The Santiago Campaign

Front matter

BY Major-General Joseph Wheeler Commanding Fourth Corps, United States Army Late Commander of Cavalry Division in Santiago Campaign Lamson, Wolffe and Company Boston, New York, London mdcccxcviii Copyright, 1898, By Joseph Wheeler. All rights reserved. Rockwell and Churchill Press, Boston, Mass., U.S.A. TO TO Œbe Brave ©fficers anfc Sorters OF THE CAVALRY DIVISION, ARMY OF SANTIAGO, I DEDICATE THIS BOOK THEIR SUPERB COURAGE IN BATTLE, AND THEIR ENDURANCE AND FORTITUDE WHEN SUBJECTED TO THE DISCOMFORT, DISEASES, AND HARDSHIPS OF THE TROPICAL CLIMATE OF CUBA, 18 LARGELY DUE THE GLORY ACHIEVED BY AMERICAN ARMS IN THE CAMPAIGN OF SANTIAGO THEIR GOOD CONDUCT IN BIVOUAC, UPON THE MARCH, AND IN BATTLE, HAS NEVER BEEN SURPASSED BY ANY SOLDIERS; AND I SHALL REMEMBER EACH AND ALL OF THEM WITH EVER INCREASING GRATITUDE AND ADMIRATION the TAGE 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Below synopsis of each chapter will be found, by way of Index running heads on right-hand pages.

Part I. The Campaign

Chapter I. My Appointment — Report for Duty to General Wade, Commanding at Tampa — General Shafter takes Command of the Expedition — Embarking for Cuba — Diary en route Arrival at Tampa, 5 ; the embarkation, 7 ; the naval column, 9; approaching Cuba, 11, Chapter II. Landing at Daiquiri, after Naval Bombardment of the Shore — Strength of the Cavalry Division — Hoisting the Flag on a Spanish Blockhouse — The Battle of Las Guasimas — My Official Report — Names of the Killed 13 The Cavalry Division, 15 ; on the march, 17 ; the battle, 19 ; wounded officers, 21 ; the Death Roll, 23. PAGE Chapter III. The Battle of Las Guasimas (concluded) — Official Reports of General Young, and Colonel Wood of the " Rough Riders " — A Spanish Newspaper's Report — Editorial ln the N.Y. "Times" 24 Young's Report : — Meeting Castillo, 25 ; the at tack, 27; troops engaged, 29; results, 31, Wood's Report : — Heavy firing, 33 ; death of Capron, 35 ; " Beaten, but persisted in fighting," 37.

Chapter IV. The Spanish Forces engaged — El Caney's Defences — Battle of San Juan — Senior in Command on the Line — The Question of Falling Back after the Hills were gained . . . .39 In general command on shore, 41 ; instructing Generals Kent and Sumner, 43 ; endurance of the troops, 45 ; holding the ridge, 47. Chapter V. Battle of San Juan (concluded) — Remarks of N.Y. "Sun" on General Shafter's Expurgated Despatch — My Report of this Battle — Tables of Losses, Cavalry Division and Kent's Infantry Division — Names and Commands of Officers Killed and Wounded . . .49 Pushing forward, 51 ; the enemy's retreat, 53 ; strength and casualties, 55 ; officers killed and wounded, 57. Chapter VI. The Battle of San Juan (concluded) — Offical Reports of General Kent, Colonel Leonard Wood, of the table of contents PAGE "Rough Riders," and Theodore Roose velt, Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding . 59 Kent's Report: — Panic-stricken soldiers, 61 ; the infantry charge, 63 ; honorable mention, 65 ; the casualties, 67, 69.

Wood's Report: —The Cavalry troops, 71 ; taking the hill, 73 ; Captain O'Neil and others, 75- Roosevelt's Report : — On the line, 77; individual valor, 79. Total army strength, 81. Chapter VII. Concerning the Regulars and the Volunteers in Action — " Harpers' Weekly" on Due Credit to the Permanent or the Temporary Soldier — Conduct of the 71st New York 82 " Rough Riders' " marksmanship, 83 ; the New York Volunteers at San Juan, 85. Chapter VIII. Admirable Defences of Santiago: THE PUNTA GORDA AND SOCAPA Batteries — Plan of Extending our Right around the clty general blanco and Admiral Cervera see their Predicament — The Attempted Flight and the Destruction of Cervera's Fleet— Word from Dewey 87 Our center well established, 89 ; armament of Cervera's fleet, 91 ; the fleet destroyed, 93 ; Watson's despatch, 95 ; the " Herald's" story, 97-105.

