Battle of San Juan Hill
In May of 1898, one month after the start of the Spanish-American War, a Spanish fleet docked in the Santiago de Cuba harbor after a quick voyage across the Atlantic from Spain. A superior U.S naval force quickly arrived after the Spanish fleet and proceeded to blockade the harbor's entrance. In June, the U.S Arm Fifth Corps landed on Cuba with the goal of marching to Santiago and initiating a coordinated land and sea assault on Santiago, a Spanish stronghold. Among these U.S troops was no less than the Rough Riders, led by Theodore Roosevelt, which were officially known as the First U.S Voluntary Cavalry. The Army Fifth Corp fought its way to the outside of Santiago's defenses, and on July 1st, William Shafter, a U.S General, ordered an attack on the village of El Caney and San Juan Hill with the hopes of capturing El Caney first. The 500 Spanish defenders of the village held fast and fought back ten times their numbers for the majority of the day. Despite El Caney still being under siege, aroud 8,000 American pressed onward towards San Juan Hill. Hundreds fell to the Spanish before reaching the base of the heights, where the force split up into two flanks to take San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill, the Rough Riders among the right flanking, Kettle Hill assaulting soldiers. When Lieutenant John Miley gave the order that "the heights must be taken at all hazards," the Rough Riders, who were forced to leave their horses due to the difficultly of transportation, led the charge up the hill. The Rough Riders, and the black soldiers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry regiments were the first up Kettle Hill, soon after, America had taken San Juan Hill. From the crest, they saw their final target in Cuba, Santiago.
A map of San Juan Hill with a key as to what is what on the map
Siege of Santiago (1898)
On July 3rd, 1898, William Shafter began the siege of Santiago after fortifying his position on the San Juan Heights. General Henry W. Lawton's division moved from El Caney to extend the U.S right flank further north. To the northwest, Cuban rebels under the command of Calixto Garcia extended the U.S line to the bay. Gen. Arsenia Linares had been badly wounded at the Battle of San Juan Hill and was replaced by Jose Toral. Toral had a well setup defensive position and Shafter knew he would sustain severe causualties from a frontal assault. Instead, the American siege consisted of U.S artillery sited at the heights batter the city while U.S forces supported Cuban rebels in choking off all water and food supplies to the city. On July 4th, a .30 Army Gatling from Lt. John Parker's Gatling Gun detachment moved to Fort Canose to further support the siege. Over the following thirteen days, over 6,000 rounds were fired into the city of Santiago, causing many casualties. July 3rd marked a relief column being able to fight its way through Garcia's rebels and into the city, which brought Toral's force to a total of 13,500. A cease fire to evacute the roughly 20,000 citizens from the city was enacted July 4th. Toral proposed the surrender of Santiago if his troops could be evacuated to another city on July 8th, however, Washington officials did not accept the proposal. Shafter was pressed for time as disease has being to ravage U.S forces, and officials in Washington wanted results. The U.S Navy continued to bomb the city.
A quick end was something desired by everbody. Major General Nelson A. Miles, the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S Army arrived in Cuba on July 13th to discuss with Shafter the terms of surrender, but the word "surrender" was avoid by both. Dr. George E. Goodfellow's excellent knowledge of the Spanish helped in the negotiation of the final surrender after the Battle of San Juan hill. He and Toral were able to work out the terms of surrender on July 17th to the approval of both governments. Toral surrendered aroudn 11,500 soldiers from within the district of Santiago plus an additional 12,00 soldiers from around Santiago. The Spanish also ceded Guantanamo City and San Luis.
After the campaign for Santiago, Yellow fever spread rapidly through the U.S Army before the surrender took place, leaving some 4,000 U.S troops ill. Many officers, including Theodore Roosevelt, fought for the removal of the U.S Army from Cuba.
Naval Battle of Santiago. Picture depicts the American blockade and the direction of combat
Sources: "The Battle of San Juan Hill." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 07 Oct.
2013.
Konstam, Angus San Juan Hill 1898: America's Emergence as a World Power (1998)
Marrin, Albert The Spanish-American War (1991)
Parker, John H. (Lt.), The Gatlings At Santiago, Middlesex, U.K.: Echo Library (reprinted 2006)
Comments
Good summaries but be sure to include personal thoughts.