and intrenchments in front of it.  After the line had been steadied and had delivered an effective fire, I ordered a further advance, which was promptly made.  As the Fourth Infantry did not advance, my left was exposed to a very severe fire from the village on the left.  I immediately ordered Company C (Lieutenant Murdock), which was in support, to the front, and E. Company (Lieutenant Kinnison) from regimental reserve to take its place.  Thus strengthened, the four companies moved up the hill rapidly, being skilfully handled by company officers.  On arriving near the fort the white flag was waved toward our men, but the fire from the village on our left was so severe that neither our officers nor Spanish could pass over the intervening ground.  After about twenty minutes some of the Twelfth Infantry arrived in rear of the fort, completely sheltered from the fire from the village, and received the white flag; but Privates J.H.  Jones, of Company D, and T.C.  Butler, H. Company, Twenty-fifth Infantry, entered the fort at the same time and took possession of the Spanish flag.  They were ordered to give it up by an officer of the Twelfth United States Infantry, but before doing so they each tore a piece from it, which they now have.  So much for the facts.

I attribute the success attained by our line largely to the bravery and skill of the company officers who conducted the line to the fort.  These officers are:  First Lieutenants V.A.  Caldwell and J.A.  Moss, and Second Lieutenant J.E.  Hunt.  It is my opinion that the two companies first deployed could not have reached the fort alone, and that it was the two companies I ordered to their support that gave them the power to reach it.  I further believe that had we failed to move beyond the Fourth Infantry the fort would not have been taken that night.

     The Twenty-fifth Infantry lost one officer killed[18] and
     three wounded, and seven men killed and twenty-eight
     wounded.

     Second Lieutenant H.W.  French, adjutant of Captain Scott’s
     battalion, arrived at the fort near the same time as the
     other officers.

     I request that this report be forwarded to corps
     headquarters.

     Very respectfully,

     A.S.  DAGGETT,
     Lieutenant-Colonel, Twenty-fifth Infantry, Commanding.

General Chaffee’s statement is not to be questioned for a moment.  There is not the least doubt that the troops, as organizations arrived at the fort in the order he describes.  General Lawton says:  “General Chaffee’s brigade was especially charged with the duty of assaulting the stone fort, and successfully executed that duty, after which a portion of the Twenty-fifth, and a portion of Bates’ brigade, assisted in the work, all of which is commendable.”  He says also, that the “Twenty-fifth Infantry did excellent service, as reported, though not better than the others engaged.’  This seems to