Appendix D 305 



trail) to come up. Colonel Wood kept his column 

 walking at a smart pace, merely so that the regulars 

 might not be left unsupported when the fight be- 

 gan; and as a matter of fact, it began almost 

 simultaneously on both wings. 



On page 91 Mr. Bonsai speaks of "The foolhardy 

 formation of a solid column along a narrow trail, 

 which brought them (the Rough Riders) . . . 

 within point-blank range of the Spanish rifles and 

 within the unobstructed sweep of their machine- 

 guns." He also speaks as if the advance should 

 have been made with the regiment deployed through 

 the jungle. Of course, the only possible way by 

 which the Rough Riders could have been brought 

 into action in time to support the regulars was by 

 advancing in column along the trail at a good smart 

 gait. As soon as our advance-guard came into con- 

 tact with the enemy's outpost we deployed. No 

 firing began for at least five minutes after Captain 

 Capron sent back word that he had come upon the 

 Spanish outpost. At the particular point where this 

 occurred there was a dip in the road, which prob- 

 ably rendered it, in Capron's opinion, better to keep 

 part of his men in it. In any event, Captain Cap- 

 ron, who was as skilful as he was gallant, had ample 

 time between discovering the Spanish outpost and 

 the outbreak of the firing to arrange his troop in 

 the formation he deemed best. His troop was not 

 in solid formation; his men were about ten yards 

 apart. Of course, to have walked forward deployed 



