MCGUIRE, SEPTEMBER 26, 1899

ON U. S. TRANSPORT INDIANA,
Cebu, P. I., September 26, 1899.

ADJUTANT,
Nineteenth U.S. Infantry, Cebu, P.I.

SIR: In accordance with the directions of the commanding officer, subdistrict of Cebu, I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the forces under my command during the movement against the insurgent positions and fortifications near Cebu on September 21 and 22, 1899:

At 1.30 p. m. September 21 I assumed command of a detachment consisting of Company G, First Tennessee Infantry, U. S. V., Capt. Hugh Sparkman; Company I, First Tennessee Infantry, U. S. V., Capt. Leon Caraway; detachment of Company C, Sixth U. S. Infantry, First Lieutenant Gleason, and detachment of Company A, Sixth U. S. Infantry, Second Lieutenant Childs, under instructions to reconnoiter the ground in direction of the enemy's position on the afternoon of the 21st, and to attack the forts on the left of his line by advancing up the ridge (designated in the plan of attack as "A" ), disregarding, in so far as practicable, the fortifications and forces on my left, and, if possible, reaching the high ground to the rear before fully committing myself to the attack.

At 3.15 p. m. I made a reconnoissance from the foothills of Pardo Mountain, in which I had the good fortune to fully develop the insurgents' position to our left, drawing and sustaining the fire of their entire force and apparently impressing them with the belief that an immediate attack upon their right was imminent, an impression from which they did not seem able to disabuse their minds until after we were fully committed to the attack on their left late on the following day.

At 6.30 p. m. I withdrew and camped with the B column without casualties and having fortunately been forced to expend but very little ammunition, my supply of which was extremely limited (averaging about 140 rounds per man, with no reserve supply).

This movement was performed by Companies G and I, First Tennessee Infantry, the detachment of the Sixth not having yet joined.

At 6.15 a. m. on the 22d I advanced toward the foot of " A" ridge, extending my line as far as possible to my left for the purpose of confirming the enemy's (apparent) belief in an attack on his right, protected the advance of the column of Colonel Childers, and as soon as his rear had passed began my own advance to the foot of "A" ridge, continuing my feint toward his right up to the last possible moment; advanced up the ridge as rapidly ay possible, the extreme abruptness of the slopes, narrowness of the crest, and close range of the earthworks on our left (from 800 to 400 yards) being taken into consideration, and protecting myself as far as possible by remaining below the crest.

Fortunately the enemy did not attempt to occupy the ridge in my front (as deployment to the front was impossible), and a few annoying riflemen in the valley between "A" and "B" were promptly driven away by Company I, First Tennessee, under Captain Caraway.

At 11.45 p. m. my advance occupied a small mud fort about two-thirds of the way up the ridge, which had been christened "Fort Dennis" by the men, by which I was so far protected from the fire from my left as to deploy a short line, which was gradually extended to the right by cutting footholds in the hillside until I had twenty to thirty rifles in line, under cover front the fire, of which I occupied the lower slope of the last and steepest slope of the ridue, but was driven out by a close-range fire from our left and rear, from which I suffered a number of casualties in a very short time.

I then lined the ridge at and in rear of Fort Dennis and attempted to silence this fire, first by volleys, then by fire with counted cartridges, but was never able to do more than reduce its intensity, and believe it impossible to have done so with the force and ammunition at my disposal.

My front line, before alluded to, however, was able to keep down the fire from the front, and by cutting steps through the hillside I was able to take possession of the trail between "A" and "B" ridges, by which, at 6.30 p. m., on authorization by signal from the commanding officer, I transferred first my wounded and afterwards my entire column to the "B" ridge on account of the impracticability of procuring either water or food in the position I occupied, and feeling justified in modifying my signaled instructions from a retirement to my first position to joining the other column.

From this time I acted in conjunction with and under the orders of Colonel Childers.

Owing to the small number of rifles that could at any time be deployed to the front, and my perhaps undue anxiety regarding the expenditure of ammunition, I kept one company entirely below the ridge until late in the afternoon.

To the officers and men of my small command (reduced by unexpected details to less than 100 men) my thanks are due for their prompt, intelligent, and gallant performance of duty under conditions more trying than any I have ever before experienced or believe it possible that a force could sustain for such a length of time without at least some indication of demoralization, but if any officer or man of the A column did less than his whole duty, I failed either to observe or hear of it.

To Capts. Hugh Sparkman and Leon Caraway, First Tennessee Infantry U.S.V.; First Lieutenant Gleason, Sixth U. S. Infantry; First Lieuts. Thomas F. Bates and E. B. Bowles, First Tennessee Infantry U. S. V. ; Second Lieutenant Childs, Sixth U. S. Infantry, and Second Lieut. Frank Blakemore, First Tennessee Infantry, U. S. V., and the noncommissioned officers and enlisted men under their command are due all honor and credit that may be due for any measure of success we may have attained in our advance.

In the face of such uniform gallantry it seems almost invidious to mention anyone especially, except wherein certain individuals were by circumstances enabled to perform actions somewhat out of the ordinary run of events.

Second Lieutenant Childs, in command of my advance party, was by his position greatly exposed to a heavy fire and handled his force with great coolness and good judgment under conditions calculated to shake the nerves of the most experienced. I should be highly delighted to learn that his services, which were valuable in the extreme, had been fittingly rewarded.

Capt. Hugh Sparkman, First Tennessee Infantry, U. S. V., very gallantly applied first-aid dressings to a very severely wounded man under a fire of such intensity as led me to anticipate a like service on the part of some one for him in a very short time.

Maj. R. A. Barr, surgeon First Tennessee Infantry, U. S. V., accompanied my column during the entire movement and displayed great coolness and ability in the execution of his duties. After our casualties and cases of heat exhaustion became more numerous he established a dressing station in the most protected position possible and handled his sick and wounded with gratifying success. He mentions the assistance of a civilian volunteer, Mr. J. P. Castleman, as being of great value, and my own attention was repeatedly attracted to him by his gallantry and coolness.

Numerous instances of assistance to sick and wounded under fire occurred, and certain actions of enlisted men occurred which I shall beg leave to submit in a supplemental report, as I have up to the present time been unable to procure their names in all instances.

I herewith transmit certain papers found in the enemy's fortifications and believed to be of value; also return of casualties occurring in my command on the 22d instant.

Cases of exhaustion and heat prostration were numerous, which was of course to be expected, but are not mentioned, as in almost every instance the men finally recovered without medical assistance. In conclusion I beg leave to congratulate the commanding officer upon the successful termination of this peculiarly decisive movement, inaugurated in the face of almost insuperable difficulties; and brought to a conclusion leaving nothing to be desired and most highly creditable to all concerned.

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully,

JNO. G. MCGUIRE,
Major, First Tennessee Infantry, U.S.V.