Chapter IX. Messages from General Miles and the President — General Toral's Proposal for Surrender declined — Truce for removing Non-combatants — X PAGE The Story of General Escario's Advance — " Tremendous Fighting Qualities " of the Spaniard 107 Action retold in General Orders, 109 ; a threat to shell the town, 111; the truce extended, 113; telegram July 3d, about withdrawing, 115. Chapter X. My Illness overstated — Did NOT LEAVE COMMAND — GENERAL GARCIA'S Battle with the Pando Column — A Warm Attack on the City — Detailed Report of Bombardment — General Miles takes Command — The First Overtures for Peace 117 Bombardment from the sea and land, 119 ; effects of the shots, 121 ; the question of Toral's authority, 123 ; a tentative proposal, 125. Chapter XI. Preliminary Agreement for the Capitulation — Spanish Pride and Sensitiveness — A Pitiful Appeal to Madrid — Terms of the Military Convention — The Surrender .... 126 The honorable terms proposed, 127 ; character istics of Toral, 129 ; Noblesse oblige, 131 ; Linares' long cablegram, 133 ; the commissioners meet, 135 ; the final terms, 137 ; the news sent home, 139.

Chapter XII. Report of the Commissioners' Conversations— A Misunderstanding as to the Spanish Commissioners' Powers — "Capitulation" substituted for PAGE "Surrender" — The Honor of the American Nation Pledged — Adjournment 141 A question of sentiment, 143 ; diplomatic misun derstanding and delay, 145 ; immediate decision urged, 147 ; willing to return the Spanish arms, 149 ; Toral's presence wanted : adjournment, 151. Chapter XIII. The Conversations (continued) — Another Misunderstanding — The Red Cross Ship to enter First with Provisions — General Toral's Appeal on Behalf of Spanish Honor — The Removing of Harbor-Mines — Adjournment . 152 Agreement to be modified, 153 ; way for the Red Cross ship, 155 ; Spanish troops to be transported, 157 ; the point of honor recommended, 159 ; the misunderstanding again, 161 ; not an absolute capitulation, 163 ; adjournment, 165.

Chapter XIV. The Conversations (concluded) — Spanish Forces to march out Under Arms and salute their Colors — The Misunderstanding satisfactorily settled — Water S upply of Santiago — The Final Details 166 General Toral demurs, 167 ; harbor defences, and the refugees, 169 ; arrangements for feeding the city, 171 ; Spanish colors to be honored, 173 ; the Government at Madrid approves, 175. Chapter XV. The News sent Home — Capitulation Ceremonies — The Entry of Santiago — Raising the American Flag PAGB above the Palace — My Visit to the Wrecks of Cervera's Squadron 177 The Nation's thanks, 179 ; riding into the city, 181 , the barricades and intrenchments, 183 ; appearance of the wrecks, 185 ; examining the fortifications, 187 ; rifles and ammunition turned over, 189. Chapter XVI. Description of the Neighboring Country — The Towns : Daiquiri, Siboney, Sevilla, and El Caney — Sufferings of the Refugees — The City of Santiago — Captain Fry's Fate recalled — spanish abuse of the red Cross Flag 190 A fruitful land ill-used, 191 ; interior views of the city, 193 ; barbarous Spain, 195.

