battle.
After a bit, Wood and Roosevelt could see Youngâs column of men closing in on them from the right. There was no way the Rough Riders were going to reach Las Guasimas before the white and black troops in the valley, who had made better time across the open landscape. Unknown to both of them at that moment was that Wheeler was riding up on horseback to join Young and his men; Fighting Joe was just as anxious as Wood and Roosevelt to engage the âYankeeâ Spaniards first.
General Young ordered a delay so that the attack could begin on both flanks at the same time. He moved to the front right, alongside the white and black regulars of the Twenty-Fifth. While Young held his ground, Wheeler caught up with him from behind. He took stock of the situation, considered their options, and then gave his approval for the next stage of the battle that would soon begin.
Scouts had reported enemy troops well entrenched where the paths came together in Las Guasimas. The Spanish troops had cut down trees and stacked their trunks and branches for a barricade where the roads met. The Spaniards were posted on a range of high hills in the form of a V, the opening being toward Siboney, according to Chaplain Steward.
Youngâs troops restarted their march across the valley as soon as the generals were sure that the Rough Riders were in position to renew their own advance and hit the Spanish flank simultaneously. Wheeler and Young spotted the enemy first, the sun glinting brightly off the Spanish guns and artillery.
To their left, Wood posted a Cherokee scout named Tom Isbell and two of Castilloâs Cubans in the lead as they forged their way over spongy level ground. A couple hundred yards behind them were Hamilton Fish and other scouts, and to their rear was Captain Capron leading a platoon of sixty troops walking in single file. Roosevelt followed Capron and his group, although he quickly began to pick up his pace to move closer to the front. Marching with the main bodyof men, with the entire line stretched out for more than a mile, were Stephen Crane, Richard Harding Davis, and most of the other correspondents selected by Roosevelt and Wood. Only one journalist, Herschel V. Cashin, marched with Youngâs troops on the main path.
A burst of energy surged through the ranks as both columns inched toward the Spanish barricade. One soldier reported that the adrenalin took hold as they proceeded, the bulk of the men eager to âget into the real war business.â The ground in front of them now was dotted with palm trees, tall grass, and cactus plants. Scurrying off to the sides was an assortment of huge spiders, lizards, and the ever-present land crabs with purple claws, orange legs, and black backs with yellow polka dots. Overhead flew tropical birds emitting a cacophony of ominous squawks.
The two columns of Americans temporarily lost sight of one another across the ridgeline dividing the Rough Riders from the regulars, and Wood called a halt to get his bearings. Coordinating the two-pronged attack took precedence over everything else, including the question of which column hit the enemy first. He judged the enemy to be no more than a quarter to a half mile ahead, and he feared an ambush more than anything else. The Rough Riders were making their usual racket as they plodded up the path. Wood fell back to confer with Roosevelt and Capron.
âPass the word back to keep silence in the ranks,â Wood said testily to the others.
âStop that talkinâ, canât ye, damn it!â barked a sergeant, a former New York City cop.
LaMotte finally caught up to the officers at the front of the line and told Roosevelt that he had counted fifty-two men who had dropped out along the way, reducing their ranks by about 10 percent. Wood didnât want to hear any of it, however. When Roosevelt asked him to slow the pace and let the stragglers catch up, Wood replied, âI have no time for that now! We are
After a bit, Wood and Roosevelt could see Youngâs column of men closing in on them from the right. There was no way the Rough Riders were going to reach Las Guasimas before the white and black troops in the valley, who had made better time across the open landscape. Unknown to both of them at that moment was that Wheeler was riding up on horseback to join Young and his men; Fighting Joe was just as anxious as Wood and Roosevelt to engage the âYankeeâ Spaniards first.
General Young ordered a delay so that the attack could begin on both flanks at the same time. He moved to the front right, alongside the white and black regulars of the Twenty-Fifth. While Young held his ground, Wheeler caught up with him from behind. He took stock of the situation, considered their options, and then gave his approval for the next stage of the battle that would soon begin.
Scouts had reported enemy troops well entrenched where the paths came together in Las Guasimas. The Spanish troops had cut down trees and stacked their trunks and branches for a barricade where the roads met. The Spaniards were posted on a range of high hills in the form of a V, the opening being toward Siboney, according to Chaplain Steward.
Youngâs troops restarted their march across the valley as soon as the generals were sure that the Rough Riders were in position to renew their own advance and hit the Spanish flank simultaneously. Wheeler and Young spotted the enemy first, the sun glinting brightly off the Spanish guns and artillery.
To their left, Wood posted a Cherokee scout named Tom Isbell and two of Castilloâs Cubans in the lead as they forged their way over spongy level ground. A couple hundred yards behind them were Hamilton Fish and other scouts, and to their rear was Captain Capron leading a platoon of sixty troops walking in single file. Roosevelt followed Capron and his group, although he quickly began to pick up his pace to move closer to the front. Marching with the main bodyof men, with the entire line stretched out for more than a mile, were Stephen Crane, Richard Harding Davis, and most of the other correspondents selected by Roosevelt and Wood. Only one journalist, Herschel V. Cashin, marched with Youngâs troops on the main path.
A burst of energy surged through the ranks as both columns inched toward the Spanish barricade. One soldier reported that the adrenalin took hold as they proceeded, the bulk of the men eager to âget into the real war business.â The ground in front of them now was dotted with palm trees, tall grass, and cactus plants. Scurrying off to the sides was an assortment of huge spiders, lizards, and the ever-present land crabs with purple claws, orange legs, and black backs with yellow polka dots. Overhead flew tropical birds emitting a cacophony of ominous squawks.
The two columns of Americans temporarily lost sight of one another across the ridgeline dividing the Rough Riders from the regulars, and Wood called a halt to get his bearings. Coordinating the two-pronged attack took precedence over everything else, including the question of which column hit the enemy first. He judged the enemy to be no more than a quarter to a half mile ahead, and he feared an ambush more than anything else. The Rough Riders were making their usual racket as they plodded up the path. Wood fell back to confer with Roosevelt and Capron.
âPass the word back to keep silence in the ranks,â Wood said testily to the others.
âStop that talkinâ, canât ye, damn it!â barked a sergeant, a former New York City cop.
LaMotte finally caught up to the officers at the front of the line and told Roosevelt that he had counted fifty-two men who had dropped out along the way, reducing their ranks by about 10 percent. Wood didnât want to hear any of it, however. When Roosevelt asked him to slow the pace and let the stragglers catch up, Wood replied, âI have no time for that now! We are
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