 Chapter 7, Part 3 of Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt This is a Liberox recording. All Liberox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Liberox.org Recording by Daisy55 Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt Chapter 7, The War of America, the Unready, Part 3 At San Antonio, we entrained for Tampa. In various sociological books by authors of continental Europe, there were gyrmades as to the way in which service in the great European armies with their minute and machine like efficiency and regularity tends to dwarf the capacity for individual initiative among the officers and men. There is no such danger for any officer or man of a volunteer organization in America when our country with playful light heartiness has practiced or has pranced into war without making any preparations for it. I know no larger or finer field for the display of an advanced individualism than that which opened before us as we went from San Antonio to Tampa. Camp there and embarked on a transport for Cuba. Nobody ever had any definite information to give us and whatever information we unearthed on our own account was usually wrong. Each of us had to show an alert and not over scrupulous self-reliance in order to obtain food for his men, preventer for his horses, or transportation of any kind for any object. One lesson early impressed on me was that if I wanted anything to eat, it was wise to carry it with me. And if any new war should arise, I would earnestly advise the men of every volunteer organization always to heed upon the belief that their supplies will not turn up and to take every opportunity of getting food for themselves. Tampa was a scene of the wildest confusion. There were miles of tracks loaded with cars of the contents of which nobody seemed to have any definite knowledge. General Miles, who was supposed to have supervision over everything, and General Schaefer, who had charge of the expedition, were both there. But thanks to the fact that nobody had had any experience in handling even such a small force as ours, about 17,000 men, there was no semblance of order. Wood and I were bound that we should not be left behind when the expedition started. When we were finally informed that it was to leave next morning, we were ordered to go to a certain track to meet a train. We went to the track, but the train never came. Then we were sent to another track to meet another train. Again, it never came. However, we found a cold train of which we took possession, and the conductor, partly under duress and partly in a spirit of friendly helpfulness, took us down to the equae. All kinds of other organizations, infantry and cavalry, regular and volunteer, were arriving at the equae and wondering around it, and there was no place where we could get any specific information as to what transport we were to have. Finally, Wood was told to get any ship you can get which is not already assigned. He borrowed without leave a small motorboat, and commandeered the transport Yucatan. When asked by the captain what his authority was, he reported that he was acting by orders of General Schaefer, and directed the ship to be brought to the dock. He had already sent me word to be ready. As soon as the ship touched the pier to put the regiment aboard her, I found that she had already been assigned to a regular regiment and to another volunteer regiment, and as it was evident that not more than half of the men assigned to her could possibly get on, I was determined that we should not be among the men left off. The volunteer regiment offered a comparatively easy problem. I simply marched my men past them to the lauded place and held the gangway. With the regulars I had to be a little more diplomatic, because their commandeer, a Lieutenant Colonel, was my superior in rank, and also doubtless knew his rights. He sent word to me to make way to draw my regiment off to one side and let his take possession of the gangway. I could see the transport coming in and could dimly make out Woods' figure thereon. Accordingly, I played for time. I sent respectful requests through his officers to the commander of the regulars, entered into parlays, and made protestations until the transport got near enough so that by yelling at the top of my voice, I was able to get into a highly constructive communication with Woods. What he was saying, I had no idea, but he was evidently speaking in my own responsibility. I translated into directions to hold the gangway and so informed the regulars that I was under the orders of my superior and of a ranking officer, and to my great regret, et cetera, et cetera, could not give way as they desired. As soon as the transport was fast, we put our men aboard at the double. Half of the regiment got on and the other half and the other volunteer regiment went somewhere else. We were kept several days on the transport which was jammed with men so that it was hard to move about on the deck. Then we got underway and we streamed slowly down to Santiago. Here we disembarked higgly-piggly just as we had embarked. Different ports of different outfits were jumbled together and it was no light labor afterwards to assemble the various batteries. For instance, one transport has guns and the other locks for the guns. The two not getting together for several days after one of them had been landed. Soldiers went here, provisions there, and who got assured first largely depended upon individual activity. Fortunately for us, my former naval aide, when I had been assistant secretary to the Navy, Lieutenant Commander Sharp, a first class fellow, was there in command of a leadership to which I had succeeded in getting him appointed before I left the Navy Department. He gave us a black pilot who took our transport right in shore, the others flown like a flock of sheep, and we disembarked with our rifles, ammunition belts, and not much else. In theory, it was out of our turn, but if we had not disembarked then, Heaven only knows when our turn would have come and we did not attend to be out of the fighting if we could help it. I carried some food in my pockets and a light waterproof coat, which was my sole camp equipment for the next two or three days. Twenty-four hours after getting ashore, we marched from Decoy, where we had landed, to Sabonet, also on the coast, reaching it doing a terrific downpour rain. When this was over, we built a fire, dried our clothes, and ate whatever we had brought with us. We were degraded with the first and tenth regular cavalry under Brigadier General Sam Young. He was a fine type of the American regular, like General Chaffee, another of the same type. He had entered the Army in the Civil War as a private. Later, when I was President, it was my good fortune to make each of them, in succession, Lieutenant General of the Army of the United States. When General Young retired and General Chaffee was to take his place, the former sent to the latter his three stars to wear on his first official presentation with a note that they were from Private Young to Private Chaffee. The two fine old fellows had served in the ranks, one in the cavalry, one in the infantry, and their golden youth in the days of the Great War nearly half a century before. Each had grown gray in a lifetime of honorable service under the flag, and each closed his active career in command of the Army. General Young was one of the few men who had given and taken wounds with the saber. He was an old friend of mine, and when in Washington before starting for the front, he told me that if we got in his brigade, he would put us into the fighting all right. He kept his word. General Young had actively superintendent getting his two regular regiments, or at least a squadron of each, off the transports and late that night he sent his word that he had received permission to move at dawn and strike the Spanish advance position. He directed us to move along a rich trail with our two squadrons. One squadron having been left at Tampa with the two other squadrons of regulars, one of the first and one of the tenth. Under his personal supervision, he marched for the Valley Trail. Accordingly, Wood took us along the Keel Trail early next morning till we struck the Spaniards and began our fight just as the regulars began the fight in the Valley Trail. It was a mountainous country covered with thick jungle, a most confusing country, and I had an awful time trying to get into the fight and trying to do what was right when in it. And all the while I was thinking that I was the only man who did not know what I was about and that all the others did. Whereas, as I found out later, pretty much everybody else was as much in the dark as I was. There was no surprise. We struck the Spaniards exactly where we had expected. Then Wood halted us and put us into the fight deliberately and in order. He ordered us to deploy alternately by troops to the right and left of the trail. Given our senior major, Odie, a west printer and as good a soldier as ever wore uniform, the left wing while I took the right wing. I was told if possible to connect with the regulars who were on the right. In theory, this was excellent, but as the jungle was very dense, the first troop that deployed to the right vanished forthwith and I never saw it again until the fight was over. Having a frightful feeling, meanwhile, that I made me course Marshall for losing it. The next troop deployed to the left under Rode, then the third came along and I started to deploy it to the right as before. By the time the first platoon had gotten into the jungle, I realized that it likewise would disappear unless I kept hold of