When the Rough Riders reached the scene of action they had first to
climb a very steep hill. They went into action with less than five
hundred men.
Captain Capron’s troop was in the lead, followed by Colonel Wood.
Roosevelt rode close behind them at the head of the other three troops
of his squadron. The trail was so narrow that at many places the men
had to march in single file. At other times they had to force their way
through dense, tangled jungles. After marching for over an hour they
came to a halt, but Colonel Wood announced that the advance guard had
come upon a Spanish outpost.
A minute later Wood gave Roosevelt orders to deploy three troops to the
right of the trail and advance. A roar in front of them soon announced
that the fight was on.
Roosevelt and his officers were searching for the place from which the
smokeless powder of the Spaniards was pouring Mauser bullets upon his
men.
It was the famous war correspondent, Richard Harding Davis, who first
showed Roosevelt’s men where to direct their fire. He had accompanied
the Rough Riders and had taken a place at the extreme front of the
line, from which place he spotted with his glasses the exact location
of the Spaniards.
“There they are, Colonel!” he suddenly cried. “Look! Over there! I can
see their heads near that glade!”
Roosevelt looked across the valley where Davis was pointing. He,
too, discovered the heads of the Spanish soldiers and directed his
sharp-shooters to fire on them.
The Spaniards sprang out of the cover and ran to another spot. The
shots of the Americans had told. The Spaniards continued to retreat.
The Rough Riders and the other troops pursued. They were forced to
leave the wounded in the jungle where they fell.
Harry Hefner of G Troop, fell mortally wounded in the hip. Two of his
companions dragged him behind a tree. He propped himself up and asked
for his canteen and his rifle. He then resumed shooting, and continued
firing until he died.
Roland, a New Mexican cow-puncher, fought beside Roosevelt. The Colonel
noticed blood issuing from his side and ordered the trooper to go to
the rear. Roland grumbled, but went back. Fifteen minutes later he was
on the firing line again. He told the Colonel that he could not find
the hospital. Roosevelt doubted it, but let him stay until the end of
the fight, when it was discovered that a bullet had broken one of his
ribs.
When the scrimmage began some of the men began to curse. “Don’t
swear--shoot!” Wood growled at them.
Toward the end of the engagement Roosevelt was falsely informed that
Wood had been killed. The command of the regiment for the time being
devolved upon the Colonel. He started to lead his men toward the main
body, but met Wood himself, who told him that the fight was over and
that the Spaniards had retreated.
In this first scrimmage the Rough Riders lost eight men killed and
thirty-four wounded. They had taken a Spanish fort, defended by more
than twelve hundred men, and had won from them complete possession of
the entire Spanish position.