with it or our officers from receiving it.  About twenty minutes later a battalion of some other regiment advanced to the rear of the fort, completely covered from fire, and received the flag; but the men of the Twenty-fifth Infantry entered the fort at the same time.  All officers and men behaved gallantly.  One officer was killed and three wounded; eight men were killed and twenty wounded.

“About 200 men and ten officers were in the firing line.  I attribute the comparatively small losses to the skill and bravery of the company officers, viz.:  First Lieutenant Caldwell and Second Lieutenants Moss and Hunt.  Second Lieutenant French, adjutant of the battalion, was among those who gallantly entered the fort.

     “The battle lasted about two hours and was a hotly contested
     combat.  Very respectfully,

     “A.S.  DAGGETT,
     “Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding.”

Here it is shown by the testimony of the regimental commander, that a battalion of the Twenty-fifth ascended the hill and arrived at a short distance from the fort about twenty minutes before any other troops are mentioned as coming in sight; and that a white flag was waved to the companies of the Twenty-fifth.  It was doubtless upon this ground that a captain of the Twenty-fifth had the temerity to claim the capture of the place, even from a Major-General.  I do not know who the captain was, but it is evident that he had what he believed ample grounds for his claim.  Colonel Daggett says, also, that when the men of the other regiment advanced to this fort after it had waved the white flag to the companies of the Twenty-fifth, the men of the Twenty-fifth advanced and entered the fort at the same time.  Bonsal says:  “Almost at the same moment that the Twelfth started up the hill the Twenty-fifth started up the hill also;” while according to Colonel Daggett’s testimony the Twenty-fifth was well up the hill already and the fort had waved to it the white flag.

Colonel Daggett makes this further report: 

     Headquarters Twenty-fifth Infantry,
     Near Santiago, Cuba, July 16, 1898.

     The Adjutant-General, Second Division, Fifth Corps, near Santiago,
     Cuba.

Sir:—­Feeling that the Twenty-fifth Infantry has not received credit for the part it took in the battle of El Caney on the first instant, I have the honor to submit the following facts: 

I was ordered by the brigade commander to put two companies (H, Lieutenant Caldwell, and G, Lieutenant McCorkle) on the firing line in extended order.  The right being uncovered and exposed to the enemy, I ordered D Company (Captain Edwards) to deploy as flankers.  The battalion was commanded by Capt.  W.S.  Scott.  The battalion advanced about 300 yards under fire, the Fourth Infantry on its left, where the line found cover, halted, and opened fire on the blockhouse