The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-04-18

"Kettle'' hill, the bullets began to tell.
Colonel Carroll, the brigade leader, was
shot there, also Colonel Hamilton Of
the Ninth, the next in rank. The Third
lost two lieutenants. hit on tKettle"
hill. Captain Dodd, Captain Morton
and others stated that the larger part
of the losses occurred while in line at
the river, but the loss in officers in all
the cavalry regiments was distributed
over the whole hillside.
When the Third reached the kettles,
the flag was planted in the ground, and
Sergeant Major Thornton said. Il don't
know that we are here first, but we have
our flag here first.
The six cavalry regiments on "Ket-
tle' hill formed one lung continuous
front line and faced the Spaniards on the
second ridge as well as the blockhouse. 1t
was then that the impulse to charge
came over the men. They were being
fired upon from the Spanish trenches
and could not stay on 'Kettle' hill
without loss. Captain Morton's squad
ron was about the center of the line,
and he gave the command "Charge!"
as he says, to get up cheer. The Troops
were mixed with those of other regi-
ments, and four of them, l, B, K and
Fl, started forward down into the swale
west of 'Kettle" hill. Captain Morton,
with K Troop, went obliquely to the
Santiago road; Major Vessels. with Fl,
went almost direct west toward the sec
ond ridge, and Troops I and B. under
Dugan and Boughton, moved almost di-
rectly upon Fort San Juan. This last adj
venture had an important bearing upon
the fortunes of the day. The first squad
ron of the regiment, with portions Of
other regiments, remained, by General
Summers order, upon "Kettle" hill.
Sumner said that if the men who were
rushing the second ridge were driven
back a second strong line was needed to
hold 'sKettle" hill and cover the re-
treat. The infantry had not yet taken
the blockhouse but was held in check
before it.
When Troops and B reached the
Santiago road, Parker was there with
his Gatling guns, having just crossed
the river. This position he could not
have taken up but for the capture of
'sKettle" hill by the cavalry. Parker
said to Boughton: sShow me Span
lard. have been under fire all day. but
haven't seen Spaniard. Boughton
responded: "Come here. I'll show you
Spaniards Just beyond the fringe of
trees lining the road were the block
house and trenches filled with Span
iards Parker opened fire. and the Third
men moved on up the hill against the
blockhouse Meanwhile Major Vessels
and Captain Morton had gone straight
up the main ridge to the crest at the
house called San Juan house. There
were intrenchmentst there. but the house
was not blockhouse.
The Spaniards fled from the trenches
at the house when the Third drew near.
| Captain Morton. with Troop X. joined
forces with Captain Hunter, Troop Fl.
and these were the only Americans then
at that point. Morton went forward to
ridge north of the house and was soon
recalled by Major Vessels. In a few
minutes both Vessels and Hunter were
wounded, also some of the men. Morton
took command of the line and pushed it
forward to the ridge 265 yards in front
afterward occupied by the rough ridersl
Soon Troops and B from the captured
San Juan blockhouse joined Morton.
and about that time the Spaniards
opened on the position with shrapnel.
Meanwhile some of the Ninth cavalry
and few of the First under Captain
Galbraith reached the crest. Morton
was asked for endorsements from the
Ninth and answered that he had good
position, but a weak line. He would
spare few men if necessary. Captain
Morton waa senior on the whole line
until Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt came
in on the left and assumed command.
j 1t reached the ears of Captain Nor
ton that Roosevelt proposed to order the