After deducting
the detachments required at Siboney and Baiquiri to render those
depots secure from attack, organizations held to protect our flanks,
others acting as escorts and guards to light batteries, the members of
the Hospital Corps, guards left in charge of blanket-rolls which the
intense heat caused the men to cast aside before entering battle,
orderlies, etc., it is doubtful if we had more than 12,000 men on the
firing-line on July 1, when the battle was fiercest and when the
important and strong positions of El Caney and San Juan were captured.
A few Cubans assisted in the attack at El Caney, and fought valiantly,
but their numbers were too small to materially change the strength, as
indicated above. The enemy confronted us with numbers about equal to
our own; they fought obstinately in strong and intrenched positions,
and the results obtained clearly indicate the intrepid gallantry of
the company officers and men, and the benefits derived from the
careful training and instruction given in the company in the recent
years in rifle practice and other battle exercises. Our losses in
these battles were 22 officers and 208 men killed, and 81 officers and
1,203 men wounded; missing, 79.
Pages:
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237