The record-union., 1898-11-27

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/ to give its leauer the post of honor.
General Sumner said that such, was not
the case, but that it was the turn of the
Rough Riders to be at the front that
day.
Some time after Summers brigade,
under Colonel Carroll, including the
Third, Sixth and Ninth (colored, fol-
lowed by the Rough Riders, as the ad-
vance of Woods brigade, had passed
on beyond Grimes position at Ell Poso,
! the two remaining regiments OF Wood
the First United States and Tenth (col-
ored) started forward. By the time
| these two regiments reached; the danger
point in the road the Spanish fire had
somewhat abated In fact but for the
balloon the column would have escaped
casualties until it reached the San Juan
fords The balloon moved just ahead
of the Tenth Cavalry, which was first
/ in the column It was high enough TO
draw fire, and one of the officers said at
Camp Wikoff, What the balloon didn't
get hit u.s." The firing at the balloon
also caused some casualties from shrap-
mel and bullets in the ranks of the First
Cavalry
| Finally the balloon was pulled down,
the observers got out, and it was tied
to a tree, where it floated above tree
| tops and still drew fire until the Span
iards destroyed it. One of Kents in
fantry regiments had similar expert
ence with the balloon, for it was pass
| ing down a trail to the left of a road
| a nd
| just abreast of it.
| At Hell's Crossing the Tenth Cavalry
lost half dozen men, AS the shells at
that point passed overhead with their
peculiarly startling shrek, the negroes
Strengthened up at attention and saluted
them The two regiments lay half or
| three-quarters of an hour in the river
bed, which was dry at the time, except
at the deepest part where the river cur
rent runs. In order to escape the fire
they then moved out, changing direc-
tions twice and passing in front of Car
rolls brigade to cover under high
bank, and lay there another half hour
From this point looking through the
trees in front. as described in the story
of Carroll's Cavalry Brigade, the Span
ish position could be seen. 1t was well
known to the officers what was expect
ed of the line, and finding in front of
them a barbed wire fence of six strands
all hands went to work to clear away
the obstruction. The men pulled out the
posts and twisted and broke the wire,
all the time under fire.
boy heroof was developed at this
time in the son of the Colonel of the
Tenth, Theodore N. Baldwin, Jr.
Young Baldwin was a civilian, who
went along to see the fun. He was 10
years. old. He had picked up carbine,
intending to fight along with the rest
and was foremost in tearing down the
fences. Afterward he charged up the
hill with the line, and President Nc
Kinley commissioned him for his gall
lantry. After the fence had been level
ed the line of Woods brigade was
formed, with the Rough Riders in front.
Much has been said about this, that
and the other one having initiated the
charge on San Juan Hill. 1t is evident
from what has been told of the situa-
tion in Carroll's brigade that the line
officers and men were not left to their
own devices at this crisis. Wood was
the Colonel of the Rough Riders
C'Wood's Weary Walkers as their
regular comrades called them, initiating
the first alliterative title), and it is to
be supposed that he looked to them
| and to, the rest of the brigade as we'll.
He was new to command-in fact,
comparatively new to the service. Col
onel Baldwin of the Tenth is regu-
| lar army war veteran; same with Ma
| jor S. T. Norvell. Major Theo. Wint
of the Tenth is a war veteran of the
Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Colonel
| c.. D. Viele of the First has been in
the regular army since 1861, and Ma
| jor A. G. Forse was at West Point
from 1861 to 1865.
| When the line was formed. the
| barbed wire fences cleared away-all
| of this some hours, be it remembered,
after the Spanish guns began their
killing work in the crowded road and
at the crossing Colonel Wood ap-
| peared on the line of his brigade and
gave the order to advance. Colonel
Baldwin of the Tenth arranged his two
squadrons. one in front and the other
as support. Colonel Viele of the First
! Cavalry took his squadron command
ers through the fringe of trees and
pointed out a red house on hill (to
| the right of the blockhouse), which
| will be spoken of hereafter as San
Juan Hill or .Kettle HILL" He said
| to Captain Tutherly, commander OF
! the first squadron, That is your
| right. Tutherly asked, When shall |
fire." to which Viele answered, Don't
| fire on our men; fire when you see
| the Spaniards" The, First was in the
third line of the brigade.
Colonel Viele's caution about firing
was timely, for there were many OBJ
stacles to he passed which would
break the line, and besides Kent's in
| fantry on the left of the cavalry was
already working toward the block
house. The two columns We're to con-
verge slightly before reaching their
separate goals. and might in the ex-
citement of battle mistake each other