Chapter XVII. Our Generals in the Campaign — The Spanish Generals and Civil Officers — - " Society of the Army of Santiago" — Getting the Troops North — Placed in Command at Montauk Point, 196 General Shafter, 197 ; the other Generals, 199 ; rich young Americans in the ranks, 201 ; officers of the new society, 203 ; the Cavalry Division re embarked, 205. Chapter XVIII. Camp Wikoff, Montauk Point — Sanitary Care of the Soldiers — Gifts from the American People, of Money, Goods, and Personal Service — A Statement to the Associated Press — PAGB Visits of the Secretary of War, Pres ident Me KlNLEY, AND SURGEON-GENERAL Sternberg 207 Some of the donations, 209 ; extra supplies and trained nurses, 211; convalescents attended home, 213 ; spirit of the soldiers themselves, 215 ; the selection of Montauk Point, 217 ; Secretary Alger's visit, 219; the Surgeon-General satisfied, 221.

Chapter XIX. Mustering Out the Regiments — Farewells 222 Addenda to Part I. : A. — Officers of Cavalry Division in the Battle of Las Guasimas, June 24, 1898 . . .229 B. — Officers of Cavalry Division in the Battle of San Juan, July 1, 2, and 3, 1898 . .

Part II. Despatches On The Field

PAGE Chapter I. Advance from the Coast — Cubans' Skirmish with the Spaniards — In Sight of Santiago — Examining Spanish Prisoners — Directions for the Line of Battle from General Shafter, On Board S.S. "Seguranca" — Rations for Castillo's Troops 239 The dynamite gun wanted, 241 ; occupying the enemy's ground, 243 ; report of two boy refugees, 245 ; topographical officers detailed, 247 ; precaution in addressing despatches, 249 ; bringing up the commands, 251. Chapter II. Reinforcements expected — Cuban Regiment reports for Duty — Delay for Reinforcements — A Refugee's Statement of the Food, Population, and Defences of Santiago — Pando coming from Manzanlllo to Its Am with 5,000 Troops 253 Stores for troops and refugees, 255 ; disease and hunger in the city, 257 ; old-fashioned guns : news of Hobson, 259; the forces in El Caney, 261.

Chapter HI. Rations, Forage, and Roads — The Wire Nippers — A Refugee's Report of El Caney — Conference of the American and Cuban Generals — Number and Kind of Troops in Santiago — Orders concerning Outposts . . . 262 Widening trails for pack-trains, 263 ; council with Garcia and Castillo, 265 ; duties of outpost commander, 267 ; sentinels' duties, 269. PAGE Chapter IV. The Status, Morning of July First — General Shafter takes Command on Shore — Despatches during First Day, Battle of San Juan — Interviewing Spanish Prisoners — Washington notified, 271 On the crest of the hill, 273 ; traverses and in trenchments, 275 ; the appeals " to withdraw the line," 277; El Caney carried, 279. Chapter V. The Status, Morning of July Second — Despatches during Second Day, Battle of San Juan — Order for List of Casualties 280 Disposition of the troops, 281; artillery to hold their fire, 283 ; positions of the commands, 285 ; locating siege-guns, 287 ; the firing ceased, 289.

Chapter VI. The Status, Morning of July Third — News of the Destruction of Cervera's Fleet — Letter from General Toral — Consuls negotiating for Removal of Civilians during Proposed Bombardment — A 4th of July Celebration . 290 " Rush this around our lines," 291 ; truce for the consuls' visit, 293 ; names of the consuls, 295. Chapter VII. Garcia allows Pando with Reinforcements to slip past Him — General Miles coming — A Prisoner's Information about Fort Aguadores — Wounded Spanish Officers — Exchange of Hobson and His Men — Returns of the Killed and Wounded .... 297 Stragglers to the rear, 299 ; flag of truce, with letters, 301 ; a Spanish informer, 303 ; thanks from Toral: Hobson, 305. PAGE Chapter VIII. Reinforcements reported from Key West, New York, and Charleston — A Siege preferred to Another Assault — Exchange of Hobson effected — No Fighting on the 7th and 8th — Line swung forward and strengthened . 307 Transports sail with wounded, 309 ; prisoners for exchange, 311 ; stationery and sand-bags, 313 ; the general health, 315; thanks of the Nation," 317- Chapter IX.

