The Cavalry at Santiago 147 



pots, one filled with beef-stew, one with boiled rice, 

 and one with boiled peas ; there was a big demijohn 

 of rum (all along- the trenches which the Spaniards 

 held were empty wine and liquor bottles) ; there 

 were a number of loaves of rice-bread; and there 

 were even some small cans of preserves and a few 

 salt fish. Of course, among so many men, the food, 

 which was equally divided, did not give very much 

 to each, but it freshened us all. 



Soon after dark, General Wheeler, who in the 

 afternoon had resumed command of the cavalry di- 

 vision, came to the front. A very few words with 

 General Wheeler reassured us about retiring. He 

 had been through too much heavy firing, in the Civil 

 War to regard the present fight as very serious, and 

 he told us not to be under any apprehension, for he 

 had sent word that there was no need whatever of 

 retiring, and was sure we would stay where we were 

 until the chance came to advance. He was second 

 in command ; and to him more than to any other one 

 man was due the prompt abandonment of the pro- 

 posal to fall back a proposal which, if adopted, 

 would have meant shame and disaster. 



Shortly afterward General Wheeler sent us orders 

 to intrench. The men of the different regiments 

 were now getting in place again and sifting them- 

 selves out. All of our troops who had been kept at 

 Kettle Hill came forward and rejoined us after 



