Roosevelt and his officers were searching for the place from which the smokeless powder of the Spaniards was pouring Mauser bullets upon his men.
It was the famous war correspondent, Richard Harding Davis, who first showed Roosevelt’s men where to direct their fire. He had accompanied the Rough Riders and had taken a place at the extreme front of the line, from which place he spotted with his glasses the exact location of the Spaniards.
“There they are, Colonel!” he suddenly cried. “Look! Over there! I can see their heads near that glade!”
Roosevelt looked across the valley where Davis was pointing. He, too, discovered the heads of the Spanish soldiers and directed his sharp-shooters to fire on them.
The Spaniards sprang out of the cover and ran to another spot. The shots of the Americans had told. The Spaniards continued to retreat. The Rough Riders and the other troops pursued. They were forced to leave the wounded in the jungle where they fell.
Harry Hefner of G Troop, fell mortally wounded in the hip. Two of his companions dragged him behind a tree. He propped himself up and asked for his canteen and his rifle. He then resumed shooting, and continued firing until he died.
Roland, a New Mexican cow-puncher, fought beside Roosevelt. The Colonel noticed blood issuing from his side and ordered the trooper to go to the rear. Roland grumbled, but went back. Fifteen minutes later he was on the firing line again. He told the Colonel that he could not find the hospital. Roosevelt doubted it, but let him stay until the end of the fight, when it was discovered that a bullet had broken one of his ribs.
When the scrimmage began some of the men began to curse. “Don’t swear--shoot!” Wood growled at them.
Toward the end of the engagement Roosevelt was falsely informed that Wood had been killed. The command of the regiment for the time being devolved upon the Colonel. He started to lead his men toward the main body, but met Wood himself, who told him that the fight was over and that the Spaniards had retreated.
In this first scrimmage the Rough Riders lost eight men killed and thirty-four wounded. They had taken a Spanish fort, defended by more than twelve hundred men, and had won from them complete possession of the entire Spanish position.