askedhispermissiontoleadthecharge。Heorderedmetodoso，andthistimeawaywewent，andstormedtheSpanishintrenchments。Therewassomeclosefighting，andwetookafewprisoners。WealsocapturedtheSpanishprovisions，andatethemthatnightwithgreatrelish。Oneoftheitemswassaltedflying-fish，bytheway。Therewerealsobottlesofwine，andjugsoffieryspirit，andassoonaspossibleI
hadthesebroken，althoughnotbeforeoneortwoofmymenhadtakentoomuchliquor。LieutenantHowze，oftheregulars，anaideofGeneralSumner’s，broughtmeanordertohaltwhereIwas；hecouldnotmakeuphismindtoreturnuntilhehadspentanhourortwowithusunderfire。TheSpaniardsattemptedacounter-attackinthemiddleoftheafternoon，butweredrivenbackwithouteffort，ourmenlaughingandcheeringastheyrosetofire；becausehithertotheyhadbeenassaultingbreastworks，orlyingstillunderartilleryfire，andtheyweregladtogetachancetoshootattheSpaniardsintheopen。Welayonourarmsthatnightandasweweredrenchedwithsweat，andhadnoblanketssaveafewwetookfromthedeadSpaniards，wefoundeventhetropicnightchillybeforemorningcame。
Duringtheafternoon’sfighting，whileIwasthehighestofficeratourimmediatepartofthefront，CaptainsBoughtonandMortonoftheregularcavalry，twoasfineofficersasanymancouldwishtohavebesidehiminbattle，camealongthefiringlinetotellmethattheyhadheardarumorthatwemightfallback，andthattheywishedtorecordtheiremphaticprotestagainstanysuchcourse。Ididnotbelievetherewasanytruthintherumor，fortheSpaniardswereutterlyincapableofanyeffectivecounter-attack。However，lateintheevening，afterthefight，GeneralWheelervisitedusatthefront，andhetoldmetokeepmyselfinreadiness，asatanymomentitmightbedecidedtofallback。JackGreenwaywasbesidemewhenGeneralWheelerwasspeaking。Ianswered，“Well，General，Ireallydon’tknowwhetherwewouldobeyanordertofallback。Wecantakethatcitybyarush，andifwehavetomoveoutofhereatallIshouldbeinclinedtomaketherushintherightdirection。”Greenwaynoddedaneagerassent。TheoldGeneral，afteramoment’spause，expressedhisheartyagreement，andsaidthathewouldseethattherewasnofallingback。
Hehadbeenverysickforacoupleofdays，but，sickashewas，hemanagedtogetintothefight。Hewasagamecockifevertherewasone，buthewasinverybadphysicalshapeonthedayofthefight。Iftherehadbeenanyoneinhighcommandtosuperviseandpresstheattackthatafternoon，wewouldhavegonerightintoSantiago。Inmypartofthelinetheadvancewashaltedonlybecausewereceivedordersnottomoveforward，buttostayonthecrestofthecapturedhillandholdit。
Wearealwaystoldthatthree-o’clock-in-the-morningcourageisthemostdesirablekind。Well，mymenandtheregularsofthecavalryhadjustthatbrandofcourage。Ataboutthreeo’clockonthemorningafterthefirstfight，shootingbeganinourfrontandtherewasanalarmofaSpanishadvance。Iwasnevermorepleasedthantoseethewayinwhichthehungry，tired，shabbymenalljumpedupandranforwardtothehill-crest，soastobereadyfortheattack；which，however，didnotcome。AssoonasthesunrosetheSpaniardsagainopeneduponuswithartillery。AshellburstbetweenDaveGoodrichandmyself，blackinguswithpowder，andkillingandwoundingseveralofthemenimmediatelybehindus。
Nextdaythefightturnedintoasiege；thereweresomestirringincidents；butforthemostpartitwastrenchwork。AfortnightlaterSantiagosurrendered。Woodwonhisbrigadier-generalshipbythecapitalwayinwhichhehandledhisbrigadeinthefight，andinthefollowingsiege。Hewasputincommandofthecapturedcity；andinafewdaysIsucceededtothecommandofthebrigade。
Thehealthofthetroopswasnotgood，andspeedilybecameverybad。
Therewassomedysentery，andalittleyellowfever；butmostofthetroublewasfromasevereformofmalarialfever。TheWashingtonauthoritieshadbehavedbetterthanthoseinactualcommandoftheexpeditionatonecrisis。Immediatelyafterthefirstday’sfightingaroundSantiagothelatterhadhintedbycabletoWashingtonthattheymightliketowithdraw，andWashingtonhademphaticallyvetoedtheproposal。Irecordthisallthemoregladlybecausetherewerenottoomanygleamsofgoodsenseshowninthehomemanagementofthewar；
