or probably a Little before, ours did, and all unknown to the men in our ranks; and got themselves into a pretty tight squeeze.  About the same time our force engaged the enemy and drew part of the attention they were giving the Rough Riders.  This, the latter claimed, enabled them to continue the movement on the enemy’s works.

But as our command had an equal number of 1st and 10th Cavalrymen, I am of the opinion that the story of our saving the Rough Riders arose from the fact that as soon as the fight was over, the 1st Regular Cavalry was opening its arms to us, declaring that we, especially B Troop, had saved them; for the 1st Regular Cavalry was first in the attack in General Young’s command; and when the enemy began to make it pretty warm, he ordered B and I Troops of the 10th forward on the right.  Troop B was in the lead; and the alacrity with which these two troops moved to the front has always been praised by the 1st Cavalry; and they declare that that movement helped them wonderfully.  In making this movement my troop had three or four men wounded; and later, when Sergeant Thompson’s squad was fighting far to the front, it had in it several members of the 1st Cavalry, who are always glad to praise him.

So, I think that by the Rough Riders first attributing their success, or their rescue from inevitable defeat, to the attack made by our command; and by the 1st Regular Cavalry’s very generously, in the heat of success, bestowing upon us the honors of the day, it finally became a settled thing that we saved the whole battle.

That evening, after the battle, I was met by Lieutenant Shipp, later killed at San Juan Hill, who, on inquiring and being told that I belonged to Troop B, congratulated me on its conduct, and said it had made a name for the regiment.  Lieutenant Shipp was not in that fight, but had come up after it was over and had heard of us through the 1st Cavalry.”

C.

Sergeant John Buck was born September 10th, 1861, at Chapel Hill, Texas; enlisted in 10th Cavalry, November 6, 1880, and passed over ten years in active Indian service.  He is a man of strong character, an experienced horseman and packer, and so commanded a portion of the firing line in the battle of June 24 as to elicit remarks of praise from officers of other troops “for his gallantry, coolness and good judgment under fire.”  Sergeant Thompson’s good conduct in the same battle was noticeable also.  Sergeant Buck was made second lieutenant in the 7th U.S.  Volunteer Infantry and subsequently captain in the 48th United States Volunteers.

FOOTNOTES: 

[15] See Note A at the end of this chapter.

[16] THE TWENTY-FIFTH AT EL-CANEY.

American valor never shone with greater luster than when the Twenty-fifth Infantry swept up the sizzling hill of El-Caney to the rescue of the rough riders.  Two other regiments came into view of the rough riders.  But the bullets were flying like driving hail; the enemy were in trees and ambushes with smokeless powder, and the rough riders were biting the dust and were threatened with annihilation.