New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-06-05
Wood at San Juan
An ObserU~r Who Scu Him
On the Battlefield
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: An effort is now being made
to prove that General Wood was not
on the field Of San Juan. 1t is difficult
to understand why such an absurd re
port should be circulated at this time.
except to turn public opinion against
him and defeat his nomination. Stephen
Crane, Sylvester Scovel and T. H.
Nichols, my companions of that day
have passed away. They were all on
the firing line at San Juan. Nichols
got so interested in his first fight that
he was carried half way up the hill
with the Rough Riders. Scovel and
myself started the day at Ell Pozo Hill,
and then went forward to the advance
lines and later returned to the safer
precincts of the "lee bank" Of the San
Juan River to write our dispatches. I
saw General Wood at Ell Pozo Hill
carly in the day. 1t was the one point
on the front from where the Spanish
positions could be clearly observed
and where our artillery was placed.
l saw General Wood at least five
times during the rest of the day in
the fighting zone to the advance of
the river. There was no MISLEADING
his identity. His Distinguishing feat
ure was the entire absence of insignia.
The broad yellow cavalry stripe down
the leg Of the trousers was the only
mark which differentiated him from
the ordinary cavalryman. He was on
the job from morning until night
through the thick of the fight. He was
in his proper place.
There were lot Of people mixed up
in the fight at San Juan Hill who never
really knew where they were during
that day. The dispatches from the
from: written by the handful of cor
respondents who were close enough to
give detailed accounts of what hap
pened will make most Unpleasant read
ing for New Workers. Whatever credit
our own pet regiment is entitled TO
for its part in that days work is
Volunteer Cavalry, whose movements
were directed on the spot by its COM
handing general.
Roosevelt never forgot that his own
popularity during the Spanish War
was obtained at the expense of his
commanding officer. From the time
shat the newspaper correspondents at
Tampa coined the phrase "Roose clt's
Rough Riders the name of Colonel
Wood was seldom heard. The credit
for the fight at San Juan Hill went to
Roosevelt, who as colonel and actual
head of tn, regiment led the c,arcc.
His superior officer who, as brigade
general, "as slightly in the rear TO
direct operations, was once more ie-
nored in the newspaper reports of the
fight.
Several times during the Santiago CAM
paign Roosevelt demonstrated with me
against this injustice and insisted that
the correspondents should recognize
that Colonel Wood was in command of
the LIST Volunteer Cavalry, and what
ever credit was due to the regiment
belonged to Wood In my last talk
with Roosevelt on July ", as l was
bidding him poodby to return homo
invaded through fever. he expressed
himself as being highly gratfed with
the treatment accorded him by the
correspondents. and again laid stress
on the fact that he felt "a though Gen
crnl v God had not been treated Justly
and asked me to do what ! could in
my articles to emphasize the proper
position Of Wood ns the real leader
OF the regiment.
Through Roosevelt the city of New
York garnered the iaurols that be-
longcd to Wood. Through Wood the
city Of New York was saved deep
humiliation on tho day Of San Juan