it. I managed to keep possession of the last platoon. One learns fast in a fight and I march this platoon and my next two troops and call them through the jungle without any attempt to deploy until we got on the firing line. This sounds simple, but it was not. I did not know when I had gotten on the firing line. I could hear a good deal of firing some over to my right at a good distance and the rest of the left and ahead. I pushed on, expecting to strike the enemy somewhere between. Soon we came to the brink of a deep valley. There was a good deal of crackling of rifles way off in front of us, but as they used smokeless powder, we had no idea as to exactly where they were or who they were shooting at. Then it dawned on us that we were the target. The bullets begin to come overhead, making a sound like the ripping of a silk dress. It was sometimes a kind of pop. A few of my men fell and I deployed the rest, making them lie down and get behind trees. Richard Harding Davis was with us. And as we scanned the landscape with our glasses, it was he who first pointed out to us some spangles and a trench, some three-quarters of a mile off. It was difficult to make them out. There were not many of them. However, we finally did make them out and we could see their conical hats, for the trench was a poor one. We advanced, firing at them, and drove them off. What to do then? I had not had an idea. The country in front fell away into a very difficult jungle field valley. There was nothing but jungle all around. And if I advanced, I was afraid I may get out of touch with everybody and not be going in the right direction. Moreover, as far as I could see, there was now nobody in front who was shooting at us. Although some of the men on my left insisted that our own men had fired into us an allegation which I soon found was almost always made in such a fight. And which, in this case, was not true. At this moment, some of the regulars appeared across the ravine on our right. The first thing they did was to fire a volley at us. But one of our first sergeants went up a tree and waved a gillian at them and they stopped. Fying was still going on to our left, however, and I was never more puzzled to know what to do. I did not wish to take my men out of their position with our orders. For fear that I might thereby be leaving a gap if there was a Spanish force which mediated an offensive return, on the other hand, it did not seem to me that I had been doing enough fighting to justify my existence and there was obviously fighting going on to the left. I remember that I kept thinking of the refrain of the Fox hunting song. Here's to every friend who struggled to the end. In a hunting field, I had always acted on this theory and no matter how discouraging appearances might be, had never stopped trying to get in at the death until the hunt was actually over. And now that there was work and not play on hand, I tended to struggle as hard as I knew how not to be left out of any fighting into which I could of any possible priority get. So I left my men where they were and started off at a trot toward where the firing was with a couple of orderlies to send back for the men in case that proved advisable. Like most Tyros, I was wearing my sword, which in thick jungle now and then got between my legs from that day on it always went corded in the baggage. I struck the trail and began to pass occasionally dead men. Pretty soon I reached Wood and found much to my pleasure that I had done the right thing for as I came up, Wood was brought to him that Brody had been shot and he had once sent me to take charge of the left wing. It was more open country there and at least I was able to get a glimpse of my own men and exercise some control over them. There was much firing going on, but for the life of me I could not see any Spaniards and neither could anyone else. Finally we made up our minds that they were shooting at us from a set of red tile ranch buildings a good way in front. And these I assaulted, finally charging them before we came anywhere near the Spaniards, who as it proved really were inside and around them, abandoned them leaving a few dead men. By the time I had taken possession of these buildings all firing had ceased everywhere. I had not the faintest idea what had happened, whether the fight was over or whether this was merely a law in the fight or whether Spaniards were or whether we might be attacked again or whether we ought ourselves to attack somebody somewhere else. I got my men in order and sent out small bodies to explore the ground in front. Who returned without finding any foes? By this time as a matter of fact the Spaniards were in full retreat. Meanwhile I was extending my line so as to get in touch with our people on the right. Word was brought to me that would had been shot which fortunately proved not to be true. And as if this were so it meant that I must take charge of the regiment. I moved over personally to inquire. Soon I learned that he was all right that the Spaniards had retreated along the main road and Colonel Wood and two or three other officers were a short distance away. Before I reached them I encountered a captain of the 9th Cavalry very glum because his troopers had not been in time to take part in the fight. And he congratulated me with visible effort up in my share in our first victory. I thanked him cordially not confiding in him that till that moment I myself knew exceedingly little about the victory and proceeded to wear Generals Wheeler, Lawton and Chaffee who had just come up in company with Wood was seated on a bank. They expressed appreciation of the way that I had handled my troops. First on the right wing and then on the left. As I was quite prepared to find I had committed some awful sin, I did my best to accept this in a nonchalant manner and not to look as relieved as I felt. As throughout the morning I had observed a specialist aspect of wisdom and had commandant first one and then the other wing. The fight was really a capital thing for me for practically all of the men had served under my actual command and then felt an enthusiastic belief that I would lead them all right. It was a week after the skirmish before the army made the advance on Santiago. Just before this occurred General Young was stricken down with fever. General Wheeler who had commandeered the cavalry division was put in general charge of the left wing of the army which fought before the city itself. Brigadier General Sam Sunder an excellent officer who had the second cavalry brigade to command of the cavalry division and would to command of our brigade while to my intense delight I got my regiment. Therefore I had command of the regiment before the stiffest fighting occurred. Later when Wood was put in command in Santiago I became the Brigadier Commander. Late in the evening we camped at El Paso. There were two regular officers the Brigadier Commander's aides Lieutenant's A.L. Mills and W.E. Ship who were camped by our regiment. Each of my men had food in his haversack but I had none and I would have gone suppolous to bed if Miles and Ship had not given me out of their scanty scores of big sandwich which I shared with my orderly who also had nothing. Next morning my body servant Marsha an ex-soldier of the ninth colored cavalry a fine and faithful fellow had turned up and I was able in my turn to ask Mills and Ship who had eaten all their food the preceding evening to take us with me. A few hours later Gallant Ship was dead and Mills an exceptionally able officer had been shot through the head from side to side just back of the aides yet he lived although one eye was blinded and before I left the presidency I was commissioned as Brigadier General Early in the morning our artillery began firing from the hill crest immediately in front of where our men was camped. Several of the regiment were killed and wounded by the scrap-kno of the return fire of the Spaniards. One of the scrap-kno bullets fell on my waist and my wrist and raised a bump as big as a hurry nut to even break the skin. Then we were marched down from the hill on a muddy road through the thick jungle towards Santiago. The heat was great and we strode into the fight with no definite idea on the part of anyone as to what we were to do or what would happen. There was no plan that our left wing was to make a serious fight that day and as there were no plans it was actually exceedingly hard to get orders and each of us had to act largely on his own responsibility. Lawton's Infantry Division attacked the little village of Cane some miles to the right. Kent's Infantry Division and Sumner's dismounted cavalry division were supposed to detain the Spanish Army in Santiago as the Lawton had captured El Cane. Spanish towns and villages, however, with their massive buildings are natural fortifications as the French found in the Peninsula War and as both the French and our people found in Mexico. The Spanish troops in El Canadi fought very bravely as did the Spanish troops in front of us and it was late in the afternoon that Lawton accomplished this task. Meanwhile, we of the left wing had by degrees become involved in a fight which toward the end became not even a colonel's fight but a squad leader's fight. The cavalry division was put at the head of the line. We were told to march forward cross a little river in front and then turn into the right and march up alongside the stream until we connected with Lawton. Incidentally, this movement would not have brought us into touch with Lawton in any event but we speedily had to abandon any thought of carrying it out. The maneuver brought us within fair range of