The Cavalry at Santiago 119 



and the First Cavalry, and the infantry, were 

 crossing. 



As I led my column slowly along, under the 

 intense heat, through the high grass of the open 

 jungle, the First Brigade was to our left, and the 

 firing between it and the Spaniards on the hills 

 grew steadily hotter and hotter. After a while I 

 came to a sunken lane, and as by this time the 

 First Brigade had stopped and was engaged in a 

 stand-up fight, I halted my men and sent back word 

 for orders. As we faced toward the Spanish hills 

 my regiment was on the right with next to it and 

 a little in advance the First Cavalry, and behind 

 them the Tenth. In our front the Ninth held the 

 right, the Sixth the centre, and the Third the left ; 

 but in the jungle the lines were already overlap- 

 ping in places. Kent's infantry were coming up, 

 further to the left. 



Captain Mills was with me. The sunken lane, 

 which had a wire fence on either side, led straight 

 up toward, and between, the two hills in our front, 

 the hill on the left, which contained heavy block- 

 houses, being further away from us than the hill 

 on our right, which we afterward grew to call 

 Kettle Hill, and which was surmounted merely by 

 some large ranch buildings or haciendas, with 

 sunken brick-lined walls and cellars. I got the 

 men as well-sheltered as I could. Many of them 



