At 6.30 a shell from Capron’s battery, U.S.  Artillery, directed at a blockhouse in El Caney, announced that the battle was on.  Then the musketry became general.  All stood and watched the doomed village quite a while as the battle progressed.  Soon Grices’ battery of the U.S.  Artillery, which was in support, belched forth destruction at the Spanish works of the city, using black powder.  The fire was almost immediately returned by the enemy’s batteries, who had smokeless.  They were shortly located when a fierce duel took place.  The Dons were silenced, but not until we had suffered loss.  During this fire an aide—­Lieut.  Wm. E. Shipp, Tenth Cavalry, Brigade Quartermaster—­brought orders for us to take position on the left of the First U.S.  Cavalry.  The line extended nearly north and south on a ridge some three or four miles from the city, where the regiment was exposed to much of the return fire from the enemy’s batteries.  The men exhibited no special concern and watched the flight of the death messenger as eagerly as if at a horse race.  Adjutant Barnum here divided the band and turned it over to the surgeons to assist in caring for the wounded, and directed Saddler Sergeant Smith and myself to accompany the Colonel in advance.  When Lieut.  Shipp delivered his orders, some of the officers remarked, “You are having a good time riding around here.”  He replied that it was no picnic riding among bullets, and that he would prefer being with his troops.

After the artillery had ceased firing, the regiment moved to the right, passed El Poso, where there were additional signs of the enemy’s havoc among our troops, proceeded down the road leading to Santiago.  The movement of the regiment was delayed as it approached the San Juan River, by an infantry brigade which had halted.

The regiment came within range of musket fire about three-quarters or one-half mile from the crossing.  Upon reaching the ford the Colonel (Baldwin) rode nearly across the stream (closely followed by his regiment) when we were greeted by the Dons with a terrific volley of musketry, soon followed by artillery, which caused us to realize more fully than ever, that “things were coming our way.”  Orders were given to throw off packs and get cover.  In removing his, Sergeant Smith, on, my immediate left, was assisted by a Spanish bullet, and an infantry soldier fell as my pack was thrown off to the right.  In seeking cover men simply dropped to the right and left of the road in a prone position.

The regiment was here subjected to a terrific converging fire from the blockhouse and intrenchments in front and the works further to the left and nearer the city.  The atmosphere seemed perfectly alive with flying missiles from bursting shells over head, and rifle bullets which seemed to have an explosive effect.  Much fire was probably drawn by the war balloon, which preceded the regiment to a point on the edge of the river, near the ford, where it was held.  This balloon undoubtedly rendered excellent service in locating positions of the Spanish works and developing an ambush which had been laid for us, but the poor, ill-fated balloon certainly received many uncomplimentary remarks during our stay in its vicinity.