The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-03-30
ROOSEVELT IN SPANISH WAR IS
PORTRAYED BY FORMER SUB0RDINAT E

fire with sufficient definiteness, our
regiment was deployed in skirmish for
nation, and advanced.
We were for the most part passing
over a comparatively open country,
grown up into high grass, with here
and there a palm tree or some small
growth. AS we advanced and were
halted, it was our duty to lie down
and take advantage of such shelter as
offered. near enough at hand as not
to materially affect the lines forma-
ton. The place of the colonel and
the lieutenant colonel was we'll to our
rear.
But while We lay in the long grass,
Col. Leonard Wood and Lieut.. Col.
Roosevelt, leading their horses,
walked up and down the line but few
feet back of us; Offering exposed and
slowly moving targets for the con-
cealed enemy not far in our front
! They were carefully examining the
! front for further advances, not the
rear for line Of retreat. After all,
personal courage is the first essential
! to leadership, and from that day we
were wholly and unquestionably the
devoted followers of our chiefs.
! The Battle Of San Juan.
! June 80, again after a drenching rain
I we broke camp and moved toward San
tiago, at dusk arriving at Ell Paso and
going into camp. Shortly after day
break July l, Caprons battery opened
the battle of San Juan-El Caney.
Very soon, we were ordered forward
along the road to San Juan, and halted
at a point which proved to be in front
/ OF the so called Kittle Hill, the middle
! one of the three that were covered by
the San Juan fight.
Where we were first halted, in a
growth Of scattered timber. we were
held for some time. under quite an an
moving fire from the hills. Finally, we
were deployed as skirmishers and or
dered to advance. We emerged from
the timber into the open field and were
under heavy fire from the hills, though
they were hidden from our view by the
strip Of trees along the brook at their
base. BY rushes we had almost
crossed the field when we were halted.
Roosevelt, now colonel and in COM
mand, was on the line. Being mount
ed, he could see the hills in our front,
shut out to us on the ground and in
the long grass. Ae We halted, ser
geant, Paul Hunter, was between the
colonel and me. There was no more
) gallant soldier in the regiment than
hunter, nor Dt'llSE ueIlloCI dl. I1c olOOl
, in as little awe Of rank as concern for
enemy fire. and he never overlooked
an opportunity OF advising his super
icr especially If the subject were OF
sufficient importance.
AS the colonel studied the front he
said, as though thinking aloud: 1--WE
could take that hill. l wish l had au
: thoritv to order charge.
Hunter promptly spoke up:
, "Of course We can, colonel; order
: H."
The colonel seemed to question this
authority, but within a few moments
an officer rode up. spoke to Colonel
Roosevelt in an undertone. and he i'm
mediately ordered us to charge.
The army constructed its lines Of in
| vestment along the brow OF the hills
t surrounding Santiago. The Spanish
| fleet was destroyed July 8 and, after
l allowing such Of the noncombatants as
: desired to retire to FL Caney, we pom
barded the city Sunday, July 10. Fol
: lowing this. negotiations for surrender
I were opened by the enemy.
The American soldier thinks that al
;. the steps in any such affair as a sur
. render should be published, principally
q for his information. So We of the
ranks we're anxious to know how mat
y tiers Jared.
Urged Unconditional Surrender.
J.. Detachments of each command were
: constantly on guard in our trenches
. the army encamped behind the hills
;. The colonel would visit us in the
t trenches. On one of these visits, ant
t while the negotiations for surrender
/. were pending, he said: 81 am going t.
2 tell you how matters stand. Genera
e Torrel wishes to surrender Santiago
( but to march his men. with their arms
out to Ell Cobre. General Wheeler
v whose bravery no man will question
n (this said in that emphatic way of hi:
e that left not the slightest question:
|, is in favor of this, for the reason tina
T. we are now morally bound to provi
t sion the twenty thousand refugees a
Ell Caney. With the city, we shall
5 have its harbor. Without it, we mus