[Illustration: Gatling Camp and Bomb-Proofs at Fort Roosevelt.]
The Gatling Gun Detachment moved forward about half a mile. They found
the 71st New York lying down by the side of the road, partially
blocking it. Troops passing them toward the front were compelled to
break into columns of twos, because the road was crowded by the 71st.
The colonel and his adjutant were sought and found, and informed of
the detachment's instructions. Information was requested as to when
and where the 71st was going into the fight. It appeared that they had
a vague idea that they were going in on the left center of the left
wing. Lawton's Division at El Caney will be considered the right wing;
Kent's Division and Wheeler's Division the left wing of the army at
San Juan. The 71st did not seem to know when it was going to move
toward the front, nor just where it was going; and there was no
apparent effort being made to get further down the road to the front.
Wheeler's Division was also pressing forward on the road, dismounted
cavalrymen, with no arms in their hands except their carbines without
bayonets. With these same carbines these men were, a little later, to
storm the intrenchments, manned by picked and veteran soldiers, who
knew how to die at their posts.
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