the Spaniards and trenchments along the line of hills which we call the San Juan Hills because on one of them was a San Juan blockhouse. On that day, my regiment had a lead of the 2nd Brigade and we marched down the trail following entrance behind the 1st Brigade. Apparently, the Spaniards could not make up their minds what to do as the 3 regular regiments of the 1st Brigade crossed and defied along the other bank of the stream but when our regiment was crossing they began to fire at us. Under this flank fire it soon became impossible to continue the march. The 1st Brigade halted, deployed and finally began to fire back. Then our brigade was halted. From time to time some of my men would fall and I sent repeated word to the rear to try to get authority to attack the hills in front. Finally, General Sumner, who was fighting division in fine shape sent word to advance. The word was brought to me by Mills who said that my orders were to support the regulars and an assault on the hills and that my objective would be the red tile ranch house in front on a hill which we afterwards Christian cattle hill. I mentioned Mills saying this he was exactly the kind of definite order the given of which does so much to ensure success in a fight as it prevents all obscurity as to what is to be done. The order to attack did not reach the 1st Brigade until after we ourselves reached it so that at first there was no doubt on a part of their officers whether they were at liberty to join in the advance. I had not enjoyed the Garcia's fight at all because I had been so uncertain as to what I ought to do but the San Juan fight was entirely different. The Spaniards had a hard position to attack, it's true but we could see them and I knew exactly how to proceed. I kept on horseback merely because I found it difficult to convey orders along the line as the men were laying down and it is always hard to get men to start when they cannot see whether their comrades are also going. So I rolled up and down the lines keeping them straightened out and gradually worked through line after line until I found myself at the head of the regiment. By the time I had reached the lines of the regulars of the 1st 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 entrenchment where I struck the regulars there was no one of superior rank to mine and after asking why they did not charge and being answered that they had no orders I said I would give the order there was naturally a little reluctance shown by the elderly officer in command to accept my order so I said then let my men through sir and I marched through followed by my grinning men the young officers and enlisted men of the regulars jumped up and joined us I waved my hat and we went up the hill in a rush having taken it we looked across at the Spaniards in the trenches under the San Juan Blockhouse to our left which Hawkins Brigade was assaulting I ordered our men to open fire on the Spaniards in the trenches memory plays funny tricks in such a fight where things happen quickly and all kinds of mental images succeed one another in a detached kind of way while the work goes on as I gave the order in question there slipped through my mind Mahane's account of Nelson's orders that each ship as it sailed forward if it saw another ship engaged with an enemy ship should rake the ladder as it passed when Hawkins soldiers captured the blockhouse I very much elated ordered a charge on my own hook to a line of hills still farther on hardly anybody heard this order however only four men started with me three of whom were shot I gave one of them who was only wounded my canteen in water and ran back much irritated that I had not been followed which was quite justifiable because I found that nobody had heard my orders General Sumner had come up by this time and I asked his permission to leave the charge he ordered me to do so and this time away we went and stormed the Spanish entrenchment there was some close fighting and we took a few prisoners we also captured the Spanish provisions and ate them that night with great relish one of the items was salted flying fish by the way they were also bottles of wines and jugs of fairy spirit and as soon as possible I had these broken although not before one or two of my men had taken too much liquor Lieutenant Halsey of the regulars and aid of General Sumner brought me in order to halt where I was he could not make up his mind to return until he had spent an hour or two with us under fire the Spaniards attempted a counter attack in the middle of the afternoon but were driven back without effort our men laughing and cheering as they rose to fire because here too they had been assaulting breast works or lying still under artillery fire and they were glad to get a chance to shoot at the Spaniards in the open we lay on our arms that night and as we were drenched with sweat and had no blanket save a few we took from the dead Spaniards we found even the topping night chilly before morning came during the afternoon's fighting while I was the highest officer at our immediate part of the front Captain Broketon and Morton of the regular cavalry two as fine officers as any man could wish to have beside him in battle came along the firing line to tell me that they had heard a rumor that we might fall back and that they wish to record their emphatic protest against any such course I did not believe there was any truth in the rumor for the Spaniards were utterly incapable of any effective counter attack however late in the evening after the fight General Wheeler visited us at the front and he told me to keep myself in readiness as at any moment it might be decided to fall back Jack Greenway was beside me when General Wheeler was speaking I answered Well General, I really don't know whether we should obey in order to fall back we can take that city by rush and if we have to move out of here at all I should be inclined to make the rush in the right direction Greenway gnarled and eager assessed the old general after a moment's pause expressed his hearty agreement and said he would see that there was no falling back he had been very sick for a couple days but sick as he was he managed to get into the fight he was a game cock if ever there was one but he was in a very bad physical shape on the day of the fight if there had been any one in high command to supervise and press the attack that afternoon we would have gone right into Santiago in my part of the line the advance was halted only because we received orders not to move forward to stay on the crest of the captured hill and hold it we are always told that 3 o'clock in the morning courage is the most desirable kind well, my men and the regulars of the cavalry had just that brand of courage at about 3 o'clock in the morning after the first fight shooting began in our front and there was an alarm of a Spanish advance I was never more pleased than to see the way in which the hungry, tired, shabby men all jumped up and ran forward to the hill crest so as to be ready for the attack bitch, however, did not come as soon as the sun rose the Spaniards again opened upon us with artillery a shell burst between Dave Goodrich and myself blacking us with powder and killing and wounding several of the men immediately behind us next day the fight turned into a siege there was some stirring incident but for the most part it was trench work a fourth night later Santiago surrendered Wood won his brigadier general ship by the capital way in which he handled his brigadier in the fight and in the following siege he was put in command of the captured city and in a few days I succeeded in the command of the brigade end of chapter 7 part 3 this recording by Daisy 55 chapter 7 part 4 of autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt this is a Liberox recording all Liberox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit Liberox.org recording by Daisy 55 the autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt chapter 7 the war of America the unready part 4 and appendix A to chapter 7 the health of the troop not good and speedily became very bad there was some dysentery and a little yellow fever but most of the trouble was from a severe form of malaria fever the Washington authorities had behaved better than those in actual command of the expedition at one crisis immediately after the first days fighting around Santiago the latter had hinted by cable to Washington that they might like to withdraw and Washington had emphatically vetoed the proposal I record this all the more gladly because there were not too many gleams of good sense shown in the home management of the war although I wish to repeat that the real blame for this was rested primarily with us ourselves the people of the United States who had for years sued in military matters a policy that rendered it certain that there would be ineptitude and failure in high bases if ever a crisis came after the siege the Washington showed no knowledge of the conditions around Santiago and was to keep the army there this meant that at least three fourths of the men would either have died or have been permanently invalided or as a virulent form of malaria widespread and there was a steady growth of dysentery and other complaints no object of any kind was to be gained by keeping the army in or near the captured city General Schaefer tried his best to get the Washington authorities to order the army home as he failed to accomplish anything he called a council of the division and gate commanders and achieve medical officers to consult over the situation although I had command of a brigade I was only a colonel and so I did not