osses both
trails--that is, it runs up hill. It is difficult to believe that the
Bonsal map could have been made by any man who had gone over the
hill-trail followed by the Rough Riders and who knew where the
fighting had taken place. The position of the Spanish line on the
Bonsal map is inverted compared to what it really was.

On page 90 Mr. Bonsal says that in making the "precipitate advance"
there was a rivalry between the regulars and Rough Riders, which
resulted in each hurrying recklessly forward to strike the Spaniards
first. On the contrary. The official reports show that General Young's
column waited for some time after it got to the Spanish position, so
as to allow the Rough Riders (who had the more difficult trail) to
come up. Colonel Wood kept his column walking at a smart pace, merely
so that the regulars might not be left unsupported when the fight
began; and as a matter of fact, it began almost simultaneously on both
wings.

On page 91 Mr. Bonsal speaks of "The foolhardy formation of a solid
column along a narrow trail, which brought them (the Rough Riders)
within point-blank range of the Spanish rifles and within the
unobstructed sweep of their machine-guns." He also speaks as if the
advance should have been made with the regiment deployed through the
jungle. Of course, the only possible way by which the Rough Riders
could have been brought into action in time to support the regulars
was by advancing in column along the trail at a good smart gait. As
soon as our advance-guard came into contact with the enemy's outpost
we deployed. No firing began for at least five minutes after Captain
Capron sent back word that he had come upon the Spanish outpost. At
the particular point where this occurred there was a dip in the road,
which probably rendered it, in Capron's opinion, better to keep part
of his men in it. In any event, Captain Capron, who was as skilful as
he was gallant, had ample time between discovering the Spanish outpost
and the outbreak of the firing to arrange his troop in the formation
he deemed best. His troop was not in solid formation; his men were
about ten yards apart. Of course, to have walked forward deployed
through the jungle, prior to reaching the ground where we were to
fight, would have been a course of procedure so foolish as to warrant
the summary court-martial of any man directing it. We could not have
made half a mile an hour in such a formation, and would have been at
least