Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1899-03-16
Major Henry T. Allen at San
tiaRO.

the people ne Detrayeu 10 Oack me.
Major Henry T. Allen at San
tIaRo.
Georgetown (Ky) Georgetonian.I
A copy of the report Of the OPP
erations of Troop d, Second U. 5.
Cavalry, has been sent to me by
Major Henry T. Allen, now in
charge of the Department of the
Gulf, With his consent publish
part Of the report in the George
tonian.-J. F.. Harry.]
The troop consisted Of three CON-
missioned officers, sixtY-nine men
and sixty seven horses. During the
few days at Tampa the horses were
unloaded and kept in a sawdust
corral. The final start for Cuba
took place June 14th. The men
were fairly well quartered on the
ship-relatively much better than
the officers. The heat in the hold
of the vessel was at times very
great, and had the horses and mules
not been frequently changed, the
losses would have been considerable
As it was, Troop ID had but one
horse to throw overheard before
arriving at Santiago.
The average rate of the fleet was
seven knots. We arrived off San.
tiago June goth. within one day OF
being exactly two months after the
declaration of war. The mounted
troops were not permitted to land
until June 9Th. There were abso-
lutely no facilities for unloading
horses. Improvised stages were
hung from the side gangways and
the horses were forced out on them.
They sank Immediately and. for
the most part, the horses went into
the water headforemost. The horses
were then led to the shore by men
in h avy rowboats. Oftentimes,
when released az near shore as was
safe for the boats, they would be-
come frightened at tine surf and
swim out to sea.
The troop bivouacked on the
night of the Gath at the landing
place, Daiquire. Leaving all the
baggage and supplies. except the
saddle kit complement and fifty
pounds of grain per man, the troop
proceeded the following morning
to the front independently of the
rest Of the squadron and reported
to General Joseph H. Wheeler.
We passed the scene of the bat
tie of the Gath, Las Quasinas, and
went into n camp personally Sc
lected by General Wheeler.
On the 9th we proceeded with
the rest of the squadron and went
into camp on tributary of the San
Juan river. Here we remained until
the afternoon of the 30th. During
this halt Lieut.. Leary, or myself,
with small detachments, made fire.
quent voluntary reconnaissance
toward Ell Pozo and Caney.
The general advance began June
3Oth and Troop d was assigned to
General Lawton by verbal order on
the same day.
In connection with two battalions
of the First Infantry, the troop did
escort duty to Capron's battery.
By dusk We were encamped, the
battery in position. None of our
troops were allowed to light fires
lest they reveal our position to the
enemy.
Troop d bivouscked to the south
of the battery, and was ready for
action long before the latter opened
fire at 7 a. H., July LIST. The first
shot of this battery seems to have
been the signal for the advance of
all three divisions. General Lawton
remained at this position and sent
frequent detachments from the
troop to carry messages between
him and the brigade commanders.
This offer brought them under the
fire of the enemy, but every detach-
ment sent out executed its task
successfully and punctually.
About 10 a. m. General Lawton
proceeded to the Ducrot house and
thence toward the fighting lines to
the South and East of Caney. He
was accompanied by the troop, and
this was the first time that it, as a
whole, has been under fire. For a
moment the ordeal was crucial; but
the first sensation quickly disap-
peared. The fire was. however, so
hot that the troop was dismounted
to fight on foot. The sound of the
Mausers was deceptive, as our dis
lance from the Spanish lines was
twice as great as supposed at first.
The thick underground prevented
any active work at this place, so
the troop was mounted and pro-
ceeded along the road. Again We
were under the Spanish fire and
were directed to halt. Along this
road all the wounded we're being