The corps to which the Rough Riders were attached was under the command of Major-General Shafter. Major-General Wheeler, a veteran of the Civil War and a dashing cavalry leader, commanded the cavalry. Under the latter, as commander of the 2d Brigade, was Brigadier-General Young. Young’s brigade was composed of the 1st and 10th regiments of cavalry. The 10th regiment was composed of negroes and the 1st Regiment of the Rough Riders.
General Wheeler was anxious to strike the first blow with his cavalry and while Brigadier-General Lawton, who commanded the infantry, was protecting the landing from the enemy, General Wheeler ordered General Young to advance early in the morning from the little village of Siboney toward Santiago and to attack the enemy wherever he was found. The Rough Riders were included in this advance.
Two roads about a mile apart, lead from Siboney to Santiago. General Young advanced on the eastern road and directed Wood and Roosevelt to take the western road, which led over the mountains. The two roads drew together near the village of Las Guasimas. Here the two commands were to meet.
COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD
BEFORE THE BATTLE OF SAN JUAN. ROOSEVELT ON THE EXTREME RIGHT, COLONEL WOOD IN CENTER. TO THE LEFT: MAJOR DUNN, COLONEL BRODIE AND CHAPLAIN BROWN, WITH GENERAL WHEELER IN THE FOREGROUND
On the march from the landing place inland the troops traveled over rugged hills, covered for the most part by dense jungles. They camped on a dusty, brush-covered flat, with jungle on one side and a disease-breeding pool, fringed with palm trees, on the other side. The baggage had not yet come ashore, and the soldiers had only what food they carried with them. Roosevelt’s equipment consisted of a raincoat and a tooth-brush.
They met hundreds of Cuban insurgents—tattered crews armed with all sorts of weapons, all of which were in poor condition.
FIGHTING AT LAS GUASIMAS
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.