General Toral's Definition of "Arms" — The Truce continues, pending Response from Washington — Unconditional Surrender demanded and declined — The Lines extended, and Navy opens fire — Order to stop all Forward Movements on Advance Lines . 318 Spanish proposal to march out, 319 ; Porto Rico for our troops ? 321 ; new major-generals and brigadiers, 323 ; " Spanish reveille as usual," 325 ; navy shots well placed, 327. Chapter X. " Rough Riders " for the Pack- Trains — The Archbishop, Priests, and Nuns of Santiago — The Truce extended till Noon, July 14th — Memorandum of Conference between Generals Shafter and Toral — General Miles authorizes Appointment of Commissioners — The Question OF SUBMITTING TERMS TO MADRID . 329 White flag messages both ways, 331 ; Toral stops the work on trenches, 333 ; prospects of capitulation, 335 ; American commissioners instructed, 337 ; "the best possible" terms obtained, 339.

PAGE 340 355 Chapter XI. Announcing the Capitulation — Precautions against Fever — Refugees Only to pass the Lines — Arrangements for Formal Act of Surrender — Finding Good Water and locating Camps — Amenities between Spanish and American Headquarters General Miles on sanitary conditions, 341 ; refugees going back, 343 ; general officers to enter the city, 345 ; camp for the cavalry near pipe-line, 347 ; campaign reviewed in General Orders, 349 ; a liberal policy with Toral, 351 ; his gratitude expressed, 353. Chapter XII. Recommendations for Good Conduct — Further Precautions for the Health of Troops — Report of Inspection, Cavalry Division — A Letter in English from General Escario — Preparing to re-embark — Final Orders "Where is Garcia? " 357 ; inspection details, 359 ; Inspector-General regarding regimen, 361 ; " Pro mote the senior captains," 363; urging voyage to Porto Rico, 365 ; forestalling infection of ships, 367 ; care of the sick aboard, 369.

PART I

-THE CAMPAIGN Note. — The exact wording of official Reports has been followed here ; and also the spelling of proper names in the Reports, even where it differs from the spelling in Addendas A and B to Part I., which aims to be correct. Throughout the book, I have pre ferred "Daiquiris' as the common local spelling ; though " Baiquiri" has good usage. CHAPTEE I MY APPOINTMENT REPORT FOR DUTY TO GENERAL WADE, COMMANDING AT TAMPA GENERAL SHAFTER TAKES COMMAND OF THE EXPEDITION EMBARKING FOR CUBA DIARY EN ROUTE THE initial campaign of the Spanish War is over. The surrender of the eastern province of Santiago, together with all their forts and twenty-three thousand Spanish soldiers, is completed, and the flag of our country floats over the palace of an historic city three hun dred and eighty-two years old.

The Spanish army, which had fought gallantly in the defence of Santiago, is now disarmed and encamped in the fields to the east of the city which they had so bravely defended, awaiting the arrival of ships to take them to Spain. I will begin by stating that on the night of April 26th President McKinley wrote me that he would like to see me at half-past eight that evening. I was prompt in complying, and was ushered into a room where I found the President, the Attorney-General, the Secretary of War, Major Webb Hayes, of Ohio, and Major Hast ings and ex-Congressman Thompson, of the same State. After some pleasant interchanges the President said, " General, I have sent for you to ask if you want to go, and if you feel able to go." I replied that, while I was sixty-one years old, I felt as strong and capable as when I was forty, or even much younger, and that I de sired very much to have another opportunity to serve my country.

He said, " I have got to appoint fifteen major-generals; and it would have given you great pleasure to have heard the pleasant things said about you while we were discussing the matter yesterday." After a little more conversation he took me into a separate room, where we had a little private talk. On the evening of May 2d, I received a notice from the War Department that my appointment had been made out. The Senate did not meet on the 3d, but on the 4th it was received by that body and at once confirmed. Late in the even ing of May 9th I received the following order : War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, D.C., May 9, 1898, 6.18 p.m. Major-General Joseph Wheeler, Washington : Under instructions from the Secretary of War, the Major-General Commanding Army directs, as neces sary for public service, that you proceed to Camp George ARRIVAL AT TAMPA 5 H. Thomas, Chickamauga, Ga., and report in person to Major-General John R. Brooke for assignment to duty.

