“We were as much under fire in forming the line as we would be by an advance, and I therefore pressed the command forward from the covering which it was formed.  It merged into open space, in full view of the enemy, who occupied breastworks and batteries on the crest of the hill which overlooked Santiago, officers and men falling at every step.  The troops advanced gallanty, soon reached the foot of the hill and ascended, driving the enemy from their works and occupying them on the crest of the hill.

“Colonel Carroll and Major Wessels were both wounded during the charge, but Major Wessels was enabled to return and resume command.  General Wyckoff, commanding Kent’s Third Brigade, was killed at 12:10.  Lieutenant-Colonel Worth took command and was wounded at 12:15.  Lieutenant-Colonel Liscum then took command and was wounded at 12:20, and the command then devolved upon Lieutenant-Colonel Ewers, Ninth Infantry.

“Upon reaching the crest I ordered breastworks to be constructed, and sent to the rear for shovels, picks, spades, and axes.  The enemy’s retreat from the ridge was precipitate, but our men were so thoroughly exhausted that it was impossible for them to follow.  Their shoes were soaked with water by wading the San Juan River; they had become drenched with rain, and when they reached the crest they were absolutely unable to proceed further.  Notwithstanding this condition these exhausted men labored during the night to erect breastworks, furnished details to bury the dead and carry the wounded back in improvised litters.”

Wheeler’s loss was 6 officers and 40 men killed, 29 officers and 288 men wounded, and 10 men missing—­total 372, out of a force of 127 officers and 2,536 men.

General Bates says that after his brigade remained for some time in the first cross road after wading the San Juan river:  “We moved to the right to assault a small hill, occupied upon the top by a stone fort and well protected by rifle pits.  General Chaffee’s brigade charged them from the right, and the two brigades, joining upon the crest, opened fire from this point of vantage, lately occupied by the Spanish, upon the village of El Caney.

“From this advantageous position the Spanish were easily driven from place to place in the village proper, and as fast as they sought shelter in one building were driven out to seek shelter elsewhere.  The sharpshooters of my command were enabled to do effective work at this point.  The town proper was soon pretty thoroughly cleaned out of Spanish, though a couple of blockhouses upon the hill to the right of the town offered shelter to a few, and some could be seen retreating along a mountain road leading to the northwest.  A part of these made a stand in a field among some bowlders.

General Lawton observes:  “The light battery first opened on a column of Spanish troops, which appeared to be cavalry moving westward from El Caney, and about 2 miles range, resulting, as was afterwards learned, in killing 16 in the column.”