The cavalry he sent to the right to capture Los Banos. At eight
o'clock, from where the main body rested, two miles from Coamo, we
could hear the Sixteenth Pennsylvania open its attack and instantly
become hotly engaged. The enemy returned the fire fiercely, and the
firing from both sides at once became so severe that it was evident
the Pennsylvania Volunteers either would take the town without the
main body, or that they would greatly need its assistance. The
artillery was accordingly advanced one thousand yards and the
infantry was hurried forward. The Second Wisconsin approached Coamo
along the main road from Ponce, the Third Wisconsin through fields of
grass to the right of the road, until the two regiments met at the
ford by which the Banos road crosses the Coamo River. But before
they met, from a position near the artillery, I had watched through
my glasses the Second Wisconsin with General Ernst at its head
advancing along the main road, and as, when I saw them, they were
near the river, I guessed they would continue across the bridge and
that they soon would be in the town.

As the firing from the Sixteenth still continued, it seemed obvious
that General Ernst would be the first general officer to enter Coamo,
and to receive its surrender. I had never seen five thousand people
surrender to one man, and it seemed that, if I were to witness that
ceremony, my best plan was to abandon the artillery and, as quickly
as possible, pursue the Second Wisconsin. I did not want to share
the spectacle of the surrender with my brother correspondents, so I
tried to steal away from the three who were present. They were
Thomas F. Millard, Walstein Root of the Sun, and Horace Thompson. By
dodging through a coffee central I came out a half mile from them and
in advance of the Third Wisconsin. There I encountered two "boy
officers," Captain John C. Breckenridge and Lieutenant Fred. S.