When we heard firing in the distance, our Captain remarked that some one ahead was doing good work.

The firing became so heavy and regular that our officers, without orders, decided to move forward and reconnoitre When we got where we could see what was going on we found that the Rough Riders had marched down a sort of canon between the mountains.

The Spaniards had men posted at the entrance, and as soon as the Rough Riders had gone in had about closed up the rear and were firing upon the Rough Riders from both the front and rear.
Immediately the Spaniards in the rear received a volley from our men of the Tenth Cavalry (colored) without command.

The Spaniards were afraid we were going to flank them, and rushed out of ambush, in front of the Rough Riders, throwing up their hands and shouting, 'Don't shoot; we are Cubans.'" "The Rough Riders thus let them escape, and gave them a chance to take a better position ahead.

During all this time the men were in all the tall grass and could not see even each other and I feared the Rough Riders in the rear shot many of their men in the front, mistaking them for Spanish soldiers.