Page "Battle of San Juan Hill" Paragraph 5

General William Rufus Shafter commanded 5th Corps of about 15, 000 troops in three divisions.

Jacob F. Kent commanded the 1st Division, Henry W. Lawton commanded the 2nd Division, and Joseph Wheeler commanded the dismounted Cavalry Division but was suffering from fever and had to turn over command to General Samuel S. Sumner.

Shafter's plans to attack Santiago de Cuba called for Lawton's division to move north and reduce the Spanish stronghold at El Caney, which was to take about two hours then join with the rest of the troops for the attack on the San Juan Heights.

The remaining two divisions would move directly against the " San Juan heights " with Sumner in the center and Kent to the south.

Shafter was too ill to personally direct the operations and instead set up his headquarters at El Pozo from the heights and communicated through mounted staff officers.