Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-01-26

men. Shortly the regulars could be seer
ascending the difficult hill. Genera
Wheeler intimated to Young that h,
was overmatched. His three troops O
the Tenth cavalry were close up in sup
port Of the First. There was only one
troop held in reserve. General Younl
called Wheeler's attention to the firms
ON Woods line, which indicated tha
Wood was advancing as fast as the reg
ulars. General Young said to Wheeler
that he had the utmost confidence il
success. Captain Wainright's troop OF
the First was off on the extreme right
of the regulars, following a road north
of the main road which would turn the
Spanish left Woods advance would
turn the Spanish right 1t seems from
reports of General Young's aids that
the Spanish flanks were turned stimuli.
taneously, and the Spaniards retreated
in rout. Captain Beck's and Captain
Galbraith's regular troops formed a
junction with Wood, and then the line
Of battle was continuous from end to
end. from wainwright on the extreme
right to the left of the rough riders.
The fight lasted about hour and 90
minutes from the time the Hotchkiss
gun first opened until the Spanish tanks
were turned. There was some firing for
90 minutes more, but it all ended at
9:45 a. IN. General Young sent orders
up the line not to follow the Spaniards
The day was very hot. His men were
very tired and were wet through from a
heavy rain that had fallen the night be-
fore. Tho line was rearranged in the ex-
pectation of counter attack.
The Spanish largely outnumbered the
Americans at Las Guasimas. Their pa
pers boasted that 2,S00 of their men
had checked the whole American army
Cubans asserted that the Spaniards
numbered 5000 that day. Other esti-
mates placed it at $500. Young's total
force was 965
After the hattie General Young ad-
mitted to, Wheeler that he (Young) had
made one mistake after all. He said
that that was in the matter of deploy-
ment as his column advanced. One troop
had diverged to the left instead of 60
ing in direct General Wheeler replied;
II have watched the game from start to
finish, and if had it to do over would
not change one iota of your plan. new
er witnessed battle that was carried
out SO entirely without change of plan. I"
The only interference ON the part Of
General Wheeler was to urge General
Young personally to keep under cover
General Young is a giant in stature.
His exposure that day, noticed and COM
mented on by all. gwas not done for
bravado. He did it to set an example to
officers and men who had never been
under fire before. He thought that IL
they saw their general taking the usual
risks it would have a good effect.
General Young said to Wheeler that
he had throughout the utmost confidence
of success, adding: General, if / had
lost this battle and still lived, you
would have my resignation, My object
of fighting this battle was to get Las
Guasimas for the army's camp"
The total loss in General Young's
command was 65 killed and wounded.
The strength of the squadron of rough
riders was about equal to the strength
of the squadrons of the First and Tenth
cavalry present The rough riders lost
eight killed and the regulars eight. In
the regulars Major Bell and Captain
Birom were wounded. Seven out OF the
eight killed in the regulars belonged to