Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-08-10

OhC Cho VA tLdI
kZ ~ fight. The Third
MML - W was in at the be-
ginning, and, as
this story shows, in it all through. Mel
ther the colonel nor lieutenant colonel,
Young and Chaffee, was with the COM
mand that day, and it was led by Major
Vessels, son of General Vessels of the
civil war. Major jackson of the First
squadron and Captain Charles Morton
Of the Second squadron were both vet
Grams of 1861
The Third had brilliant reputation
to sustain. 1t was organized in 1S46 as
the First Mounted Rifles. In Mexico its
colonel, Persifer F. Smith, commanded
division, and the lieutepant colonel,
John c. Fremont, served with the en-
gineers. Major w. w. Loring, the dis
tinguished Confederate general, led the
regiment in the attacks on the City of
Mexico. and General Scott paid tribute
to its gallantry by saying: "Brave
Rifles You have gone through fire and
blood and come out steel" Among the
civil war generals who served with the
Rifles as line officers in Mexico were
George B. Crittenden, Andrew Porter,
John G. Walker. George FL. Gordon.
Gordon Granger, John p Hatch, Dab
ney H. Maury and Innis Palmer.
Although the battle Of San Juan Hill
did not begin at Ell Poso nor in the
crowded road to the crossing. neither
at the "bloody ford. " the story Of many
fighting regiment is incomplete with
out glance at the terrors of that march
to the front. The Third was in the ad-
vance brigade of the cavalry division.
While moving down the road, about
half way between Ell Poso hill and the
ford, a Spanish shell aimed at Grimes
battery on the hill knocked over three
men of Troop in the ranks Of the
Third. Reaching the vicinity of San
Juan river. the regiment deployed and
had in the line behind it the dynamite
and Hotchkiss guns By looking through
the trees the Americans could see the
Spanish lines. about 700 yards away.
While the line waited for orders to 60
forward the dynamite gun opened and
choked at the first shot. The Spaniards
opened On that. and it was run back
into the creek The Hotchkiss gun then
entered the lists, but was quickly ST.
fenced, so the Third cavalry men say.
Sergeant Schlegel Of Troop K said that
when the first Spanish shell went whir-
ring overhead his comrades called out.
That's a high balll" and every one
near by laughed. His troop was near a
pile of boxes, and after some trouble the
sergeant made out the letters, "Dyna-
mite shells" He spoke to his captain
about it, and the latter said. 1--WE must
take our chances. The sergeant add
ed, "If a shell had struck those boxes,
it would have been goodby to Troop K. I"
The fiasco with the Hotchkiss and
dynamite guns drew the Spanish fire of
shrapnel and Mauser bullets upon the
halted line of cavalrymen. DIR. New
garden of the Third established his hos
pital in the bed of the creek. and the
wounded were brought there through
the ranks of the Third. Captain Nor
| ton, hero of 90 battles, said that the
sight was enough to rattle the bravest.
but not man of the Third ainched,
although but few of them had been un-
der fire before.
Il is useless to bemoan or condemn
the confusion and delay in the valley
of San Juan. 1t always occurs under
| like circumstances, no matter how able
| the leaders or how well trained the
troops The road was narrow and the
ground alongside impossible. Yet it
was the only road to San Juan hill
After long waits and shiftings of troops
| to get the line formed with Carroll g
cavalry brigade, to which the Third be-
longed. on the right front. Woods be-
hind that and the infantry under Haw-
kins and Wikoff to the left of the cav
airy, the forward movement began. In
crossing San Juan river the Third found
the water so deep and the current so
swift that it was necessary to help some
of the men to keep them from drowning
After crossing the river the line
moved steadily forward up the slope Of
a spur of the main ridge to which has
been given the name "kettle" hill
The first line Of battle comprised the
Sixth, Third and Ninth cavalry and
she second line the First. Tenth and
rough riders The Sixth cavalry kept
in touch on the left with Hawkins
brigade Of infantry. Beyond the river
the cavalry passed two hedges with
wire fences and clambered up steep,
rocky hill At the top the hill was
fat, with a house, outbuildings and
we'll kent grounds. At the center of the