althoughIwishtorepeatthattherealblameforthisrestedprimarilywithusourselves，thepeopleoftheUnitedStates，whohadforyearspursuedinmilitarymattersapolicythatrendereditcertainthattherewouldbeineptitudeandfailureinhighplacesifeveracrisiscame。AfterthesiegethepeopleinWashingtonshowednoknowledgewhateveroftheconditionsaroundSantiago，andproposedtokeepthearmythere。Thiswouldhavemeantthatatleastthree-fourthsofthemenwouldeitherhavediedorhavebeenpermanentlyinvalided，asavirulentformofmalariawaswidespread，andtherewasasteadygrowthofdysenteryandothercomplaints。Noobjectofanykindwastobegainedbykeepingthearmyinornearthecapturedcity。GeneralShaftertriedhisbesttogettheWashingtonauthoritiestoorderthearmyhome。Ashefailedtoaccomplishanything，hecalledacouncilofthedivisionandbrigadecommandersandthechiefmedicalofficerstoconsultoverthesituation。
AlthoughIhadcommandofabrigade，Iwasonlyacolonel，andsoI
didnotintendtoattend，buttheGeneralinformedmethatIwasparticularlywanted，andaccordinglyIwent。AtthecouncilGeneralShafteraskedthemedicalauthoritiesastoconditions，andtheyunitedininforminghimthattheywereverybad，andwerecertaintogrowmuchworse；andthatinordertoavoidfrightfulravagesfromdisease，chieflyduetomalaria，thearmyshouldbesentbackatoncetosomepartofthenorthernUnitedStates。TheGeneralthenexplainedthathecouldnotgettheWarDepartmenttounderstandthesituation；
thathecouldnotgettheattentionofthepublic；andthathefeltthatthereshouldbesomeauthoritativepublicationwhichwouldmaketheWarDepartmenttakeactionbeforeitwastoolatetoaverttheruinofthearmy。Allwhowereintheroomexpressedtheiragreement。
Thenthereasonformybeingpresentcameout。ItwasexplainedtomebyGeneralShafter，andbyothers，thatasIwasavolunteerofficerandintendedimmediatelytoreturntocivillife，Icouldaffordtotakeriskswhichtheregulararmymencouldnotaffordtotakeandoughtnottobeexpectedtotake，andthatthereforeIoughttomakethepublicationinquestion；becausetoincurthehostilityoftheWarDepartmentwouldnotmakeanydifferencetome，whereasitwouldbedestructivetothemenintheregulararmy，ortothosewhohopedtogetintotheregulararmy。Ithoughtthistrue，andsaidIwouldwritealetterormakeastatementwhichcouldthenbepublished。Brigadier-
GeneralAmes，whowasinthesamepositionthatIwas，alsoannouncedthathewouldmakeastatement。
WhenIleftthemeetingitwasunderstoodthatIwastomakemystatementasaninterviewinthepress；butWood，whowasbythattimeBrigadier-GeneralcommandingthecityofSantiago，gavemeaquiethinttoputmystatementintheformofalettertoGeneralShafter，andthisIaccordinglydid。WhenIhadwrittenmyletter，thecorrespondentoftheAssociatedPress，whohadbeeninformedbyothersofwhathadoccurred，accompaniedmetoGeneralShafter。IpresentedthelettertoGeneralShafter，whowaveditawayandsaid：“Idon’twanttotakeit；dowhateveryouwishwithit。”I，however，insistedonhandingittohim，whereuponheshovedittowardthecorrespondentoftheAssociatedPress，whotookholdofit，andIreleasedmyhold。
GeneralAmesmadeastatementdirecttothecorrespondent，andalsosentacabletotheAssistantSecretaryoftheNavyatWashington，acopyofwhichhegavetothecorrespondent。Bythistimetheotherdivisionandbrigadecommanderswhowerepresentfeltthattheyhadbettertakeactionthemselves。TheyunitedinaroundrobintoGeneralShafter，whichGeneralWooddictated，andwhichwassignedbyGeneralsKent，Gates，Chaffee，Sumner，Ludlow，Ames，andWood，andbymyself。
GeneralWoodhandedthistoGeneralShafter，anditwasmadepublicbyGeneralShafterpreciselyasminewasmadepublic。[*]LaterIwasmuchamusedwhenGeneralShafterstatedthathecouldnotimaginehowmyletterandtheroundrobingotout！WhenIsawthisstatement，I
appreciatedhowwiseWoodhadbeeninhintingtomenottoactonthesuggestionoftheGeneralthatIshouldmakeastatementtothenewspapers，buttoputmystatementintheformofalettertohimasmysuperiorofficer，aletterwhichIdeliveredtohim。BoththeletterandtheroundrobinwerewrittenatGeneralShafter’swish，andattheunanimoussuggestionofallthecommandingandmedicalofficersoftheFifthArmyCorps，andbothwerepublishedbyGeneralShafter。
[*]GeneralWoodwritesme：“TherepresentativeoftheAssociatedPresswasveryanxioustogetacopyofthisdespatchorseeit，andItoldhimitwasimpossibleforhimtohaveitorseeit。I
thenwentintoGeneralShafterandstatedthecasetohim，handinghimthedespatch，saying，’Thematterisnowinyourhands。’He，GeneralShafter，thensaid，’Idon’tcarewhetherthisgentlemanhasitornot，’andIleftthen。WhenIwentbacktheGeneraltoldmehehadgiventhePressrepresentativeacopyofthedespatch，andthathehadgonetotheofficewithit。”