attend to attend but the general informed me that I was particularly wanted and accordingly I went at the council General Schaefer asked the medical authorities as to conditions and they united in informing him that they were very bad and were certain to grow much worse and that in order to avoid frightful ravages from disease chiefly due to malaria the army should be sent back at once to some part of the northern United States the general then explained that he could not get the ward department to understand the situation that he could not get the attention of the public and that he felt that there should be some authoritative publication which would make the ward department take action before it was too late to avert the ruin of the army all who were in the room expressed their agreement then the reason for my being present came out it was explained to me by General Schaefer and by others that as I was a volunteer officer and attended immediately to return to civil life I could afford to take risk which the regular army men could not afford to take and ought not to be expected to take and that therefore I ought to make the publication in question because to incur the hostility of the ward department would not make any difference to me whereas it would be destructive to the men in the regular army or to those who hoped to get into the regular army I thought this true and said I would write a letter or make a statement which would then be published Brigadier General Ames who was in the same position that I was also announced that he would make a statement when I left the meeting it was understood that I was to make my statement as an interview in the press but Wood who was by that time Brigadier General commanding the city of Santiago gave me a quiet hint to put in my statement in the form of a letter to General Schaefer and this I accordingly did when I had written my letter the correspondence of the associate press who had been informed by others of what had occurred accompanied me to General Schaefer I presented the letter to General Schaefer who waved it away and said I don't want to take it do whatever you wish with it I however insisted on handling it to him whereupon he shoved it toward the correspondence of the associate press who took hold of it and I released my hold General Ames made a statement direct to the correspondent and also sent the cable to the Census Secretary of the Navy at Washington a copy which he gave to the correspondent by this time the other division and Brigade Commanders who were present felt that they had better take action themselves they united in a round robin to General Schaefer which General Wood dictated and which was signed by General Kent, Gates, Chaffee, Sunder, Ludlow, Ames, and Wood and by myself General Wood handled this to General Schaefer and it was made public by General Schaefer precisely as mine was made public later I was much amused when General Schaefer stated that he could not imagine how my letter and the round robin got out when I saw this statement I appreciated how wise Wood had been hinting to me not to act on the suggestion of the general that I should make a statement to the newspapers but to put my statement in the form of a letter to him as my superior officer a letter which I delivered to him both the letter and the round robin were written in General Schaefer's wish and at the unanimous suggestion of all the commanding and medical officers of the 5th Army Corps and both were published by General Schaefer General Wood writes me the representative of the Associated Press was very anxious to get a copy of this dispatch or see it and I told him it was impossible for him to have it or see it I then went in to General Schaefer and stated this case to him handling him the dispatch saying the letter is now in your hands he General Schaefer then said I don't care whether this gentleman has it or not and I left it then when I went back to the general told me he had given the press representative a copy of the dispatch and that he had gone to the office with it in a regiment the prime need is to have fighting men the prime virtue is to be able and eager to fight with the utmost effectiveness I have never believed that this was incompatible with other virtues on the contrary while they are of course exceptions I believe that on the average the best fighting men are also the best citizens I do not believe that a final set of natural soldiers than the men of my regiment could have been found anywhere and they were first class citizens in civil life also one fact may perhaps be worthy of note whenever we were in camp and so fixed that we could have regular meals we used to have a general's officer's mess over which I of course presided during our entire service there was never a foul or a decent word uttered at the officer's mess I mean this literally and there was very little swearing although now and then in the fighting if there was a moment when swearing seemed to be the best method of reaching the heart of the matter it was resorted to the men I care for most in the regiment were the men who did the best work and therefore my liking for them was obligated to take the shape of exposing them to the most fatigue and hardship of demanding from them the greatest service and of making them incur the greatest risk once I kept Greenway and Goodrich at work for 48 hours without sleeping and with very little food fighting and digging trenches I freely sent the men for whom I cared most to where death might smite them and death more often smoke them as it did the two best officers in my regiment Allen Capron and Buckley O'Neill my men would not have respected me had I acted otherwise their creed was my creed the life even of the most useful man of the best citizen is not to be hoarded if there be need to spend it I felt and feel this is about others and of course also about myself this is one reason why I have always felt impatient contempt for the effort to abolish the death penalty on account of sympathy with criminals I am not willing to listen to arguments in favor of abolishing the death penalty so far as they are based purely on grounds of public expediency although these arguments have never convinced me but in as much as without hesitation in the performance of my duty I have again and again sent good and gallant and upright men to die it seems to me the height of a folly both mischievous and marquish to contend that criminals who have deserved death should nevertheless be allowed to shirk it no brave and good man can properly shirk death and no criminal who has earned death should be allowed to shirk it one of the best men of our regiment was the British military attache Captain Arthur Lee an old friend the other military attaches were hurled together at headquarters and saw little Captain Lee who had known me in Washington escaped and stayed with the regiment he grew to feel that he was one of us and made him an honorary member there were two other honorary members one was Richard Harding Davis who was with us continually and who performed valuable service on a fighting line the other was a regular officer Lieutenant Parker who had a battery of Gatlins we were with this battery throughout the San Juan fighting and we grew to have the strongest admiration for Parker as a soldier and the strongest liking for him as a man during our brief campaign we were closely and intimately thrown with various regular officers of the type of Meals, Howls and Parker we felt not merely fondness for them as officers and gentlemen but pride in them as Americans it is a fine thing to feel that we have in the Army and in the Navy modest, efficient, gallant gentlemen of this type doing such disinterested work for the honor of the flag and of the nation no American can overpay the debt of gratitude we all of us owe to the officers and enlisted men of the Army and of the Navy of course with a regiment of our type there was much to learn both among the officers and the men there were all kinds of funny incidents one of my men an ex-coucher and former roundup cook a very good shot and rider got into trouble on the way down on the transport he understood entirely that he had to obey the officers of his own regiment but like so many volunteers or at least like so many volunteers of my regiment he did not understand that this obligation extended to officers of other regiments one of the regular officers on the transport ordered him to do something which he declined to do when the officer told him to consider himself under arrest he responded by offering to fight him for a trifling consideration he was brought before court martial which sentenced him to a years imprisonment and hard labor with dishonorable discharge and the major general commanding the division approved the sentence we were on the transport there was no hard labor to do and the prison consisted of another cow puncher who kept guard over him with his carbine evidently divided in his feelings as to whether he would like most to shoot him or to let him go when we landed somebody told the prisoner that I intended to punish him by keeping him with the baggage he at once came to me in great agitation saying Colonel, they say you're going to leave me with the baggage when the fight is on Colonel, if you do that I will never show my face in the Arizona again Colonel, if you will let me go to the front I promise I will obey anyone you say anyone you say Colonel with the evident feeling that after this concession I could not as a gentleman refuse his request accordingly I answered Shields, there is no need and there is no one in this regiment more entitled