The Portland daily press., 1898-06-27
BATTLE OF QUASINA.
Further Details Of The FIGHT Near
SaDtiaeO.
Copyright 1898 by the Associated Press. J

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Juaagua, Cuba, June 25, p. m.-Per
Associated Press Despatch Boat Wanda
via Kingston, JAM, June 26.-The initial
fight of Col. Woods rough riders and the
troopers Of the first and tenth regiment
cavalry will be known in history as the
battle of La Quasina. That it did not end
n perfect slaughter of Americans was
not due to any mis-calculation in the
plan OF the Spaniards for as perfect an
ambuscade as was ever formed in the
brain of an Apache Indian was prepared
anu Lieut.. Col Roosevelt and his men
walked squarely into it. For an hour and
a half they held their ground under a
perfect storm of bullets from the front
and sides and then Col. Wood, to the
right, and Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt, to the
left. led a charge which turned the tide
of battle and sent the enemy flying over
the hills towards Santiago
Is 1t is now definitely known that sixteen
men on the American side were killed
while sixty were wounded or are reported
to be missing.
1t is impossible to calculate the Spanish
losses, but it is known that they were tar
heavier than those of tho Americans. at
least as regards actul loss of life. Already
81 ad Spanish soldiers have been found
and buried, while many others undoubted-
~ are lying in the thick underbrush on
the side of the gully and on the slope OF
tho hill, where the main body of the
enemy was located. The wounded were
all removed
A complete list of the killed ami miss
ing on the American side, revised to four
O'Clock Saturday is as follows:
KILLED.
Captain Allyn L. Capron, first q. S,
volunteer cavalry.
Sergeant Hamilton Fish, Jr. Troop L,
first U. S. volunteer cavalry.
Sergeant Marcus ID. Russell, Troop G,
first u. S. volunteer cavalry
Sergeant Russell, lived in Troy, n. Y,
and was formerly colonel on Gov. Hilrs
staff 4E. s
Sergeant Doherty, Troop, A first U. S.
volunteer cavalry. s-.5--.r
Private Legett, Troop A. first U. s.
volunteer cavalry.
Private Harry Heffner, Troop G., first
~ hOluIliGGI 90
Private M. W. Danson, Troop I, first
q. S. cavalry.
Private w. IT. Irwin, Troop T, first U.
S. volunteer cavalry. e
Private Slennoc, Troop K, first regular
cavalry.
Private B. Work, Troop K, first regular
cavalry.
Private Krupp Troop B, first regular
cavalry.
Private Stark, Troop A, first regular
Private Dix, Troop Z, first regular
cavalry.
Private Kebls, troop K, first regular
cavalry.
Private Barline, Troop K, first regular
cavalry.
Corporal White, Troop E, tenth regular
cavalry.
Private Merriman Camp, Troop G, first
volunteer cavalry.
Sergeant ID. W. Bell.
Trumpeter L. r. Mcdonald.
Private n. Ell. Cochrane.
Private Fred Childing
Private j. S. Miller.
Private w. S. Sharp
Private J. e. Stedman.
Private ID. g. Dennis.
III of the first volunteer cavalry.
Captain Mccormack and Captain Luna
of the first volunteer cavalry, who were
reported yesterday as among the dead or
wounded, were unharmed, as was also
Col. Wood, whom Adjutant Hall reported
as NOR tally wounded.
That the Spaniards were thoroughly
posted as to the route to be taken by the
Americans in their movement towards
Seyilia, was evident, as is shown by the
careful preparations they had made. The
main body of the Spaniards was posted on
a hill, on the heavily wooded slopes of
which had been erected two blockhouses
thanked by irregular entertainments of
stone and fallen trees.
AT the bottom of these hills run two
roads along which Lieut.. Col. r osevelt's
men and eight troops of the first and
tenth cavalry, with battery of four
howitzers advanced. These roads are but
little mere than gullies, rough and mar
row and at places almost impossible.
In these trails the fight occurred. Near
~ half mile separated Iioosevelt's men
from he regulars, and between them and
on both sides of the road in the thick I'M
derbrush was concealed force of Span
lards that must have been large judging
from the terrific and constant fire they
poured in on the Americans.
The fight was opened by the first and
tenth cavalry under General Young. A
the vicinity of La Quasina and early in
the NOR ming Lieut.. Col. Roosevelt's men
started off up the steep buff back of
Siboney to attack the Spaniards on their
right flank. General Young at the same
time took the road at the foot of the hill.
bout two and one-half miles from
Siboney, some Cubans, breathless and ex-
cited rushed into camp with the an
nouncement that the Spanards were but
d little way In fron5 and were strongly
entranched. Then cautiously and in
silence the troops moved forward until
bend in the road disclosed hill where
the Spaniartis were located. The guns
were again brought to the front and
placed in position while the men crouched
down In the road, waiting impatiently to
give Roosevelt's men, who were toiling
over the little trail along the crest of the
ridge, time to get up.
at 7.3O q. M, George Young gave the
command to the men at the Hotchkiss
guns to open fire. That command was
the signal for fight that for stubborn
ness has seldom been equalled.
There must have been nearly 1900
Spaniards in front and to the sides of
u.s." said Lieut.. Col Roosevelt today when
discussing the tight. 'They held the
ridges. with rifle pits and machine guns