Looks at the history of a U.S. Fifth Army Corps gatling gun detachment during the Spanish-American War.

L'envoi --Record of the detachment -- The new arm of the service -- Inception of the scheme -- Conditions at Tampa -- Florida climate and its effects -- Description of the Gatling Gun -- Difficulties encountered -- Politics at Tampa -- First efforts to obtain authority -- Original plan of organization -- Tactical employment of machine guns -- A lucky accident -- The first detail -- The ordnance depot -- Defects in the guns -- Instruction of the detachment -- Status of the detachment -- Interview with General Wheeler -- General Wheeler's views -- Interview with General Lee -- Issues of ordnance -- Fire in the magazine -- Embarkation -- The voyage and disembarkation -- A night alarm on transport -- Decisive interview with General Shafter -- The official authority at last -- Condition of transports -- Disembarkation -- Private J. Shiffer-corral boss -- The Missouri Mule -- The first march -- The march -- The 13th Infantry detail -- The Cuban guide -- The Cuban as he is -- Roads in Cuba -- Private Jones and the scorpion -- The Medical Department -- The newspaper fraternity -- Chaplain Springer -- Arrival at the Front -- The battery in Camp Wheeler -- Theory and practice of artillery and machine gun -- The problem presented to this detachment -- Personnel of the detachment -- Roster on July 1st -- Captain Marcotte -- Oil for an army -- Futile plans -- The battle -- The plan of battle by General Shafter -- Did General Shafter capture Santiago? He did -- The night before the battle -- El Poso -- The final instructions -- The 71st New York -- Waiting for the decisive moment -- In action at last -- The killed and wounded -- On the skirmish line -- Reconnoissance -- Weigle gets his opportunity -- The gatlings knock out a heavy battery -- The brunettes -- The artillery -- Tactical analysis of the battles at Santiago -- El Caney -- San Juan -- Movements of Lawton's Division -- The gatlings as a tactical reserve -- Sergeant William Tiffany -- The night alarm -- The dynamite gun -- The mortar battery -- Summary of tactical deductions on use of machine guns as demonstrated in battle -- The Volunteers -- The surrender -- General observations upon the Volunteers -- The 34th Michigan -- The Rough Riders -- The 1st Illinois -- The sufferings of the Fifth Army Corps -- The difficulties of the campaign -- Unnecessary sufferings; the causes -- The case of Private Elkins -- The sick left by Kent's Division -- Some staff-and some others -- The lesson to be derived -- The General Staff-proper -- Home again -- The home voyage -- The end of the detachment -- Appendix I -- Appendix II -- Appendix III.