New-York tribune., 1899-07-31

1ever formed in the same line of battle until they
under the fire Of hsre the spanSn wa no division ex
ercise The division commander vislIeu uiv ~ Np r
He I'D did not have o 1ee the eEe 10Th Cavalry
sisted in walking through the COMPANY surets Us
,p nny inspecIion made OF our regiment during
the campaign except by officers Of the reSIneh' hn n
spector-Cenerals corps inspecting anything
In regard to the confusion attendant on the
embarkation on transports at Tampa for Cuba,
Captain Bigelow says:
The confusion which characterized the putting OF
stores and baggage OF the seventy-six troops two
bands and brigade headquarters aboard ana @ ,,o nn
seemed sSe S' to be in charge The troop commanders
asked any and every body TO b 6e s,aM f oces and
others. among whom was MajoriGeneths' shs osdne MINI
Of our Transport would be completed answered
that according TO the best OF my my 3hseTwed that
my did not seem TO please 'ne ,IenepfaI spfd
There was no partition OF me space o ~ n''e heans
rice. sugar. tent pins. its rolls of tents bundles
orderly heap as possible. Immediately adjoining
that OF another organization. The property OF some
others j saw sacks OF -four and other packages
burst open on the bottom OF the hod ana on tne
beans and coffee from broken packages into and
through the heap.
The author gives copies OF the orders which
regulated living board the transport Leona.
and described the lack OF subsistence. in con-
nection with which he says
The regimental commissary officer from whom
counts of shortage In his Issues TO me. and
neither he nor the brigade commisssry had any
anything in this campaign. As a general thing. II
a man had a hole in his canteen he had to carry his
screw out OF his gun he had TO use his gun a
club so far as c0Md ef Our eped 9
from home was equipped on the principles OF q
Informed OF my shortage before The expedition
started. and decided TO make 1t good by purchase
from the company fund.
In regard 10 the failure Of postal facilities
while the transport still in Tampa Bay, the
author says
Many poor fellow. who was never to return to
day in his expectation OF a last parting message
dear Men Sond haye been des F 1t won
seem, from the Army to assist the regular postal
sort and distribute the sacks Of mail that were
lying In the postofices only a stones throw from
that such detail was actually made shortly be-
fore the expedition started-too late TO accomplish
It's work
General Shafter comes in for some comment
In the chapter devoted to the landing at Dai-
quirl After describing the arduous and hazard
Gus task Of debarking the troops. Captain Bige-
low says:
congratuatng the troops upon the success OF the
expedition thus far, commenting them for their
formation about the enemy and. perhaps, a hint
d M the 1 plan of d answer Se D
demands about TO be made upon them As many
OF the officers and had never been in the pres
ence of their commanding general, thought there
would be review or that ths general would take
the troops drawn up in line that they could see
them and they him. But there was no inspiring or
General Shafter during the campaign
Later in the book this passage occurs:
General shafter. who came up TO the front the
day before. assembled the division commanders at
TO them his plan OF battle. General Whee.er, being
Ill with fever, was no! present me cavary O. ~
next in rank. 1t is curious fact that while Cen
eral Wheeler was thus excluded from the confer,
condition than General Wheeler He was about as
badly disabled by the heat & as o S
celorsvlle House on May 3. 1853. but IKE hooker.
direct or determine the operations OF the "a, Army, ny
This circumstance accounts. IN measure; !oI 'nS
to light which shows in writing what the pian Oh
battle was before the event.
In the chapter Under Fire" Captain Bigelow
gives the following facts about the assault on
FL Caney and the taking of San Juan Hill:
Will now give the plan Of battle as deduce
1t from published reports and other literature 90, oI
the campaign and conversation with oineeTS VINO no
partiCipatcd II.
vision and Capron's battery. was TO capture II
Caney This was TO be accompnshsed py .. th
cavalry division under Sumner were to take po-
sition just beyond the San Juan River thS cayIady
the infantry on the left and await orders on ne
fall of m csnSy soT Of M Wheel and ID aEe
sltion on the right Of the cavalry, when orders
o'clock in the afternoon before Lawton succeeded
In capturing FL Caney. and about noon on inc l3l-
Of no
attack or San Juan was made about twenty-fouT
Shafter's plan OF battle? The primary cause was
that Kents and Summers divisions were ordered
bev"nd Fl Poao until 1t was asceraned tiat Law
ton had taken FL Caney and once started c .ne
tiago Kent's division halted and deployed as or
dered on the line Of the san Juan Sn Ryer f s M
vision under sumner depOyd , along Las o5 Ken
from staff officers OF General Shafter to nat on on
the the gdse b ormed OF ed S the San Juan River and Las
Guamas Creek. General Shafter Is doubtless IN
in stating Ie1s as ne Teored bm nS % cross the
San Juan River. ,,, ,.,,. A.,
clsiye range of the enemys infantry rifles s our
artillery doing nothing to keep down his hre vas s
q. m General Hawkins, commanding kents FIRST
Brigade. and forming the right OF the division;
Kent: we cannot stay here II will not do for
US TO retire. The only alternative Is to ,st attack X,
you will authorize it, General Kent, / will move
my brigade around here against the enemy's right
and with General Sumner cooperating. Will
gage to carry the enemys position" Just then
Lieutenant Colonel Miley, General Skaters chief
OF staff, came up and General Hawkins made the
proposition to him in the presence OF Generals
Kent and Sumner. II about 1890 a when
Lieutenant General Miley said: General Kent. II
you have no objection Will order this movement
in General Skaters name" "Very we'll" said
General Kent. who then rode off TO hurry up the
remainder OF his division. Neither General
Wheeler nor General Shafter had anything 10 10
with the initiation OF the attack 1t was subse-
quently 10 this informal council OF war. the pro-
ceedings OF which have toll a. they were told
TO me by a member, that Joined Iiawknss brl-
gade. The 9Th and 10th Regulars were in position
waiting for the list New-York Volunteers which
Hawkins meant TO place in the of these regi-
ments as reserve. General Kent found the list
New-Yofk and started forward and also sent q
note to Hawkins informing him OF the fact; but