The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-04-22
ROOSEVELT At san JUAN.
-ROrGR RIDER COLONEL MAKES
SOME STRONG STATEMENTS.
Capture Hiock Homse-Waerh@S
the Rexntar iafansry Ia IT.
Wheeler Was Net IN the FIGHT.

the Rexnlar lafansry Ia tt
wheeler Was Net IN the ftxhs,
TIE Ap-a number 81 Scrsaaer's Magas
zsse eonsasns RE soG-fa aFtlsie ng Col.
ksassvsit Grsoa the SANTIAGO samssasxr.
This fourth srssese possesses rsS1as.ar a
servss- tor u consassss statements which II
mace a short ttrss ago. weaid have been
regarded as extremely sense ,scnag arss
winch would probably even have been de-
n4sd- or. at iea~. vigorously discussed Ssy
isose Interested. says the Kansas City
Star
The statements. In brief. are 80 the eff
fecf that The Spanish for~es mere less than
sne American In the sesst II July and -
fhat the spanish losses were hess than ,he
American losses. thai no sse1nite orders
mere received from Saasssr's headquarters
10 make an advance. that the American
o'rraan1ers had nss advance knowledge OF
tn, ground ever which shs ,roops were
moved; that the artillery ana baisa5n cnrps
we've Verse than useless. that The Rough
Esdssss took no part IN the capture af sAs
toe block house, ard that Gen Wheeler
despsse bis own statements 10 the con-
trary. Was Tot In command of the cav
airy division during the .agAs
These statements are not new They
have been made hy correspondents OF the
star. who were on the ground and knew
of what they wrote. They have been de-
MED and protested acainst however. by
shase arc had axes 10 grind. The con-
nErnation OF their truth comes from Cox
Roosevelt. The ex->oionei Of the Rough
RIDERS in a rather robust antagonist ana
these who DO not agree with him can get
Up an interesting controversy BY placing
doubt upon his word Such a consroverxe
might lead to the fall disclosure OF the true
history OF the Santiago campaign. 1: would
undoubtedly excee. a popular newell In live
ly interest The following paragraphs are
quoted from Col. Roosevslt's article in the
April Scyianers:
Relative strength ~ Armies.
In the attack on the San Juan hills oar
forces numbered about S.soo. There ware
about s.sas Spaniarsss against ux. Our total
loss In killed and wounded were all told
some 2-a0 officers and men. OF whom rs
we're killed and wounded. In the division
over fourth OF the ofdcers were killed or
wounded, their loss being relatively half a.
great again as thar of The enlisted men
which was as II should be. a think We
suffered more heavily than the Sraniards
did In killed and wounded. II would have
been very extraordinary IL the reverse vas
sssr Case lnf We dsa the NGAiSIEks asi1 10
carry earthworks on foot with dssmenntess
cavalry. when these esrshworks are held
by unhroken infantry armed with the hes,
modern rides. Is a serious task.
'sAs yet we had received no orders ex-
cep; that We were told that TIE main fght-
ing was to be done by r.aw.on's infantry
division, which Was 10 fake Z. caney sew
erai miles 10 oar right. While We we're sins
ply 10 make a diversion This diversion
.3~yx. etsa ~xxf
and the battery which had taken position
Immediately in front of Us was 70 begin
when Lawton began. Our orders
had been of the Saguest kind. being simply
TO march 20 the right and connect with
Lawton--wfth whom Of course. there was
no chance cs cur connecting. No reconnoss-
sance had heen made and the exact posi-
ton and strength OF the Spaniards was not
known. A captive balloon was up fn the
air a. this moment. hut II was worse than
useless A previous proper reconnaissance
and proper lookout from In. hills would
have given MS exact information. As IL
was Gers Kent. Sumner ard Hawkins had
To he their own reconnaissance. and they
fought their troops so wei that we won
anyhow.
Trying TO Get Orders.
II WAS now ordered 10 cross the ford
march half mile or so 20 the right. ard
.
promptly hurried my men across. for the
Are vas getting hot. and the captive bal
loon. 20 the horror Of everybody. was SOM
ting down 20 the ford OF course IL was
special target for the ensmyss fire. ! got
my mef across before II reached the ford
There II partly collapsed and remained,
causing severe ioss If life. &c II indicated
the exac; position where the Tenth and the
First cavalry. ard the infantry. were cross
ing.
AS led my column slowly along. under
the intense heat through the high grass
% the open Jungle. tire First brigade WIS
70 our left and the firing between 4 and
the Spsnsaris GA the hills grew steadily
hotter and HITTER. After awhile came 10
a sunken Iane ana. ax by this tire tire
FTrs, brigade haA stopped ard was engaged
in a stand up eight. halted my men and
sent hack wort for orders . I serf
messenger after messenger 90 try to hnd
Ger. Sumner or Gen Weed and ger per-
mission 10 advance. and ares toxs as,oas
making up fny mind that Ia the absence e
orders l hsa better march toward the
gans. when r.lemt.-ftni Darss came riding
up through the storm ~ Bullets With the
welcome command 10 move forwarA and
support the regulars IN ths ASSAULT on the
hills In. front Gen. Snmner had obtained
authority 70 advance from Lieut. Masy
~ no " ~ f%FsTS NFt%2srEE fs%ft FTzA7tFS vi Inc
front. ard was in the thick ~ tire Are
by IRE time ] had come 90 t5@ head ~
sAs, regiment wm ran into the iaff wing %
the Ninth regulars. ard some - the First
regulars. who acre lying aoss. that H.
ire troopers we're Wing Gown. we,tis the
officers were walking 20 ssd fro. The ofs-
cers ~ she whlfe and soisfe1 regiments
alike ssok the creates pride 10 seeing frat
fae men mere than ai3 their duty sns the
mortality arsong sEsnn Was great
4 Missionary Ridge ARair.
II ssseks % shf cap*aIn In command ~
he rear fsarD0rs. saying that I had beers
crsferea 20 support the regulars "a the Ct
tack gzsor the hifsx ard that ia usy JaA~-
rsyess we soSzfd n@s take those hills BY
firing a. tnezn. ard fsras We rast rIsis
their He answered that bis ORDERS were
to kesEs hIx zsen lyfag where they weye
ana ssss. b. could rot charge without
sserw I asked a hsre he eoIosssI MAS. aud
as he WAS -as In eight sail. Then am
he -anssrx officer here. aFts1 ] give fns
syrsasr - ehsrgsf-~fa~ ssss rot wanf 70 keep
Ire MES kenxs- ~ tbs ns@F suffering usatsEr
a FIRE which trey could rot ~1%ss1yeay re-
txrr Naturally shae captain hesstaEed 70
ssssss sf.As a~ssr " fsen 20 xu-d sd h~en
s.asxes. from hsa o~r esin-ssi r. SAID