On August 1st he was re-enforced by General Schwan’s brigade of the Fourth Army Corps and part of General Wilson’s division of the First Corps, raising his numerical strength to 9,641 officers and men.  The Spanish forces in Puerto Rico at that time numbered some 18,000, about evenly divided between regulars and volunteers, and scattered advantageously over 3,700 square miles of territory.  By the end of August the American strength had nearly doubled.

In the brief campaign that followed, a large part of the island was captured by the United States forces, and the positions of all the Spanish garrisons, except that at San Juan, were made untenable.  There were altogether six engagements,—­at Guanica Road, Guayamo (2), Coamo, Hormigueros, Aibonito, and Las Marias,—­with a total loss to the Spaniards of about 450 killed and wounded, while the American casualties of the same nature amounted to 43.

General Miles, in his scheme of operations, intended that three columns of our troops—­each composed of infantry, cavalry, artillery, and their adjuncts—­should march through the eastern, western, and central parts of the island, respectively, diverging at Ponce and coalescing before San Juan.  The entire success of this plan was prevented only by the arrival of the order to suspend hostilities, on the 13th of August.

The column marching east—­known as the First Division, First Army Corps—­was commanded by Major-General James H. Wilson, and took part in three engagements.  The column sent through the interior—­known as the Provisional Division—­was commanded by Brigadier-General Guy V. Henry, and met no opposition of moment.

The third column, called the Independent Regular Brigade, and directed to proceed through the western section of the island, was commanded by Brigadier-General Theodore Schwan, and had two engagements with the Alphonso XIII Regiment of Cazadores.

It is the story of General Schwan’s campaign that I am about to relate.

CHAPTER I

The Independent Regular Brigade

Place of meeting—­Forces comprised by the command—­Why we were not like the Volunteers—­Characteristics of the professional soldier—­Sketches of the more important officers—­What we were ordered to do.

Yauco, the place selected by General Miles as a rendezvous for the troops of the Independent Regular Brigade, is a town of about 15,000 inhabitants, and some six miles distant from Guanica.  It is connected both by rail and wagon-road with Ponce, the largest city on the island, and is noted for its Spanish proclivities, fine climate, excellent running water, and setting of mountains—­luxuriantly green throughout the year.

Here were assembled on the evening of Aug. 8, 1898, all the forces assigned to General Schwan, with the exception of Troop “A,” Fifth Cavalry, which did not appear until some thirty hours later.  The command was composed of the Eleventh Infantry, Light Battery “D” of the Fifth Artillery, Light Battery “C” of the Third Artillery, and the troop of cavalry already mentioned,—­all regulars, and as resolute and picturesque a set of men as ever wore the uniform of war.