to be shot than you are and you shall go to the front his gratitude was great and he kept repeating I'll never get this Colonel never nor did he when we got very hard up he would now and then manage to get hold of some flour and sugar and would cook a donut and bring it round to me and watch he with a delighted smell as I ate it he behaved extremely well in both fights and after the second one I had him formally before me and remitted his sentence something of which of course I had not the slightest power to do although at the time it seemed natural and brought to me when we came to be mustered out the regular officer who was doing the mustering after all the men had been discharged finally asked me where the prisoner was I said what prisoner he said the prisoner the man who was sentenced to a years imprisonment with hard labor and dishonorable discharge I said oh I pardon him to which he responded I beg your pardon you did but this made me grasp the fact that I had exceeded authority and I couldn't only answer well I did pardon him anyhow he has gone with the rest where upon the mustering out officers sent back in his chair remarked he was sentenced by a court martial and the sentence was approved by the major general commanding the division you were a lieutenant colonel and you pardoned him well he was nervy that's all I'll say the simple fact was that under the circumstances it was necessary for me to enforce discipline and control the regiment and therefore to reward and punish individuals in whatever way the exchanger sees demanded I often explain to the men what the reasons for an order were the first time it was issued if there was any trouble on their part in understanding what they were required to do they were very intelligent and very eager to do their duty and I hardly ever had any difficulty the second time with them if however there was the slightest willful shirking of duty or insubordination I punished instantly and mercilessly and the whole regiment cordially backed me up to have punished men for faults and shortcomings which they had no opportunity to know was such would have been as unwise as to have met it any of the occasional bad characters to exercise the slightest license it was a regiment which was sensitive about its dignity and was very keen alive to justice and to courtesy but which cordially approved absence of mollycarding insistence upon the performance of duty and summary punishment of wrongdoing in the final fighting at San Juan when we captured one of the trenches Jack Greenway had seized a Spaniard and shortly afterwards I found Jack leading his captive around with a string I told him to turn him over to a man who had two or three other captives so that they should all be taken to the rear it was the only time I ever saw Jack look aggrieved why Colonel? can I keep him for myself? he asked plaintively I think he had an idea that as a trophy of his bow and spear the Spaniard would make a fine body servant one reason that we never had the slightest trouble in the regiment was because when we got down to hard pan officers and men shared exactly alike it is all right to have differences in food and the likes and times of peace and plenty when everybody is comfortable but in really hard times officers and men must share like if the best work is to be done as long as I had nothing but too hard tax which was the allowance to each man on the morning after the San Juan fight no one could complain but if I had had any private little luxuries the men would very naturally have realized keenly their own shortages soon after the Guzamas fight we were put on short commons and as I knew that a good deal of food had been landed it was on the beach at Sobanay I marched 30 or 40 of the men down to see if I could not get some and bring it up I finally found a commissary officer and he asked me what I wanted and I answered anything he had so he told me to look out for myself I found a number of sacks of beans I think about 1100 pounds on the beach and told the officer that I wanted 1100 pounds of beans he produced a book of regulation he showed me the appropriate section and subdivision which announced that beans were issued only for the officer's mess this did me no good and I told him so he said he was sorry and I answered that he was not as sorry as I was I then studied on it as Bill Rabbit would say and came back over requests for 11 pounds of beans for the officer's mess he said why Colonel your officers can't eat 1100 pounds of beans to which I responded you don't know what appetites my officers have he then said he would send the requisition to Washington I told him I was quite willing so long as he gave me the beans he was a good fellow so we finally affected a working compromise he got the requisition and I got the beans although he warned me that the price would probably be deducted from my salary under some regulation or other only the regular supply trains were allowed to act and we were supposed not to have any horses or mules in the regiment itself this was very in theory but as a matter of fact the supply trains were not numerous enough my men had a natural genius for crying horse flesh and art ways and I continually found that they had staked out in a bush various captured Spaniards cavalry horses and Cuban ponies and abandoned commissary mules putting these together I would organize a small pack train and worked it industriously for a day or two until they learned about it at headquarters and confiscated it then I would have to wait for a week or so until my men had accumulated some more ponies horses and mules the regiment meanwhile living in plenty on what we had got before the train was confiscated all of our men were good at accumulating horses but within our own ranks I think we were inclined to award the palm of our chaplain there was not a better man in the regiment than the chaplain and there could not have been a better chaplain for our men he took care of the sick and the wounded he never spared himself and he did every duty in addition he had a natural aptitude for acquiring mules which made some admire when the regiment was disbanded proposed that we should have a special medal struck for him with on the observed a mule peasant and chaplain regarded after the surrender of Santiago a Philadelphia clergyman whom I knew came down to General Willis headquarters and after visiting him announced that he intended to call on the rough riders because he knew their Colonel one of the General Willis aides, Lieutenant Steel who liked us both individually and as a regiment and who appreciated some of our ways asked the clergyman after he had announced that he knew Colonel Roosevelt but do you know Colonel Roosevelt's regiment? No said the clergyman very well then let me give you a piece of advice when you go down to see the Colonel don't let your horses out of your sight and if the chaplain is there don't get off the horse we came back to one talk point and soon after we're disbanded we had been in the service only a little over four months there are no four months of my life to which I look back with more pride and satisfaction I believe most earnestly and sincerely in peace but as things are yet in this world the nation that cannot fight the people that have lost the fighting edge that have lost the veral virtues occupied position as dangerous as it is in noble the future greatness of America in no small degree depends upon the possession by the average American citizen of the qualities which my men show when they served under me at Santiago moreover there is one thing in connection with this world which it is well that our people should remember our people who generally love the peace of righteousness the peace of justice and I would be ashamed to be other than a lover of the peace of righteousness and of justice the true preachers of peace who strive earnestly to bring nearer the day when peace shall obtain among all peoples and who really do help forward the cause are men who never hesitate to choose righteous war when it is the only alternative to unrighteous peace these are the men who like Dr. Reiman Abbott have backed every genuine movement for peace in this country and who nevertheless recognize our clear duty to war for the freedom of Cuba but there are other men who put peace ahead of righteousness and who care so little for facts that they treat fantastic declarations for immediate universal arbitration as being valuable instead of detrimental to the cause they profess to champion and who seek to make the United States impotent for international good under the pretense of making us impotent for international evil all the men of this kind and all of the organizations they have controlled since we begin our career as a nation all put together have not accomplished 100th part as much for both peace and righteousness have not done 100th part as much either for ourselves or for other peoples as was accomplished by the people of the United States when they fought the war with Spain and with resolute good faith and common sense worked out the solution of the problems which sprang from the war our army and navy and above all our people learned some lessons from the Spanish war and applied them to our own uses during the following decade the improvement in our navy and army was very great not in material only but also in personnel and above all in the ability to handle our forces and good size units by 1908 when our battle fleets streamed around the world the navy had become in every respect as fit a fighting instrument as any other navy in the world fleet for fleet even in size there was but one nation