he Ninth, followed by the second battalion of the
Twenty-fourth. The line was formed under fire, and while
superintending its formation the brigade commander, Colonel Wikoff,
came under observation and was killed; Lieutenant-Colonel Worth, who
succeeded him, was seriously wounded within five minutes after having
taking command, and Lieutenant-Colonel Liscum, who next assumed charge
of the brigade, had hardly learned that he was in command before he,
too, was disabled by a Spanish shot By this time, however, the
formation was about complete and the brigade ready to begin the
advance.

Leaving Wikoff's brigade in line ready to begin the advance we must
now return in our narrative to the main ford, where the major portions
of Hawkins' and Pearson's brigades are massed and follow the various
regiments as they come to their places in the battle line preparing
for the onslaught. After crossing the ford with the Sixth Infantry,
pursuant to the orders given by Lieutenant Miley in the name of
General Shafter, General Hawkins attempted to flank the enemy by a
movement to the left, the Sixth Infantry leading and the Sixteenth
intending to pass beyond it in its rear and join to its left. The
Sixth in passing to its intended position passed to the left of the
Sixth Cavalry, which held the left of the line of the cavalry
division, which had crossed the ford and deployed to the right,
reaching beyond the Spanish lines in that direction, or at least it
was able to reach the extreme right of the enemy. The Sixth Infantry
continued this line southward and it was to be farther extended by the
Sixteenth. Before this disposition could be effected the fire of the
enemy became so severe that an advance movement was started and the
Sixth lined up facing the fort on the hill, with only one company and
a half of the Sixteenth on its left.

While Hawkins' and Wikoff's brigades were preparing for the advance
upon the enemy's works, Pearson's brigade was approaching the ford,
hurrying to the support. The Twenty-first Regiment of this brigade was
detached from the brigade and sent directly forward on the main trail
with orders to re-enforce the firing line. This regiment crossed the
San Juan River to the left of the main ford and rushed forward to
support Hawkins' left. In the meantime the two other regiments of the
brigade, the Second and Tenth, which had preceded the Twenty-first in
their march from El Poso, had been deflected to the left by ord