Turn of the Century - Fort Huachuca - U.S. Army

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In the front row, from left to right: Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, Col. Leonard Wood, and Lt.Col. Theodore Roosevelt; back row: Maj. Brodie, Maj. Dunn, and Chaplain Brown.Men of the 10th moved to the front and poured a withering fire on the Spanish positions.Several black troopers rushed a Spanish strong point, overwhelmed it, and cut out some barbedwire to allow the 1st Volunteer Cavalry to attack through it. In B Troop, 10th Cavalry, thecommander became separated from his men in the rough terrain and the fight was carried on bythe NCOs. First Sergeant John Buck commanded a large segment of B Troop. The troopcommander James W. Watson afterwards commended “the fine conduct of Sergeant Buck, whowas pushing his men to the front with great coolness, gallantry and intelligence, calling to them byname and telling them what to do, holding his men well in control and in other ways makinghimself noticeable and conspicuous for his coolness under a hot fire.” 23Beach said General Wheeler sprang to his feet as the firing grew fainter and exclaimed,“We’ve got the Yankees on the run.”The fighting was so uncertain that Wheeler called upon Lawton’s division for reinforcementand the 9th Cavalry moved up but was not committed to the battle. At the head of the reliefcolumn sent up by General Lawton was Lieut. Col. Arthur L. Wagner who Maj. William D.Beach described as “dear old Wagner, of Leavenworth and book fame.” 24 Major Beach wrote74 HUACHUCA ILLUSTRATED
in his note book the time of the opening shot of the ground war with Spain. It was 0815. Thebattle had lasted just over an hour. Colonel Roosevelt said, “It was a full hour.” He rememberedthat Wheeler could not recall “heavier musketry fire in any action he was in during the CivilWar.” 25General Young’s report:After having carefully examined the enemy’s position I prepared to develop his strength.Canteens were ordered filled; the Hotchkiss battery was placed in position in concealment atabout 900 yards, and Bell’s squadron was deployed and Norvell’s in support.On discovering the enemy I had sent a Cuban guide to warn Colonel Wood, and knowingthat his column had a more difficult route, and would require a longer time to reach theposition, I delayed the attack some time in order that the development on both flanks shouldbegin simultaneously. During this delay General Wheeler arrived and was informed of mydispositions, plan of attack, and intentions. After an examination of the position by him, andhis approval of my action, I ordered the attack, and it was executed in a manner winning theadmiration of the division commander and all present who witnessed it.The Spanish forces occupied a range of high hills in the form of an obtuse angle, with thesalient toward Siboney and with an advance party on the trail on which I had been moving.The attack of both wings was simultaneous, and the junction of the two lines occurred near theapex of the angle on the ridge, which had been fortified with stone breastworks flanked byblock-houses.The Spaniards were driven from their position and fled precipitately toward Santiago. Theattacking force numbered 950 men, while that of the enemy, at first estimated at 2,000, hassince been learned from Spanish sources to have been 2,500. The Cuban military authoritiesclaim the Spanish strength was 4,000. It has also been reported that Lieutenant GeneralLinares, commanding the Spanish forces in eastern Cuba, and two other general officers werepresent and witnessed the action. The fire of the enemy was almost entirely by volleys,executed with the precision of parade....The ground over which the right column advanced was a mass of jungle growth, with wirefences not to be seen until encountered, and precipitous heights as the ridge was approached.It was impossible for the troops to keep touch along the front, and they could only judge of theenemy from the sound and direction of his fire. However, had it not been for this densejungle, the attack would not have been made against an overwhelming force in such aposition. Headway was so difficult that advance and support became merged and movedforward under a continuous volley firing, supplemented by that of two rapid-fire guns. Returnfiring by my force was only made as here and there a small clear spot gave a sight of theenemy. The fire discipline of these particular troops was almost perfect. The ammunitionexpended by the two squadrons engaged in an incessant advance for one hour and fifteenminutes averaged less than 10 rounds per man. The fine quality of these troops is also shownby the fact that there was not a single straggler, and in not one instance was an attempt madeby any soldier to fall out in the advance to assist the wounded or carry back the dead. Thefighting on the left flank was equally creditable and was remarkable, and I believe unprecedentedin volunteer troops so quickly raised, armed, and equipped....Finding, when the ridge was carried, that many of my men had become exhausted by theexcessive heat and exertion, I ordered a halt and occupation of the captured position. Had Ihad at hand at the time of the assault a force of mounted cavalry, the fruits of our victoryA MAGAZINE OF THE FORT HUACHUCA MUSEUM75
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Turn of the Century at Fort Huachuc
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There was an aggregate of 3,506 off
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There’s always gambling after pay
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cacti of the Arizona desert made it
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Two years later there was more exci
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A MAGAZINE OF THE FORT HUACHUCA MUS
