The incident did not lessen his hazardous exposure, but he continued so exposed until he had placed his command under cover.

In moving to the assault of San Juan Hill, Colonel Roosevelt was most conspicuously brave, gallant and indifferent to his own safety.

He, in the open, led his regiment; no officer could have set a more striking example to his men or displayed greater intrepidity.
Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, A.L.MILLS, Colonel United States Army, Superintendent.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, SANTIAGO DE CUBA, December 30, 1898.
TO THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL, UNITED STATES ARMY, Washington, D.C.
SIR: I have the honor to make the following statement relative to the conduct of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, late First United States Volunteer Cavalry, during the assault upon San Juan Hill, July 1, 1898.
I have already recommended this officer for a medal of honor, which I understand has been denied him, upon the ground that my previous letter was too indefinite.

I based my recommendation upon the fact that Colonel Roosevelt, accompanied only by four or five men, led a very desperate and extremely gallant charge on San Juan Hill, thereby setting a splendid example to the troops and encouraging them to pass over the open country intervening between their position and the trenches of the enemy.

In leading this charge, he started off first, as he supposed, with quite a following of men, but soon discovered that he was alone.