed heavy fire upon the San
Juan hill to our left, which was at that
time being assailed by the regular infant
ry and cavalry, supported by Captain
! Parker's gatling guns. BY the time San
Juan was taken, a large force had as
| sembled on the hill we had previously
captured, consisting not only of my own
regiment, but the Ninth and portions OF
other cavalry regiments.
| WE THEN CHARGED FORWARD
| under a very heavy fire across the valley
against the Spanish entertainments on the
| hill in the rear of San Juan hill This
we also took capturing several prisoners.
| We then formed in whatever order we
| could and moved forward, driving the
| Spanish before US to the crest of the
hills in our front. which were Immediately
| opposite the city of Santiago itself. Here
received orders 10 halt and hold the line Of
| hill crests. l had at that time fragments
| of the Sixth cavalry regiment and an oc-
| casional infantryman under me-three or
| four hundred men all told. AS / was the
highest officer there l took command
| of all of them and so continued until next
morning. The Spaniards attempted to
make a counter attack that afternoon
| but were easily driven back, and then
until after dark we remained under a
heavy fire from their rifles and great guns
| lying fiat on our faces on gentle slope
| just behind the crest. Captain Park
| bursts gatling battery was run up to the
right of my regiment, and did most excel
| lent and gallant service. In order to
| charge the men had, of course, been
| obliged to throw away their packs. and we
| had nothing 10 sleep in and nothing to
| eat. We were lucky enough, however. to
| find in the last block house captured. the
| Spanish dinners still cooking which we
ate with relish They consisted chiefly of
rice and peas, with a big pot containing
a stew Of fresh meat. probably for the
! officers We also distributed the cap
| tured Spanish blankets as far as they
would go among the men, and gathered
| a good deal of Mauser ammunition for use
| in the Colt rapid fire gun which was being
| brought up. That morning the Spaniards
made another attack upon US which
| WAS EASILY REPELLED,
| and at they opened the day with a heavy
| rife and shrapnel fire. All day long We
remained under this. replying whenever
we got the chance. In the evening at
! about O'Clock, the Spaniards fired three
| guns and then opened a very heavy rifle
! fire, their skirmishers coming well for
| ward I got all my men down into the
| trenches as did the other command near
| me, and we opened a heavy return fire.
| The Spanish advance was at once stopped
and after an hour their fire died away.
| This night we completed most of our
| trenches and began to build bomb proofs.
| The protection afforded to our men was
!! good and next morning had but one man
wounded from the rifle and shell fire until
| L o clock when the truce came. / 10 nat
mention the officers and men who par
/ ticularly distinguished themselves, as 1
/ have nothing TO add in this respect to
\