Prompt action imperative. H. C. Corbin, Adjutant- General. I immediately packed my trunk and left on the first through train, reporting to General Brooke early on the morning of May 11th. I was very much pleased with General Brooke; he is a large, handsome man, and impressed me very favorably. The next day at 2 o'clock I received the following telegram: War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, Washington, D.C., May 12, 1898, 1.38 p.m. Major-General Joseph Wheeler, Chickamauga Battlefield, Ga., care of General Brooke : With approval of Secretary of War, Major-General Commanding directs you report at Tampa, Fla., to command the cavalry in the expedition now leaving. General Miles leaves here to-night. You should meet him at Tampa soon as possible after his arrival. H. C. Corbin, Adjutant- General.

I hastened to the depot in time to take the 2.07 train ; and reached Tampa the next day, and tel egraphed to Washington of my arrival there. I reported to General Wade; who informed me that he had not received any instructions about my duties, and would have to wait until they arrived. General Wade is a thorough soldier: he is the son of the distinguished Senator and Acting Vice-President Benjamin F. Wade, of Ohio. He has spent his life in the army, and has an excellent military reputation. Some two or three days later, General Wade was ordered upon other duties, and General Shafter was placed in command. I confess that when I met this officer I was struck with his bearing, and what I interpreted as his force of character. His head and face are not unlike those of Presi dent Cleveland; and I readily saw that he pos sessed administrative ability, and that he was fitted for an important command.

When orders from Washington were received assigning me to the command of the Cavalry Division, I immediately pitched my tent with the command, and devoted myself to inspection and other means of becoming familiar with the officers and men. In less than three days I had looked squarely in the face of every man in the command. I at tended the drills, and soon saw that the com mand was one of which I could be justly proud. About 9 o'clock of the night of June 7th, an officer of General Shafter's staff came to me and stated that orders from Washington made it imperative that the command should embark at daylight the next morning, and that a train of cars to take the division to Port Tampa — a distance of nine miles — would be ready for us at 11 o'clock that night. Immediately all was THE EMBARKATION 7 bustle.

Camps were struck, everything hauled alongside of the railroad; the cars finally came, and shortly after they arrived we reached Port Tampa. We embarked with all speed. But a second telegram from Washington directed a delay until the following Monday. We under stood that the sudden order which caused us to leave that night was occasioned by a telegram from Admiral Sampson stating that if ten thousand men were promptly sent to Santiago he could capture Cervera's fleet and the garrison in the city. That message, as since verified, reads : Mole, Hayti, June 7, 1898. Secretary of Navy, Washington : Bombarded forts at Santiago 7.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. to-day, June 6th. Have silenced works quickly, with out injury of any kind, though stationary within 2,000 yards. If 10,000 men were here, city and fleet would be ours within forty-eight hours.

Every consideration demands immediate army movement. If delayed, city will be defended more strongly by guns taken from fleet. Sampson. I cannot do better than to insert here a brief diary of the details of our trip, from the night we left Tampa, June 7th, until we came within sight of our landing-place, near Santiago, on June 20th. It is as follows : At 9 o'clock Tuesday, June 7th, despatches from Admiral Sampson indicated immediate ne cessity for troops. We promptly broke camp; and, by daylight, had traveled nine miles and reached the transports at Port Tampa. My cavalry troops embarked upon the steamships Alleghany, Rio Grande, Miami, and Yucatan, with orders to sail immediately. When all on board, telegrams were received to delay, and we remained in port until the morning of Tuesday, June 14th.

After many delays, we succeeded in pushing down Tampa Bay. The channel is a difficult one, — our ships drawing 18 feet, and the channel at the deepest place, which is narrow, being only 23 feet. There were nearly fifty transports, and there were only four pilots, which accounted for some of the delay. Wednesday, June 15. — The sky in the even ing is perfectly beautiful, the stars very bright, and appear much more numerous than in more northern latitudes. At dusk we see Tortugas Light, and pass, leaving it to our right. Thursday, June 16. — At daylight we find ourselves under the escort of a number of war ships. The entire fleet, including the naval vessels, numbers some fifty-five ships. We sail in three columns, the columns being about one thousand yards apart. My ship, the Alleghany, leads the right column, the one nearest to Cuba.

