Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-02-23

which is the next thing to ordering a
retreat. The conduct of the Spaniards
all through indicated that they intended
to let the Americans come up to the
main defenses of the city if they would.
Linares was wounded at a critical time
for counter attack on San juan ridge
and seems to have been preparing for it
when hit, What transpired shortly aft
er his fall-that is, on the evening OF
July 2-indicated that he hoped to turn
Shafter's left flank and cut him off from
his base. In point of fact the right flank
of the American line was its weakest
spot just at that time. 1t was "in the
air, " as soldiers say, owing to the fail
ure of Lawton to get into position on
the heights on the El Caney road.
"Strong position, but weak line to
hold it." is the way the cavalrymen
spoke of the north part of the ridge
which they carried and intrenched, re-
ferring to the situation the evening of
July and the day following.
Mention has been made of the Ninth
cavalry calling for help on the after
noon of the lst. This regiment, consist
ing of one battalion, occupied tho ex-
treme right, narrow ridge extending
toward the El Caney road, with Span
ish blockhouse and fort only 900 yards
away. To that point the machine guns
We're hurried. Kent also sens the Thir-
teenth infantry.
A proposition to retreat from its posi-
fion was discussed in the cavalry di-
vision late on the list, and it was under
stood that Colonel Roosevelt, whose
rank made him senior on the front line,
favored it. Captain Morton, then COM
manding the Third cavalry, opposed it.
saying the place would have to be won
again. Captain Boughton Of the same
regiment observed to Roosevelt, "We
can hold it against all hellW But sup
ports were needed, and after repeated
calls by Morton they came up at 10 p.
m. The last call for help was referred
to General Wheeler, as commander Of
the division, the first heard of him by
the officers on the front line that day.
The Third cavalry occupied and in
trenched salient on the ridge looking
toward Santiago, the point nearest the
| Spanish trenches and less than 500
yards from them. At midnight the
Spaniards opened on that point with q
sharp fusillade. Meanwhile the battal-
ions left as reserve on "Kettle" hill
had moved to the crest, making seven
battalions, or less than four regiments,
to hold the ridge from the San Juan
road to that from El Caney. A most
important part of the line, this was as
things stood. Had Lawton taken posi-
tion ON the FL Caney road, with Kent
holding on at the blockhouse and south
Of it, the ridge taken by the cavalry
would have been useless to the Span
| iards.
There are some grounds for the claim
that the cavalry division took the ridge
without orders from headquarters. No
positive orders like those to Kent can
be traced. General Sumner, who com
manded the cavalry, says he charged the
hill in order to avoid retreat and casual
ties. The position which the cavalry o.
cupied in the morning of July l along
the streams was one to enable it to sup
port Kent in the attack assigned him at
San Juan or to help Lawton in the at
tack at the Ell Caney road. The conduct
of General Wheeler on the LIST Of July
supports the inference that the cavalry
division had no orders to attack in the
morning. There is a slight contradio.
lion in the statements Of Wheeler and
Shafter as to Wbeeler's work that day.
Wheeler says he was able to act early
in the morning; that be conveyed Shat
ter's orders to Kent to move forward,
and also personally told Sumner to do
the same, statement which places
Sumner in command of the cavalry and
makes Wheeler an acting corps CON-
mander. Shafter, on the other hand,
says that Wheeler, the permanent COM
mander of the cavalry division, who had
been i'll, came forward during the morn
ing and later returned to duty" Among
all the orders that day which I traced I
found no allusion to Wheeler, until
along in the evening, when he establish
ed his headquarters at the base Of the
hill in rear Of his own division. Wheel
er says that he sent for intrenching
tools and ordered his men to intrench
and sent word to them that Lawton
would come up on the right, and Gen.
eral Bates troops from Ell Caney would
strengthen the left ON San Juan ridge.
This shows that Wheeler was perfectly
familiar with ideas at headquarters. for
these movements Of Bates and Lawton
were what Shafter himself had ordered
and was expecting at the hour Wheeler
refers to, toward midnight of July I.
AS already indicated in these articles,
the success of the cavalry in taking the
first hill, giving the Gatling and Hotch-
kiss guns chance TO silence the block
house, made Kent's task the easier. As
things turned out it was fortunate that
somebody ordered the cavalry to go in.
A word will suffice to carry the story
Of the cavalry over the I'd of July up to
the hour Of a night attack by the Span
iards and the second proposition to re-
treat. A few rations and some water
were got up the first night. At day
hreak pn fha Oh tha Spanior1o n,oa,oa :.