from the Major-General Commanding,” given to him in person, he proceeded, on June 23rd, to Siboney, but does not say at what hour.  He says he “rode out to the front and found that the enemy had halted and established themselves at a point about three miles from Siboney.”  He then informs us that “at 8 o’clock on that evening of the 23rd General Young reached Siboney with eight troops of Colonel Wood’s regiment (A, B, D, E, F, G, K and L), 500 strong; Troops A, B, G and K, of the First Cavalry, in all 244, and Troops A, B, E and I, of the Tenth Cavalry, in all 220 men, making a total force of 964 men, which included nearly all of my command which had disembarked.  These troops had marched from Daiquiri, 11 miles.  With the assistance of General Castillo a rough map of the country was prepared and the position of the enemy fully explained, and I determined to make an attack.”  Lieutenant Miley says that the whole brigade of Wheeler’s troops arrived in Siboney about dark and were occupying the same ground as General Lawton ("In Cuba With Shafter,” p. 76.) General Young says that after reporting to General Wheeler he “asked and obtained from General Wheeler authority to make a reconnoisance in force” for the purpose of obtaining “positive information * * * as to the position and movements of the enemy in front.”

The distance from Daiquiri to Siboney was but eleven miles, and as the troops left the former place at 4.30 it is probable that they were all bivouacked near Siboney before 9 o’clock, as they were all together, according to General Wheeler’s report, at 5.45 on the morning of the 24th.  General Young having discovered that there were two roads or trails leading from Siboney northward toward the town of Sevilla determined to make his reconnoisance by both these trails.  He directed Colonel Wood to move by the western trail and to keep a careful lookout and to attack any Spaniards he might encounter, being careful to join his right in the event of an engagement, with the left of the column advancing by the eastern trail.  Colonel Wood’s column was the left column and was composed of the Rough Riders only.  The column marching by the eastern trail was composed of the First and Tenth Cavalry (regulars) and was under the command of General Young.  It was the intention of General Young by this column to gain the enemy’s left, and thus attack in front and left.  As early as 7.20 a.m.  Captain Mills discovered the enemy exactly as had been described by General Castillo.  When this was done word was sent to Colonel Wood, who was making his way to the front over a more difficult route than the one by which General Young’s column had marched.  A delay was therefore made on the part of General Young in order that the attack should begin on both flanks at the same time.  During this delay General Wheeler arrived and was informed of the plans and dispositions for the attack, and after examining the position gave his approval of what had been done, whereupon General Young ordered