e rose black overhanging ridges, in the lowland between were white
tents and burning fires, and from the ocean came the blazing, dazzling
eyes of the search-lights shaming the quiet moonlight.

After three hours' troubled sleep in this tumult the Rough Riders left
camp at five in the morning. With the exception of half a dozen officers
they were dismounted, and carried their blanket rolls, haversacks,
ammunition, and carbines. General Young had already started toward
Guasimas the First and Tenth dismounted Cavalry, and according to the
agreement of the night before had taken the eastern trail to our right,
while the Rough Riders climbed the steep ridge above Siboney and started
toward the rendezvous along the trail to the west, which was on high
ground and a half mile to a mile distant from the trail along which
General Young and his regulars were marching. There was a valley between
us, and the bushes were so thick on both sides of our trail that it was
not possible at any time, until we met at Guasimas, to distinguish the
other column.

As soon as the Rough Riders had reached the top of the ridge, not twenty
minutes after they had left camp, which was the first opportunity that
presented itself, Colonel Wood ordered Captain Capron to proceed with his
troop in front of the column as an advance guard, and to choose a "point"
of five men skilled as scouts and trailers. Still in advance of these he
placed two Cuban scouts. The column then continued along the trail in
single file. The Cubans were at a distance of two hundred and fifty
yards; the "point" of five picked men under Sergeant Byrne and
duty-Sergeant Fish followed them at a distance of a hundred yards, and
then came Capron's troop of sixty men strung out in single file. No
flankers were placed for the reason that the dense undergrowth and the
tangle of vines that stretched from the branches of the trees to the
bushes below made it a physical impossibility for man or beast to move
forward except along the single trail.

Colonel Wood rode at the head of the column, followed by two regular army
officers who were members of General Wheeler's staff, a Cuban officer,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt. They rode slowly in consideration of
the troopers on foot, who under a cruelly hot sun carried heavy burdens.
To those who did not have to walk, it was not unlike a hunting excursion
in our West; the scenery was beautiful and the view down the valley one
of luxur