About the same time our force engaged the
enemy and drew part of the attention they were giving the
Rough Riders. This, the latter claimed, enabled them to
continue the movement on the enemy's works.
But as our command had an equal number of 1st and 10th
Cavalrymen, I am of the opinion that the story of our saving
the Rough Riders arose from the fact that as soon as the
fight was over, the 1st Regular Cavalry was opening its arms
to us, declaring that we, especially B Troop, had saved
them; for the 1st Regular Cavalry was first in the attack in
General Young's command; and when the enemy began to make it
pretty warm, he ordered B and I Troops of the 10th forward
on the right. Troop B was in the lead; and the alacrity
with which these two troops moved to the front has always
been praised by the 1st Cavalry; and they declare that that
movement helped them wonderfully. In making this movement my
troop had three or four men wounded; and later, when
Sergeant Thompson's squad was fighting far to the front, it
had in it several members of the 1st Cavalry, who are always
glad to praise him.
So, I think that by the Rough Riders first attributing their
success, or their rescue from inevitable defeat, to the
attack made by our command; and by the 1st Regular Cavalry's
very generously, in the heat of success, bestowing upon us
the honors of the day, it finally became a settled thing
that we saved the whole battle.
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