The war-ship Indiana sails some thousand or more yards to our front and right. The other naval ships are approximately as laid down in the official table showing the order of sailing of the cruisers and transports, as follows: THE NAVAL COLUMN 9 Order of Cruising1. International 8igna], T.C.P. Vesuvius. O 1600 yds. © Scorpion. 1600 yds. 1600 yds. Annapolis. Castine. Helena. Indiana. O 800 yds. O 800 yds. O 1600 yds. O 400 yds. 400 yds. i O 1 O 9 17 Alleghany. "a o 2 0 10 O 18 lst Div- 1600 yds. O3 O11 O 19 1600 yds. | O 4 O 12 O 20 Panther. Yosemite. O 25 O 30 O © 1600 yds. O 5 800 yds. Bancroft. 800 yds. Detroit. 800 yds. O O Q O 800 yds. O 400 yds. 400 yds O 28 O 22 O 26 O 7 015 O23 2dDiv. O 16 O 24 1600 yds. 029 O o 8 0 27 Wompatock. Eagle. 014 021 © O 1600 yds. O 6 1600 yds. Wasp. O During all of Thursday we sailed in an east erly direction bearing south, keeping nearly parallel to the coast of Cuba.

Of course it is very warm, but not so intolerable as one would imagine. We occasionally see a strange sail, which generally turns out to be a despatch boat or a freight vessel. I think we have seen but one of the latter kind ; the danger of capture is too great for merchantmen to take the risk. Friday, June 17. — Soon after daylight the fleet tinned southward, and by 8 o'clock we were running parallel to and in sight of the shore of Cuba, about opposite the western end of Puerto Principe. We are compelled to regu late our speed by that of the slowest vessel, and hardly make more than nine or ten knots an hour. At 10 o'clock we are passing the Cuban light-house at Paradone Principe. We can plainly see the barracks that are occupied by Spanish soldiers, and some contend they can see the men standing in front of the buildings.

At 2 p.m. we are passing Lopos Light-house, leaving it to our left, or north of us. This light house is on one of the most southern of the Bahama Islands. It is English, of course. It is only about fourteen miles from Cuba. A ship sailing midway of the channel is in sight of both the English and Cuban shores. I can now see high ground in Cuba, and the Lopos Light-house on Bahama Islands cannot be more than about four miles distant. APPROACHING CUBA 11 Five P. M. — See very high ground in Cuba. The sea has been very blue, quite as blue as blue indigo. At night the signalling of the war-ships is very interesting. Bright and varied colors are displayed, by which communications are held. Saturday, June 18. — Remained at a stand still several hours this morning, for slow ships to catch up. At 2 p.m. we are passing Cape Lucretia, about the middle (measured east and west) of the province of Santiago de Cuba, and almost north of the city of Santiago de Cuba.

We see high hills on the Cuban coast, estimated at from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred feet high. Towards night we take direct course to the English island called Inagua Island. It is just north of what is called Windward Channel. This is the channel between Cuba and Haiti or St. Domingo. Sunday, June 19. — At about nine o'clock, approaching Matthew Town on Inagua Island. We can plainly see the light-house. When within about fifteen miles of the island, we turn sharply south towards the Windward Channel. The sea is getting quite rough. At 3 p.m. the sea has become more calm, and we are in sight of Cape Maisa. The shore seems to be lined with high hills or mountains, say from one thou sand to fifteen hundred feet. We see clouds of smoke; very possibly Spaniards preparing to retreat to Santiago.

We are now about one hundred and twenty miles from that place. Sunday night, 9 p.m., we have rounded the eastern end of the Island of Cuba, and are now sailing west to Santiago. Monday, June 20. — At daylight, we are about thirty miles east of Santiago. We see high mountains on the shore, probably two thousand feet high. Will close this before reaching landing-place, as we must pack up for disembarkation.

