On the second day, while nearing the town
of Sevilla and when at La Quasina, they en-
countered the enemy in force. The weather
was intensely hot, the country was filled
with dense undergrowth and matted vines,
and the Spaniards, who fired with deadly
accuracy, used smokeless gunpowder, which
made it almost impossible to discern where
they were concealed in the brush. Not only
did they use Mauser rifles, but they had the
fearful advantage of two machine guns,
probably taken from Admiral Cervera's
ships. They numbered fully 1500, while our
force was about 900, under the command of



THE INVAaiON OF CUBA. 265

Colonel Young, and consisting of parts of
the Twenty-third United States Infantry,
of the First and Tenth United States
Cavalry, and the First Volunteer Cavalry,
known as "Roosevelt's Rough Riders."

Nothing could surpass the impetuous dash
and daring of the Americans. In the face of
a withering fire, which the Spaniards did not
doubt would send them fleeing in a panic,
they pressed on and drove the enemy scurry-
ing toward the city. Many were killed, but
the loss of our troops was severe, including
16 killed and 52 wounded, 42 of the casual-
ties occurring among the Rough Riders. Two
of these were Captain AUyn Capron and Ser-
geant Hamilton Fish, Jr., whose bodies were
buried where they fell and their graves lined
with leaves and branches of the palm trees.
This battle, one of the severest of the war, is
known as that of Siboney or La Quasina.