England which was completely out of our class in a view of our relations with England and all the English speaking peoples this was of no consequence of our army of course as much could not be said nevertheless the improvement in efficiency was marked our artillery was still very inferior in training and practice to the artillery arm of any one of the great powers such as Germany, France or Japan a condition which we only then began to remedy by the workmen like speed and efficiency with which the expedition of some 6,000 troops of our arms were mobilized and transported to Cuba during the revolution of 1908 showed that as regards our cavalry and infantry we had at least reached the point where we could assemble and handle in first-rate fashion expeditionary forces this is mighty little to boost up for a nation of our wealth and population it is not pleasant to compare it with the extraordinary feats of contemporary Japan and the Balkan peoples but such as it is it represented long stride in advance over conditions and conditions as they were in 1898 up index A a manly letter there was a sequence to the round robin incident which caused a little stir in at the moment Secretary Alger had asked me to write him freely from time to time accordingly after the surrender of Santiago I wrote him begging that the cavalry division might be put into the Puerto Rican fighting preparatory to what we suppose would be the big campaign against Havana in the fall in the letter I extolled the merits of the rough riders and other regulars I announced with much complacency that each of our regiments were worth three of the National Guard regiments armed with the archaic black powder rifles Secretary Alger believed, mistakenly that I had made public the round robin and was naturally irritated and I suddenly received from him a published telegram not alluding to the round robin incident but quoting my reference to the comparative merits of the cavalry regiments and the National Guard regiments we've spoken them for me the publication of the extract from my letter was not calculated to help me secure the votes of the National Guard if I ever became a candidate for office however, I did not mind the matter much for I had at the time no idea of being a candidate for anything while in the campaign I ate and drank and thought and dreamed regiment and nothing but regiment until I got the brigade and then I devoted all my thoughts to handling the brigade anyhow, there was nothing I could do about the matter I quote this sentence from memory it is substantially correct when our transport reached Montauk Point an army officer came aboard doing anything else handed me a sealed letter from the Secretary of War which ran as follows War Department Washington August the 10th, 1898 Dear Colonel Roosevelt you have been a McGowan officer and in the battle before Santiago showed superb, soldierly qualities I would rather add to than detract from the honors you have so fairly won and I wish you all good things in a moment of aggravation under great stress of feeling first because I thought you spoke in a disparaging manner of the volunteers probably without intent but because of your great enthusiasm for your own men and second that I believed your published letter would embarrass the department I sent you a telegram which with an exact from a private letter of yours I gave to the press I would gladly recall both if I could but unable to do that I write you this letter which I hope you will receive the same friendly spirit in which I send it come and see me at a very early day no one will welcome you more heartily than I yours very truly signed R.A. Auger I thought this a manly letter and paid no more he to the incident and when I was president and general Auger was senator from Michigan he was my staunch friend and on most matters my supporter End of Chapter 7, Part 4 Recording by Daisy 55 Chapter 7 of Otahari of Yodosavva This is a Lyrox recording All Lyrox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit Lyrox.org Recording by Daisy 55 Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt Chapter 7 The War of America, The Unready, Part 5 Index B, The San Juan Fight The San Juan Fight took its name from the San Juan Hill or Hills I do not know whether the name properly belonged to a line of hills or to only one hill To compare small things with large things this was precisely as the battle of Gettysburg took its name from the village of Gettysburg where only a small part of the fighting was done and the battle of Waterloo from the village of Waterloo where none of the fighting was done When it became the political interest of certain people to endeavor to minimize my part in the San Diego fighting which was merely like that of various other squadrons Balaton and Regiment commanders some of my opponents laid great stress on the alleged fact that the cavalry did not charge up San Juan Hill They certainly charged some hills but I did not ask their names before charging them To say that the Rough Riders and the Cavalry Division and among other people myself were not in the San Juan fight is precisely like saying that the men who made pickets charge or the men who fought at Little Round Top in Culp's Hill were not at Gettysburg or that Ten and the Scott Grays and the French and English Guards were not at Waterloo The present Vice President of the United States in the campaign last year was reported in the press as repeatedly saying that I was not in the San Juan fight The documents following herewith have been printed for many years and were accessible to him had he cared to know or to tell the truth These documents speak for themselves The first is the official report issued by the War Department From this it will be seen that there were in the San Diego fighting 30 infantry and cavalry regiments represented Six of these were volunteer of which one was the Rough Riders The other 24 were regular regiments The percentage of loss of our regiment was about 7 times as great as that of the other 5 volunteer regiments Of the 24 regular regiments 22 suffered a small percentage of loss that we suffered 2, the 6th United States Infantry and the 13th United States Infantry suffered a slightly greater percentage of loss 26% and 23% as against 22% Nominations by the President To be Colonel by Brefret Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt first volunteer cavalry for gallantry and battle La Guzma Cuba June 24th, 1898 To be Brigadier General by Brefret Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt first volunteer cavalry for gallantry and battle San Diego de Cuba July 1st, 1898 Nominated for Brefret Colonel to rank from June 24th, 1898 Fort San Juan Cuba July 17th, 1898 The Adjutant General United States Army Washington DC through military channels Sir, I have the honor to invite the attention to the following list of officers and enlisted men who specially distinguished themselves in the action at La Guzma Cuba June 24th, 1898 These officers and men have been recommended for favorable consideration by the immediate commanding officers in their respective reports and I would respectfully urge that favorable action be taken Officers In first United States Volunteer Cavalry Colonel Leonard Wood Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt respectfully Joseph Wheeler Major General United States Volunteers commanding Headquarters Second Cavalry Brigade Camp near San Diego de Cuba, Cuba June 29th, 1898 The Adjutant General Cavalry Division Sir, by direction of the Major General commanding the Cavalry Division I have the honor to submit the following report of the engagement of a part of this brigade La Guzma Cuba on June 24th Accompanied by detail reports from the regimental and other commanders engaged in a list of the killed and wounded I cannot speak too highly of the efficient manner in which Colonel Wood handled his regiment and of his magnificent behavior on the field The conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt as reported to be by my two age volunteers my highest commendation Both Colonel Wood and Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt disdain to take advantage of shelter or cover from the enemy's fire while any of their men remained exposed to it an era of judgment but happily on the heroic side very respectfully S.B.M. Young Brigadea General Headquarters First Division Second Army Corps Camp McKinsey, Georgia December 3rd of 1898 Adjutant General Washington, D.C. Sir, I have the honor to recommend Honorable Theodore Roosevelt late Colonel First United States Volunteer Cavalry for a Medal of Honor as a reward for conspicuous gallantry at the Battle of San Juan, Cuba on July 1st, 1898 Colonel Roosevelt by his example and fearlessness inspired his men both at Kettle Hill and the ridge known as San Juan He led his command in person I was an eyewitness of Colonel Roosevelt's action As Colonel Roosevelt has left the service a brevet commission is of no particular value in this case very respectfully Samuel S. Sumner Major General United States Volunteers West Point, New York December 17th, 1898 My dear Colonel I saw you led the line up the first hill You were certainly the first officer to reach the top and through your efforts and your personally jumping to the front a line more or less thin but strong enough to take it was led by you to the San Juan or first hill and this your life was placed in an extreme jeopardy as you may recall and as it proved by the number of dead left in that vicinity Captain Stevens, then of the 9th Cavalry now the 2nd Cavalry was with you and I am sure he recalls your Gallon Condor After the line