Chapter II Landing At Daiquiri, After Naval Bombardment Of The Shore Strength

OF THE CAVALRY DIVISION HOISTING THE FLAG ON A SPANISH BLOCK- HOUSE THE BATTLE OF LAS GUASIMAS MY OFFICIAL REPORT NAMES OF THE KILLED WITH the aid of our glasses we could see the town of Daiquiri, the place selected for our landing. The place has no harbor, but as it was a shipping-point for iron-ore, General Shafter and the naval officers concluded we could safely land the army by the use of the small boats belonging to the fleet and the transports. There is a strongly built iron pier extending out some distance from the shore, but we readily saw this could not be used by us. It extended very high above the water, it being constructed for the purpose of dumping iron-ore from the cars into lighters. It was, therefore, evident that we would be obliged to land on the beach, or else at the end of a small dock that extended some twenty yards from the shore.

On the 21st, General Shafter and his staff had a meeting with General Castillo; and on the 22d, all the generals were directed to visit Gen eral Shafter. Here we were informed that a landing would be effected the next day. Shortly after daylight the navy commenced a heavy bombardment on to the shore, which lasted about an hour; after which the disembarkation commenced. I should have mentioned that, in order to take this trip, it was necessary for us to leave our horses behind, as we had no way of transporting them to Cuba. This made it necessary to leave a squadron of every regiment to take care of the horses, so that my entire division which entered into the expedition was as tabu lated on the opposite page. The disembarkation was attended with serious difficulties. The high surf dashed several of the strong naval boats to pieces.

The mules, artillery, and private horses of officers were pushed overboard, several being drowned in attempting to swim to the shore. General Lawton's Division was given the honor to be the first to disembark; but on purpose to prepare for my troops I went ashore personally, and directed Colonel Wood, of my command, to send a man to the top of an eminence, upon which a Spanish block-house and flag-staff had been erected, and to hoist his regimental flag upon the flag-staff. This was promptly done; and it was responded to by shrill whistles from the entire fleet. I rode forward some three and a half miles to THE CAVALRY DIVISION 15 Strength of the Cavalry Division that sailed from Tampa for Cuba, June 14, 1898. Organizations. Officers. Men. Major-General Wheeler and Staff . 12 First Brigade (Sumner's) : 3 Brigadier-General and Staff. 3d Regular Cavalry 22 420 6th Regular Cavalry 16 437 9th Regular Cavalry 21 410 Second Brigade (Young's) : 6 Brigadier-General and Staff 540 1st Regular Cavalry 25 10th Regular Cavalry . . . . 21 465 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry . . 32 550 Totals 158 2,822 examine the country, and when I returned it was late at night.

The next morning General Shafter sent for me, and directed that I go to Juragua to throw forward pickets to Juragua cito, more commonly called Siboney. I rode rapidly to this place, followed by two squadrons of Colonel Wood's Regiment and one squadron each of the 1st and 3d Regulars, and three Hotchkiss guns. When I reached Juraguacito, or Siboney, I found that the enemy had taken their men out of the block-house in that vicin ity the midnight preceding, and at daylight had started in the direction of Sevilla, followed by some two hundred Cubans. I rode rapidly to the front, and found that the enemy had halted in a strong position three miles from Siboney; the Cubans having engaged their rear, in which action nine of them were wounded. I saw one dead Spaniard, but do not know what other casualties they suffered.

Hoping that my troops would be up that night, I hastened back to Sib oney; and at 8 o'clock the troops of my com mand above mentioned had arrived. With the aid of General Castillo I learned the features of the country; and determined to attack as early as possible next morning, General Castillo prom ising that he would go Avith me and assist. In order to march with more rapidity, it was arranged with Colonel Wood to march with his regiment, five hundred strong, by a left-hand or westerly road; while the Hotchkiss guns ON THE MARCH and the squadrons of the 1st and 10th Cavalry, and the dynamite gun, which we momentarily expected, were to march on what is called the main Santiago road. General Castillo was also to march with us on this road with two hundred Cubans. At a designated point Colonel Wood was to file to the right, forming line on the right of the road which he was to travel; which would cause his right flank to connect with the left flank of the regular cavalry, which was to march on the other road; the distance between the two roads at the point of formation being about seven hundred or eight hundred yards.