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Historical perspective tells us tha
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pursue, capture or destroy any host
Page 23 and 24: “Lieutenant James M. Watson, Tent
Page 25: TimelineIn 1887 an earthquake start
Page 28 and 29: In 1895 there were 27,495 men in th
Page 30 and 31: Slim Jim, the Apache Kid, and an un
Page 32 and 33: Rowdy “loved campaigning and figh
Page 34 and 35: spent in these would be a total los
Page 36 and 37: Clark, Carrie Anna, the postmistres
Page 38 and 39: Interior of the officer’s quarter
Page 40 and 41: In July 1894, troops of the 24th In
Page 42 and 43: “Aunt Leona and Cyril in snow, Fo
Page 44 and 45: “Our Christmas Tree, 1894, Fort H
Page 46 and 47: Group of officers at Huachuca in 18
Page 48 and 49: “Croquet Ground, 1894.”A troop
Page 50 and 51: Officers and ladies on a picnic at
Page 52 and 53: large formations, train and equip t
Page 54 and 55: Charles Johnson Post, Embarking for
Page 56 and 57: The experience is said to have taug
Page 58 and 59: and of mistreating Filipino prisone
Page 60 and 61: Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler.60 HUACHUC
Page 62 and 63: Brig. Gen. S.S. Sumner62 HUACHUCA I
Page 64 and 65: two determined attacks by the enemy
Page 66 and 67: Cavalry and would become the leadin
Page 68 and 69: Marchbanks, for having his horse sh
Page 70 and 71: Shafter took instead the advice of
Page 72 and 73: position and Santiago de Cuba. They
Page 76 and 77: would have been more apparent.Gener
Page 78 and 79: A sketch of life in the Cuba campai
Page 80 and 81: El CaneyLawton, with his 5,400-man
Page 82 and 83: El Caney, Cuba, from the stone fort
Page 84 and 85: of some 8,000 men moving down unkno
Page 86 and 87: Spanish blockhouse on San Juan Hill
Page 88 and 89: ack into the city. There were block
Page 90 and 91: have been. They walked to greet dea
Page 92 and 93: The top generals confer before the
Page 94 and 95: Guanico along the southeastern coas
Page 96 and 97: Writing to a friend, Sergeant Major
Page 98 and 99: The regimental crest of the 25th In
Page 100 and 101: The 25th Infantry leaving San Franc
Page 102 and 103: different organizations at this tim
Page 104 and 105: African-American cavalrymen at San
Page 106 and 107: who avenged the death of Lieutenant
Page 108 and 109: There were dozens of casualties amo
Page 110 and 111: One of the recurring themes of thei
Page 112 and 113: William H. SmithShipp commanded Ind
Page 114 and 115: Col. Samuel M. Whitside, seated in
Page 116 and 117: Arizona squadron of the 1st Volunte
Page 118 and 119: American Army.We need a highly effi
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Renowned military author, educator,
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with a machete. 82Model 1892 Colt r
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Model 1911 .45 caliber pistol.A MAG
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the Manila operations. A treaty was
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cows and horses where there are now
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A map of the railroad into Fort Hua
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o’clock. We work until 4 o’cloc
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Commissary Office and Storehouse wi
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Quartermaster’s workshop with “
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An officer’s family on their lawn
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A view of the post hospital from Gr
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Troops of the 6th Cavalry stand at
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1901.01.00.009 Barracks row at Fort
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“Fancy Dress Ball” at Fort Huac
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Officers of the 5th Cavalry and lad
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Officers of the 5th Cavalry at Fort
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Civilian employees’ quarters in 1
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Men of the 9th Cavalry wearing Maso
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A view of Fort Huachuca in 1916. U.
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First car at Fort Huachuca, about 1
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Post Office and Bowling Alley at Fo
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Mounted troops from Troop D, 14th C
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was reelected president, defeating
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Brownsville, Texas, in which one wh
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lectured in February that “it is
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of. 87An idea of the whirlwind soci
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Roll Call: Sam Kee—Cantonese Paym
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Roll Call: Colonel John C. Gresham
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Digital montage of U.S. Army intell
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During the 1890s, the MID accomplis
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Secretary of War Elihu Root with me
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partially by the church); on the ea
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16 Quoted in Trask, David F., The W
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56 Glass, p. 116.57 Glass, pp. 119-
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sounded a claarion call for a profe
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Turn of the Century - Fort Huachuca - U.S. Army

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