There was no standing still in the fierce fire to which
the men of that brigade were at that time subjected--a fire which had
already cut down in rapid succession three brigade commanders. The
formation was no sooner completed than the rapid advance began. The
Thirteenth Infantry holding the right of the brigade moved to the
right and front, while the Ninth and Twenty-fourth moved almost
directly to the front at first, thus partially gaining the flank of
the enemy's position. The whole line moved with great rapidity across
the open field and up the hill, so that when the Second and Tenth
Infantry came to their position as support, the heroic Third Brigade
was well up the heights. To the right of the Third Brigade the First
Brigade, containing the gallant Sixth, under Colonel Egbert, and the
Sixteenth, was advancing also, and the two brigades arrived at the
fort almost simultaneously; so that the division commander in speaking
of the capture says: "Credit is almost equally due the Sixth, Ninth,
Thirteenth, Sixteenth and Twenty-fourth Regiments of Infantry." To the
Third Brigade he gives the credit of turning the enemy's right.
Let us now examine more closely that sweep of the Third Brigade from
the left of the lower ford to San Juan Hill, in order to trace more
distinctly the pathway of honor made for itself by the Twenty-fourth.
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