Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-01-04

due north of the blockhouse, where, ,
there was house with outbuildings |
and trenches, all used by the Spaniards |
for cover. The cavalrymen say that /
some time after they reached this point, !
which was known to them as San Juan
House, they heard heavy firing at the |
blockhouse. This led them to suppose !
that the blockhouse had not yet fallen |
when they reached the crest of the
ridge. However, the infantry said that
they fired from the captured blockhouse
and vicinity upon the retreating Span
| iards and at their second line. Many
gallant fellows of Wikoff's and Haw-
kins' brigades fell after the blockhouse
was in the possession of the Americans.
Among these was Lieutenant Ord Of
Hawkins staff, who broke away from
his leader in order to go in with the
men of his own regiment, the Sixteenth
Ord's conduct that day was heroic, his
death most tragic When the brigade
was at the creek, deploying for the at
tack, he had said by way of encourage
ment "You can take it in 80 minutes.
Major Forse of the First cavalry, who
went forward with his battalion after
the capture of, "Kettle" hill, was also
killed |
The infantry reformed lines at the
blockhouse and took position to resist
counter attack, which little later was
threatened from the Spaniards in front
The blockhouse was a brick building,
loopholed, with trenches on each flank
and in front West of it, toward Santi-
ago. the ground falls into deep depres-
sion. Six hundred yards westward, on
both sides of the main road to Santiago,
the Spanish had strong works, On the
American right and left of this depres-
sion the heights are abrupt and pos
session of these was essential to the
holding of the blockhouse as we'll as of
"Kettle" hill, because the heights on
the American right of the blockhouse
itself are higher than kettle" hill.
AS soon as the cavalry took possession
of ''Kettle" hill, as already described,
many of the soldiers had rushed for
ward to the west crest and opened with
| their carbines upon the Spaniards
around the heights in front. Majors
| and captains got their battalions and
troops together and with cheer charged
| forward Two troops of the Third cav
airy, led by Major Vessels Captains
Morton, Hunter and Morgan, dashed
straight for the building known as the
San Juan House The Ninth and Tenth
| cavalry, with part of the rough riders,
| seemed to strike for the house. but
| owing to distractions the line became
| mixed On this charge there were some
| casualties. Captain Bigelow and Lieu
tenant Roberts of the Tenth were wound
| ed in charging down from Kettle" hill
| into the swale, and Captain Mccoy
| was wounded in ascending the ridge.
| Captain O'Neil, Of the rough riders, was
/ killed. Soon after reaching the house
| Major Vessels and Captain Hunter OF
the Third We're hit. The fall of Major
| Vessels left the command Of the regi-
ment in the hands of Captain Morton
Troops l and B, under Boughton and
| Dugan, coming up from San Juan block
house, Joined, and Morton pushed for
ward 265 yards to the crest of the ridge
The Ninth and part of the rough riders
were off to the right of that point, and
Captain Galbraith, with Lieutenant
| Berkeley and two troops of the First
| cavalry, was also there.
The Sixth cavalry had kept in touch
with the infantry all the way up the
hill to San Juan blockhouse, and, reach
ing the crest, was on the left of the
Tenth Thus the cavalry had strong
line upon the highest part of the ridge
extending from the Santiago road north
ward toward the FL Caney road, ready
to form connection with Lawtou's left.
according to plan. These troops imne-
diately began inIenehing, some using
tin plates asd fingers. and others, es-
pecially the Tenth cavalry, tools brought
along on their lacks The right of the
line was under fire from a blOckhouse
/ Continued on pa