The record-union., 1898-10-30

let the cavalry division take FL Caney,
but Shafter said the work had already
been given to Lawton, and he could not
change it.
On the 18th and Doth of June the
whole corps moved forward from the
SaVllla camp toward Santiago, bring
ing up between La Redonda and El
Poso. Ell Poso is a narrow defile be-
tween mountains. Before descending
into the defile, the troops obtained from
the tops of the mountains on either side
of the road glimpses of Santiago and
Ell Caney with their defenses and of the
mountains and valleys intervening.
On the 30th General Shafter gave out
his order of battle, which was to carry
the San Juan and Ell Caney road
nights, in order TO bring Santiago City
under his guns. From the highest to
the lowest the soldiers said that the
preparations for this attack We're far
from what they had expected, from
what they should have been, in order to
insure success and what they might
have been after a few days delay build
ing wharfs and roads and putting on
wagon trains. General Shafter says
frankly that the preparations were not
what he desired them to be- but the
army, composed wholly of northern
men, was in a hot and sickly climate
the rainy season was coming on. when
the already bad roads would be made
worse, tropical storm due at that
time might drive the navy as well as
the supply ships far out to sea, and it
was expected that General Pando. with
$3.50 Spanish troops, would join the
garrison in the city. Under these con-
dltlons Shafter decided to force the bat
tie at once.
From that time on until the begin
nlng OF the parley over surrender, the
elements active or threatening, the i'm
petuoslty or the troops, especially when
they came within sight or range of the
Spanlards, as we'll as the restless and
unsparlng energy of ''Pecos Bill'' Shaf-
ter, combined to rush the army forward
at pace only compared to that Of a
hurricane.
All this time and afterward until the
American flag floated over Santiago the
spirit of the soldiers was: Let us go at
them! Let us go at them!" This is not
to say that there was indecent haste,
that the men were ready to rush head
that men of all ranks were prepared to
gO at the task in the deliberate manner
set down for them in their instructions.
They never for a moment forgot these
Instructions line upon line and pTecept
upon precept, and it was their cOOlnesS
and Self-contrOl which saved the army
from horrible disaster and gave it a
victory when the turn of a hand might
have precipitated defeat.
The Spaniards said that the Ameri-
cans violated the rules of warfare by
not retreating after receiving volley
from the enemy. This method of fight
ing is not set down in the American
tactics. BY going ahead in spite of and
in face of repeated volleys the we'll
trained regulars took the SpanlardS py
surprise, quite as much as the smoke
less powder and the deadly accuracy OF
the Mauser amazed the Americans.
Lawton had about 5000 men for the
attack on Ell Caney and the Ell Caney
Hights before Santiago. The Infantry
division of Kent numbered about 1000
men and WheeIer's dismounted cavalry
about $500 men, making 1000 for the
attack on San Juan Hights. Both col
umns were ordered to take their places
on the night of the 30th for a forward
movement Chaffee'S brigade, LOO
strong, took the trail from La Redonda
north to a point on the ridge east or