started on the advance from the first hill I did not see you until our line was halted under a most gallant fire at the extreme front where you afterwards entrenched I spoke to you there and gave instructions from General Sumner that the position was to be held and that there would be no further advance till further orders You were the senior officer there the sergeant of the line scolded me for having my horse so high upon the ridge at the same time you were exposing yourself most conspicuously while adjusting the line for the example was necessary as was proved when several colored soldiers about 8 or 10 24 infantry I think started at a run to the rear to assist a wounded colored soldier and you drew your revolver and placed short a protective stop to such a parent stampede it quieted them that position was hot and now I marvel at your escape there very sincerely yours Robert L. Howells West Point, New York December the 17th, 1898 I hereby certify that on July the 1st, 1898 Colonel then Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt first volunteer cavalry distinguished himself through the action and on two occasions during the battle when I was an eyewitness his conduct was most conspicuous and clearly distinguished above other men as follows Number one, at the base of San Juan or first hill there was a strong wire fence or entanglement at which the line hesitated under a galling fire and where the losses were severe Colonel Roosevelt jumped through the fence and by his enthusiasm his exam and courage succeeded in leading to the crest of the hill a line sufficiently strong to capture it In this charge the cavalry begrade suffered its greatest loss and the Colonel's life was placed in extreme jeopardy owing to the conspicuous position he took in leading the line and being the first to reach the crest of that hill while under heavy fire of the enemy at close range Number two, at the extreme advance position occupied by our lines Colonel Roosevelt found himself the senior and under his instructions from General Sumner to hold that position he displayed the greatest bravery and placed his life in extreme jeopardy by unavoidable exposure to severe fire while adjusting and strengthening the line placing the men in positions which afforded best protection, etc. His conduct and example steadied the men and on one occasion by severe but not unnecessarily measures prevented a small detachment from stampeding to the rear he displayed the most conspicuous gallantry courage and coolness in performing extraordinarily hazardous duty Robert L. Howells Captain A-A-G-U-S-V First Lieutenant Sixth United States Cavalry to the Adjunct General United States Army, Washington, D.C. Headquarters United States Military Academy, West Point New York, April the 5th, 1899 Lieutenant Colonel W. H. Carter Assistant Adjunct General United States Army, Washington, D.C. Sir, in compliance with the request containing your letter of April the 30th of the Board convened to consider the awarding of Brett's medals of honor, etc. for the San Diego campaign that I state any facts within my knowledge as Adjunct General of the Begrade in which Colonel Theodore Roosevelt served to aid the Board in determining in connection with Colonel Roosevelt's application for a Medal of Honor whether his conduct at San Diego was such as to distinguish him above others I have the honor to submit the following My duties on July the 1st, 1898 brought me a constant observation of and contact with Colonel Roosevelt from early morning until shortly before the climax of the assault of the Cavalry Division on the San Juan Hill the so-called Kettle Hill During this time while under the enemy's artillery fire at El Posso and while on the march from El Posso by the San Juan Fort to the point from which his regiment moved to the assault about two miles the greater part under fire Colonel Roosevelt was conspicuous above any others I observed in his regiment in the zealous performance of duty and told a disregard of his personal danger and in his eagerness to meet the enemy at El Posso when the enemy opened on that base with artillery fire a shrapnel bullet grazed and bruised one of Colonel Roosevelt's wrists the incident did not lessen his hazardous exposure but he continued so exposed until he had placed his command under cover and moving to the assault of San Juan Hill Colonel Roosevelt was most conspicuously brave gallant and indifferent to his own safety he in the open led his regiment no officer could have set a more striking example to his men or displayed greater intrepidity very respectfully your obedient servant A. L. Mills Colonel United States Army Superintendent Headquarters Department of Santiago de Cuba December the 30th, 1898 to the Adjutant General United States Army Washington DC Sir, I have the honor to make the following statement relative to the conduct of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt late first United States volunteer cavalry during the assault upon San Juan Hill July the 1st, 1898 I have already recommended this officer for a Medal of Honor which I understand has been denied him underground that my previous letter was too indefinite I base my recommendation upon the fact that Colonel Roosevelt accompanied only by four or five men led a very desperate and extremely gallant charge on San Juan Hill thereby setting a splendid example to the troops and encouraging them to pass over the open country intervening between their position and the trenches of the enemy in leading this charge he started off first as he supposed with quite a following of men but soon discovered that he was alone he then returned and gathered up a few men and led them to the charge as above stated the charge in itself was an extremely gallant one an example said a most inspiring one to the troops in that part of the line and while it is perfectly true that everybody finally went up the hill in good style yet there is no doubt that that magnificent example said by Colonel Roosevelt had a very encouraging effect and had great weight in bringing up the troops behind him during the assault Colonel Roosevelt was the first to reach the trenches in his part of the line and killed one of the enemy with his own hand I earnestly recommend that the medal be conferred upon Colonel Roosevelt for I believe that he in every way deserves it and that his services on the day in question would are great value in the end of a most distinguished character very respectfully Leonard Wood Major General United States Volunteers Commanding Department of Santiago de Cuba Huntsville, Alabama January the 4th, 1899 the Adjutant General United States Army, Washington DC Sir, I have the honor to recommend that a Congressional Medal of Honor be given to Theodore Roosevelt late Colonel first volunteer cavalry for distinguished conduct and conspicuous bravery in command of his regiment in the charge on San Juan Hill Cuba, July the 1st, 1898 in compliance with G.O.135 A.G.O. 1898 I enclose my certificate showing my personal knowledge of Colonel Roosevelt's conduct very respectfully C.J. Stevens Captain 2nd Cavalry I hereby certified that on July the 1st, 1898 at the Battle of San Juan Cuba I witnessed Colonel then Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt first volunteer cavalry United States of America mounted leading his regiment in charge on San Juan By his gallantry and strong personality he contributed most materially to the success of the charge of the cavalry division of San Juan Hill Colonel Roosevelt was among the first to reach the quest of the hill and his dash and example his absolute fearlessness and gallant leading rendered his conduct conspicuous and clearly distinguished above other men C.J. Stevens Captain 2nd Cavalry late 1st Lieutenant 9th Cavalry Youngs Allen, South Carolina December the 28th, 1898 to the Adjutant General United States Army, Washington D. C. Sir, believe in that information relating to superior conduct on the part of any of the higher officers who participated in the Spanish-American War and which information may not have been given would be appreciated by the department over which you preside. I have the honor to call your attention to the part bore by Colonel Theodore Roosevelt of the late 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry in the Battle of July 1st, last. I do this not only because I think you are to know but because his regiment as a whole were very proud of his splendid actions that day and believe they call for that most coveted distinction of the American officer, the Medal of Honor. Held in support, he brought his regiment at exactly the right time, not only up to the line of regulars but went through them and headed on horseback to charge on Kettle Hill. This being done on his own initiative the regulars as well as his own men following. He then headed to charge on the next hill both regulars and the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry following. He was so eager in the entrenchments on the 2nd hill that he shot and killed with a revolver one of the enemy before they broke completely. He then led the cavalry on the chain of hills overlooking Santiago where he remained in charge of all of the cavalry that was at the extreme front for the rest of the day and night. His unhesitating gallantry and taking the initiative against entrenchments lined by men armed with rapid-fire guns certainly won him the highest consideration and admiration of all who witnessed his conduct throughout that day. What I hear right, I can bear witness to from personally having seen it. Very respectfully, M.J. Jenkins, major late 1st United States Cavalry. Prescott, A.T., December the 25th, 1898. I was Colonel Roosevelt's orderly at the Bound of San Juan Hill and from that time on until I returned to Montauk Point I was with him all through the fighting and believe I was the only man who was always with him. Though Duman part of the time Lieutenants Ferguson and Greenwald were also close to him he led our regiment forward on horseback until he came to the men of the Knife Cavalry lying down. He led us through these and they got up and joined us. He gave the order to charge on Kettle Hill and led us on horseback up to Hill, both rough riders and the Knife Cavalry. He was first on the hill, I being very nearly alongside of him. Some Spanish riflemen were coming out of the entrenchments and he killed one with his revolver. He took the men to the crest of the hill and baited them, began firing on the block house on the hill to our left the one the infantry was attacking. When he took it he gave the order to charge and led the troops on Kettle Hill forward against the block house on our front. He then had charge of all the cavalry on the hills overlooking Santiago where we afterwards dug our trenches he had commanded that afternoon and night and for the rest of the time commanded our regiment at this point. Yours very truly H.E. Bartschar. Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 27, 1902. Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States, Washington, D.C. Dear sir, at your request I send you the following extracts from my diary and from notes taken on the day of the assault on San Juan. I kept in my pocket a small pan on which incidents were noted daily from the landing until the surrender. On the day of the fight notes were taken just before Grimes first fired his first gun just after the third reply from the enemy when we were massed in the road about 70 bases from Grimes guns and when I was beginning to get scared and to think I would be killed at the heart just before you advanced and under the shelter of the hills in the evening. Each time that notes were taken the page was put in the envelope addressed to my wife. At the first chance they were mailed to her and on my arrival in the United States a story of the fight taken from these notes was entered in the diary I kept in that book. I make this lengthy explanation that you may see that everything put down was fresh in my memory. I quote from my diary the tension on the men was great. Suddenly a line of men appeared coming from my right. They were advancing through the long grass deployed as skirmishes and were under fire. At their head or rather in front of them and leading them rode Colonel Roosevelt. He was very conspicuous, mounted as he was. The men were the rough riders, so-called. I heard one, someone calling to them not to fire unto us and seeing Colonel Carroll reported to him it was told to go out and meet them and caution them as to our position we being them and the enemy. I did so, speaking to Colonel Roosevelt I also told him we were under orders not to advance and asked him if he had received any orders. He replied that he was going to charge the Spanish trenches. I told us to Colonel Carroll and to Captain Demick our squadron commander a few moments after the word passed down that our left, Captain Taylor was about to charge. Captain McBain called out we must go in with those troops we must support Taylor. I called this to Captain Demick and he gave the order to assault. The cheer was taken up and taken up again on the left and in a distant it rolled on and on. And so we started. Colonel Roosevelt of the Rough Riders started the whole movement on the left which was the first advance of the assault. The following is taken from my notes and was hastily jotted down on the field. The Rough Riders came in line Colonel Roosevelt said he would assault Taylor joined them with his troops McBain called to Demick let us go we must go to support them Demick said alright and so with no orders we went in. I find many of my notes are ineligible, illegible from expiration. My authority for singing Taylor in with you joined with his troop was the word passed to me and repeated to Captain Demick that Taylor was about to charge with you. I could not see his troop I have not put it in my diary but in another place I have noted that Colonel Cowell who was acting as Brigadier Commander told me to ask you if you had any orders. I have the honor to be very respectfully your obedient servant Henry Anson Barber Captain 28th Infantry formerly of 9th Cavalry Headquarters Pacific Division San Francisco, California May 11, 1905 Dear Mr. President as some discussion has arisen in the public prints regarding the battle of San Juan Cuba, July 1st 1898 and your personal movements during that day have been the subject of comment it may not be a miss in me to state some facts coming under my personal observation as command in general of the Cavalry Division of which your regiment formed a part it will perhaps be advisable to show first how I came to be in command in order that my statement may have due way as an authoritative statement of facts I was placed in command of the Cavalry Division on the afternoon of June 30th General Schaefer the assignment was made on to the severe illness of General Wheeler who was the permanent commander of said division Brigadier General Young who commanded the 2nd Cavalry Brigade of which your regiment the 1st Volunteer Cavalry formed a part was also very ill and I found it necessary to relieve him from command and place Colonel Wood in command of the Brigade this change placed you in command of your regiment the division moved from its camp on the evening of June 30th and bullwackered at and about El Posso I saw you personally in the vicinity of El Posso about 8 a.m. July the 1st I saw you again on the road leading from El Posso to the San Juan River you at the head of your regiment which was leading the 2nd Brigade and immediately behind the rear regiment of the 1st Brigade my orders were to turn to the right at San Juan river and take up a lawn along that stream and try and connect with General Launton who was to engage the enemy at El Cane on reaching the river we came under the fire of the Spanish forces posted on San Juan Ridge and Kettle Hill the 1st Brigade was faced to the front in line as soon as it had cleared the road and the 2nd Brigade was ordered to pass in rear of the 1st and faced to the front when clear of the 1st Brigade this movement was very difficult owing to the heavy undergrowth and the regiments became more or less tangled up but eventually the formation was accomplished and the division stood in a regular line along the San Juan river the 2nd Brigade on the right we were subjected to a heavy fire from the forces on San Juan Ridge and Kettle Hill our position was untenable and it became necessary to assault the enemy or fall back Kettle Hill was immediately in front of the cavalry and it was determined to assault that hill the 1st Brigade was ordered forward and the 2nd Brigade was ordered to support the attack I accompanied a portion of the 10th cavalry 2nd Brigade and the rough riders were to the right this brought your regiment to the right of the house which was at the summit of the hill shortly after I reached the crest of the hill you came to me accompanied I think by Captain CJ Stevens of the 9th cavalry we were then in a position to see the line of entrenchments on San Juan Ridge and could see Kent's Infantry Division engaged on our left and Hawkins assault against Fort San Juan you asked me for permission to move forward and assault San Juan Ridge I gave you the order in person to move forward and I saw you move forward and assault San Juan Ridge with your regiment and portions of the 1st and 10th cavalry belonging to your brigade I held a portion of the 2nd Brigade as a reserve on Kettle Hill not knowing what force the enemy might have in reserve behind the ridge the 1st Brigade also moved forward and assaulted the ridge to the right of Fort San Juan there was a small lake between Kettle Hill and San Juan Ridge and in moving forward your command passed to the right of this lake this brought you opposite a house on San Juan Ridge not Fort San Juan proper but a frame house surrounded by an earthwork the enemy lost a number of men at this point whose bodies lay in the trenches later in the day I rode along the line and as I recall it a portion of the 10th cavalry was immediately about this house and your regiment occupied in a regular semi-circular position along the ridge and immediately to the right of the house you have pits out of your front and several hundred yards to your front the Spaniards had a heavily outpost occupying the house with rifles surrounding it later in the day and during the following day the various regiments forming the division were rearranged and brought into tactical formation the 1st Brigade on the left and immediately to the right of Fort San Juan and the 2nd Brigade on the right of the 1st this was the position occupied by the cavalry division until the final surrender of the Spanish forces on July the 17th 1898 in conclusion allow me to say that I saw you personally at about 8 a.m. at El Poso later on the road to San Juan River later on the summit of Kettle Hill immediately after it's captured by the cavalry division I saw you move forward with your command to assault San Juan Ridge and I saw you on San Juan Ridge where we visited your line together and you explained to me the disposition of your command I am sir with much respect your obedient servant Samuel S. Sumner Major General United States Army End of Chapter 7 Recording by Daisy 55