rom before Santiago. But the merit of keeping the army before
Santiago, without withdrawal, until the city fell, belongs to the
authorities at Washington, who at this all-important stage of the
operations showed to marked advantage in overruling the proposals made
by the highest generals in the field looking toward partial retreat or
toward the abandonment of the effort to take the city.

The following note, written by Sergeant E. G. Norton, of B Troop,
refers to the death of his brother, Oliver B. Norton, one of the most
gallant and soldierly men in the regiment:

On July 1st I, together with Sergeant Campbell and Troopers
Bardshar and Dudley Dean and my brother who was killed and
some others, was at the front of the column right behind
you. We moved forward, following you as you rode, to where
we came upon the troopers of the Ninth Cavalry and a part
of the First lying down. I heard the conversation between
you and one or two of the officers of the Ninth Cavalry.
You ordered a charge, and the regular officers answered that
they had no orders to move ahead; whereupon you said: "Then
let us through," and marched forward through the lines, our
regiment following. The men of the Ninth and First Cavalry
then jumped up and came forward with us. Then you waved your
hat and gave the command to charge and we went up the hill.
On the top of Kettle Hill my brother, Oliver B. Norton, was
shot through the head and in the right wrist. It was just
as you started to lead the charge on the San Juan hills
ahead of us; we saw that the regiment did not know you had
gone and were not following, and my brother said, "For
God's sake follow the Colonel," and as he rose the bullet
went through his head.

In reference to Mr. Bonsal's account of the Guasimas fight, Mr.
Richard Harding Davis writes me as follows:

We had already halted several times to give the men a
chance to rest, and when we halted for the last time I
thought it was for this same purpose, and began taking
photographs of the men of L Troop, who were so near that
they asked me to be sure and save them a photograph. Wood
had twice disappeared down the trail beyond them and
returned. As he came back for the second time I remember
that you walked up to him (we were all dismounted then), and
saluted and said: "Colonel, Doctor L