The Washington herald., 1913-10-05

1t was week after TINS sklrmisn De-
fore the army made the advance on San
tiago Just before this occurred Gen.
Young was stricken down with fever.
Gen. Wheeler, who had commanded the
cavalry division, was put in general
charge of the left wing of the army,
which fought before the city itself. Brig.
Gen. Sam Sumner, an excellent officer,
who had the second cavalry brigade, took
command of the cavalry division. and
Wood took command of our brigade,
while, to my intense delight I got my
regiment. I therefore had command of
the regiment before the stiffest fighting
occurred Later, when Wood was put in
command in Santiago, I became the bril-
gade commander.
Late in the evening We camped at FL
PoSO. There We're two regular officers,
the brigade commanders aids, Lieuts- a.
L. Mills and w +. Ship. who were
camped by our regiment. Each Of my
men had food in his haversack, but I
had none, and L would have gone sup
PEERLESS to bed if Mills and Shipp had not
given me out of their scanty stores a big
sandwich, which 1 shared with my order
". who also had nothing. Next morning
my body servant. Marshall, an eX-soldier
of the Ninth CcOlored) cavalry, a fine
and faithful fellow. had turned up. and
was able in my turn to ask Mills and
Ship. who had eaten all their food the
preceding evening. to take breakfast with
me A few hours later gallant Shipp was
dead and Mills an exceptionally able Of
ficer. had been shot through the head
from side to side, just back of the eyes;
Vet he lived. although one eye was
blinded. and before I left the Presidency
I gave him his commission as brigadier
general
Early in the morning our artillery be-
gan firing from the hill crest immediate
~ in front of where our men were
camped. Several OF the regiment were
killed and wounded by the shrapnel Of
the return fire of the Spaniards. One OF
the shrapneI bullets fell on my wrist and
raised a bump as big as a hickory nut.
but did not even break the skin. Then
We were marched down from the hill
on a muddy road through thick jungle
toward Santiago. The heat was great.
and We strolled into the fight with no
definite idea on the part of any one as TO
what we were to do or what would hap
pen. There was no plan that our left
wing was to make a serious fight that
day: and as there were no plans. II was
naturally exceedingly hard to get orders,
and each OF us had to act largely on his
own responsibility.
l.awton's infantry division and Sum
hers dismounted cavalry division were
supposed to retain the Spanish army in
Santiago until I.awton had captured FL
Caney. Spanish towns and villages, how
ever with their massive buildings, are
natural fortihcatiOns. as the French
found in the Peninsular War. and as both
the French and our people found in Mex
iru. The Spanish troops in FL Caney
fought very bravely. as did the Spanish
troops in front of us. and it was late in
the afternoon before LawtOn accom-
pli~hed his task.
san Juan Hills.
Meanwhile We of the left wing had by
degrees become involved in a fight which
toward the end became not even colo
neTs night but a squad leaders fight.
The cavalry division was put at the
head of the line. We were told 10
march forward. cross little river
in front, and then. turning to the
right march up alongside the stream
until We connected with Lawton.
Incidentally. this movement would not
hnve brought MS into touch with
I.awtOn in any event But We speedily
had to abandon any thought Of carrying
u out.
The maneuver brought us within fair
range Of the Spanish intremchments
along the line of hills which we called
the san Juan Hills. because on one Of
them was the san Juan ElOckhUusc. on
that day my regiment had the lead of the
second Brigade and We marched down
tH.. trail following IN trace behind tn"
First Brigade Apparently the Spaniards
could not make Up their minds what to
do as the three regular regiments of the
First Brigade crossed and dcfifed along
the other bank Of the stream. hut when
uur regiment WAS crossing they began
to fire At MS
Under this flank fire it soon became
impossible to continue the march. The
First Brigade halted. deplOyed, and
finally began to fire back. Then our
brigade was halted. From time to time
some Of our men would fall. and / sent
repeated word to the rear to try to get
authority to attack the hills in front
Finally Gen. Sumner who was fighting
tho. division in fine shape. sent word to
advance. The word was brought to me
ny Mills who said that my orders were
TO support the regulars in the assault
on the hills. and that my objective would
he the rcd-tiled ranch-hOuse in front, on
"A hill which we afterwards christened
Kettle Hill I mention Mills saying this
because it was exactly the kind of def
mite order the giving of which does so
much to insure success in a fight, as it
prevents all Obscurity as to what is to
he done. The order 10 attack dlu not
reach the First Brigade until after We
ourselves reached it, 50 1hat at first
there was doubt on the part of their
,hicers whether they were at liberty to
DIN the advance.
Up KittIe Hill.
7 had not enjoyed the Guasimas fight
at all. because ! had been so uncertain as
to what l ought to do. But the San
Juan fight was entirely different. The
Spaniards had a hard position to attack,
t is true. but we could see them. and
{ knew exactly how to proceed. I kept
IN horseback, merely because I found
it difficult to convey orders along the
inc. as the men were lying down; and
IT is always hard to get men to start
when they cannot see whether their
comrades are also going. So 1 rode up
and down the lines, keeping them
Strengthened out. and gradually worked
through line after line, until I found
myself at the head of the regiment. By
the time ! had reached the lines of the
regulars of the First Brigade I had
come to the conclusion that it was silly
to stay in the valley firing at the hills,
because that was really where We were
most exposed, and that the thing to do
was to try to rush the intrenchments.