here
for nearly an hour, subject to the effects of heavy artillery fire
from the enemy's battery. Major Wessells, of the Third Cavalry, says,
while following the road toward Santiago that morn, "much delay ensued
from some reason unknown to the undersigned," and that the First
Brigade of the division arrived at San Juan ford about 10 o'clock.
This creek was about five hundred yards farther toward Santiago than
Aguadores River, and ran about parallel with San Juan Heights, from
which it was about three-fourths of a mile distant.

The orders for which General Sumner had waited nearly an hour under
fire had come and were "verbal instructions to move to the San Juan
Creek and hold it." Reaching this creek his advance guard was met by
the Spaniards who fired one volley and retreated to a position on a
hill on Sumner's right front, about 1,200 yards distant. Crossing this
creek with sufficient strength to hold it, Sumner was now ordered to
move by the right flank and connect with Lawton's left. While his
troops were in this massed condition prior to deploying to the right
through a thick jungle, the balloon that was in use for purposes of
reconnoitering, came up the road and exposed itself to the full view
of the Spaniards upon the heights. They needed no further invitation
to direct toward our forces their artillery, for which the balloon
became a flying target. Many officers and men were wounded here by
exploding shells and small arms' fire of the enemy (Sumner). Under
this fire, however, the troops were deployed as ordered.

Colonel Wood, who had charge of the Second Brigade, of which the Rough
Riders were the leading regiment, says this "regiment was directed to
change direction to the right, and by moving up the creek to effect a
junction with General Lawton's division, which was engaged at Caney,
about one and a-half miles toward the right, but was supposed to be
working toward our right flank. After proceeding in this direction
about half a mile the effort to connect with General Lawton was given
up." This movement to the right took place between ten and eleven
o'clock, at which time Lawton's forces had made no impression upon El
Caney, and he was far from making any movement which might be
described as working toward the right flank of the Cavalry Division.
Lawton was not found by that half-hour's search to the right; and it
was evident that something must be done by these troops in front, and
done quickly. The whol