paring for landing.

June 22. As we neared Daiquiri, the designated place for disembarking,
flames could be seen reaching almost to the heavens, the town having
been fired by the fleeing Spaniards upon the approach of war vessels
of Sampson's fleet, who were assembling to bombard the shore and cover
our landing. After a fierce fire from these ships, the landing was
effected with loss of two men of our regiment, who were doubtless
crushed to death between the lighters. They were buried near the place
of recovery the next morning.

The few half-clothed and hungry-looking natives on shore seemed
pleased to see us. Daiquiri, a shipping point of the Spanish-American
Iron Company, was mostly deserted. The board houses seemed to have
been spared, while the sun-burned huts thatched with palm were still
smoking, also the roundhouse in which there were two railroad
locomotives, warped and twisted from the heat. The Spanish evidently
fired everything they could before evacuating.

June 23. At 6.00 p.m. Troops A, B, E and I, left with four Troops of
the First U.S. Cavalry and Rough Riders (First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry)
as advance guard of the Army of Invasion on the main road to Santiago
de Cuba; about 800 men all told, three Hotchkiss guns, manned by ten
cavalrymen, accompanied also by the Brigadier Commander, General
S.M.B. Young and staff.

NOTE.--These troops marched about 13 miles through a
drenching rain from 7 to 10 p.m.; bivouacked one hour later. Oh the
24th, after breakfast, took the trail about 5.15 a.m. The vapor from
wet clothing rose with the sun, so that you could scarcely recognize a
man ten feet away. About three and one-half miles above Siboney the
command was halted; the first U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (Rough Riders)
sent to the left; proceeding farther about one mile, the main column
was split, First U.S. Cavalry going to the right, the Tenth Cavalry
remaining in the center. General Wheeler joined at this point,
accompanied by his orderly, Private Queene, Troop A, Tenth Cavalry.
Disposition of the troops was explained by General Young, who had
located his headquarters with the Tenth U.S. Cavalry; General Wheeler
made his the same. Hotchkiss guns were ordered closed up; magazines
filled. The column had proceeded but a short way when the engagement
opened in all its fury; troops were deployed and advanced in the
direction from which the bullets were coming the thickest, as rapidly
as the formation of the ground