Inaregimenttheprimeneedistohavefightingmen；theprimevirtueistobeableandeagertofightwiththeutmosteffectiveness。Ihaveneverbelievedthatthiswasincompatiblewithothervirtues。Onthecontrary，whilethereareofcourseexceptions，Ibelievethatontheaveragethebestfightingmenarealsothebestcitizens。Idonotbelievethatafinersetofnaturalsoldiersthanthemenofmyregimentcouldhavebeenfoundanywhere，andtheywerefirst-classcitizensincivillifealso。Onefactmayperhapsbeworthyofnote。
Wheneverwewereincampandsofixedthatwecouldhaveregularmeals，weusedtohaveageneralofficers’mess，overwhichIofcoursepresided。Duringourentireservicetherewasneverafoulorindecentwordutteredattheofficers’mess——Imeanthisliterally；
andtherewasverylittleswearing——althoughnowandtheninthefighting，iftherewasamomentwhenswearingseemedtobethebestmethodofreachingtheheartofthematter，itwasresortedto。
ThemenIcaredformostintheregimentwerethemenwhodidthebestwork；andthereforemylikingforthemwasobligedtotaketheshapeofexposingthemtothemostfatigueandhardship，ofdemandingfromthemthegreatestservice，andofmakingthemincurthegreatestrisk。
OnceIkeptGreenwayandGoodrichatworkforforty-eighthours，withoutsleeping，andwithverylittlefood，fightinganddiggingtrenches。IfreelysentthemenforwhomIcaredmost，towheredeathmightsmitethem；anddeathoftensmotethem——asitdidthetwobestofficersinmyregiment，AllynCapronandBuckyO’Neil。MymenwouldnothaverespectedmehadIactedotherwise。Theircreedwasmycreed。
Thelifeevenofthemostusefulman，ofthebestcitizen，isnottobehoardediftherebeneedtospendit。Ifelt，andfeel，thisaboutothers；andofcoursealsoaboutmyself。ThisisonereasonwhyIhavealwaysfeltimpatientcontemptfortheefforttoabolishthedeathpenaltyonaccountofsympathywithcriminals。Iamwillingtolistentoargumentsinfavorofabolishingthedeathpenaltysofarastheyarebasedpurelyongroundsofpublicexpediency，althoughtheseargumentshaveneverconvincedme。Butinasmuchas，withouthesitation，intheperformanceofduty，Ihaveagainandagainsentgoodandgallantanduprightmentodie，itseemstometheheightofafollybothmischievousandmawkishtocontendthatcriminalswhohavedeserveddeathshouldneverthelessbeallowedtoshirkit。Nobraveandgoodmancanproperlyshirkdeath；andnocriminalwhohasearneddeathshouldbeallowedtoshirkit。
OneofthebestmenwithourregimentwastheBritishmilitaryattache，CaptainArthurLee，anoldfriend。Theothermilitaryattacheswereherdedtogetheratheadquartersandsawlittle。CaptainLee，whohadknownmeinWashington，escapedandstayedwiththeregiment。Wegrewtofeelthathewasoneofus，andmadehimanhonorarymember。Thereweretwootherhonorarymembers。OnewasRichardHardingDavis，whowaswithuscontinuallyandwhoperformedvaluableserviceonthefightingline。Theotherwasaregularofficer，LieutenantParker，whohadabatteryofgatlings。WewerewiththisbatterythroughouttheSanJuanfighting，andwegrewtohavethestrongestadmirationforParkerasasoldierandthestrongestlikingforhimasaman。DuringourbriefcampaignwewerecloselyandintimatelythrownwithvariousregularofficersofthetypeofMills，Howze，andParker。Wefeltnotmerelyfondnessforthemasofficersandgentlemen，butprideinthemasAmericans。Itisafinethingtofeelthatwehaveinthearmyandinthenavymodest，efficient，gallantgentlemenofthistype，doingsuchdisinterestedworkforthehonoroftheflagandoftheNation。NoAmericancanoverpaythedebtofgratitudeweallofusowetotheofficersandenlistedmenofthearmyandofthenavy。
Ofcoursewitharegimentofourtypetherewasmuchtolearnbothamongtheofficersandthemen。Therewereallkindsoffunnyincidents。Oneofmymen，anex-cow-puncherandformerround-upcook，averygoodshotandrider，gotintotroubleonthewaydownonthetransport。Heunderstoodentirelythathehadtoobeytheofficersofhisownregiment，but，likesomanyvolunteers，oratleastlikesomanyvolunteersofmyregiment，hedidnotunderstandthatthisobligationextendedtoofficersofotherregiments。Oneoftheregularofficersonthetransportorderedhimtodosomethingwhichhedeclinedtodo。Whentheofficertoldhimtoconsiderhimselfunderarrest，herespondedbyofferingtofighthimforatriflingconsideration。Hewasbroughtbeforeacourtmartialwhichsentencedhimtoayear’simprisonmentathardlaborwithdishonorabledischarge，andthemajor-generalcommandingthedivisionapprovedthesentence。