The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-04

American troops they were able to make
but little apparent progress during the
morning, although eventually they steadily
drew in and inclosed the town on all sides.
At noon, when it became evident that the
fire from the covered way could not be
stopped by the artillery alone and that no
permanent advance could be made until the
place was taken, General Lawton decided
to capture it by assault. Accordingly, he
sent messenger to General Chaffee with
instructions to take the position by a
charge. General Chaffee thereupon closed
in with his men rapidly from the north
while Captain Capron maintained heavy
fire on that efort, keeping the Spaniards in
the covered way and putting hole after hole
into the stone walls of the fort. Shortly
afterwards he threw shot from the bat
terry which tore away the Flagstaff. bring
ing the Spanish flag to the ground. From
that time no banner waved above it.
At o'clock the advance line of General
Chaffees skirmisherss the Seventh Infantry
began to appear on the edge of the woods
below the fort, and by rapid rushes adj
vanced up the hill to the fort. No shot was
fired as they rushed forward. 1t was evil
dent that the covered way had been aban-
doned, and in few minutes the American
commands the north side of the town. The
Spaniards were completely surrounded. The
main part of the army was between them
on the other three sides. They retired to
buildings in the town and made a gallant
defense, but from the time General
Chaffees men took the stone fort they were
lost troops to Spain.
Rather than take the town by a general
will ri nf rfi
must certainly result in great loss of life,
General Lawton decided to order forward
artillery to shell the town at close range.
of the town was nearly impossible for artil-
lery, Captain Capron made the effort, and
by o'clock had his guns in position ready
to open on the town. For some time Gen.
Chaffees brigade held it's position behind
the stone fort and then began the descent
towards the town, firing rapid volleys as
they advanced. General Ludlow and Colonel
Miles pressed Closely on the other sides.
and at nightfall the town was practically
in the hands of the Americans. Tomorrow
Saturday morning, at daybreak General
Lawton's division will sweep past Caney on
the direct road to Santiago.
The country which General Lawton's di-
vision fought offered great advantages, both
to the attacking party and to the defend
ers. 1t is a broad valley, fanked on the
west by towering mountains and on the
east by a ridge about two hundred feet
high. At one time it was under cultivation.
but has been neglected since the opening of
the war 1t still retains, however, signs of
it's former prosperity in groves of cocoanut
and mango trees and broad fields of waving
grass, in most cases waist high. Several
ridges intersect, but none of them is over
fifty feet high. The valleys between these
ridges and groves were points of vantage
to the American regulars, who used them
to the full with all the skill acquired on
the Western plains of America. The open
spaces were of great benefit to the Span
iards, who were given clear sight of the
American soldiers as they advanced. 1t
was the crossing of these places which
caused the Americans their heaviest losses.
The brigades of Colonel Miles and General
Ludlow had more of this work to perform
than had General Chaffee's and they, more
over, were compelled to make their final
charges on the town across an open space
through which the Spanish fire swept with
deadly effect. No finer work has ever been
done by soldiers than was done by the
brigades of General Ludlow and Colonel
Miles as they closed in on the town. The
Spanish blazed at them with Mausers and
machine guns, but without effect. Nothing
could stop them and they pushed in closer
and closer during the afternoon and by the
time General Chaffee's men were in 'front.'
Miles and Ludlow were on the skirts of the
town holding on with tenacity and prevent
ing the Spanards from retreating towards
Santiago, while Chaffee closed in on the
right.
The fighting for hours in front of Colonel
Miless line at a hacienda known as Duero
House was very fierce. The Spanish defense
was exceedingly obstinate. The house was
guarded by rifle pits and as fast the
Spaniards were driven from one they re-
treated into another and continued their
fire. 1t was entirely fight with rifles. as
the Americans had only Captain Caprons
battery of artillery and the Spaniards had
none at all. In this part of the fight Cap
tain Caprons battery was unable to fire for
fear of hitting our own men. The place
was finally taken with a rush about 8
o'clock the Spanish fleeing. part 80 the hills
and part to Caney. where they were round
ed up with the other Spanish troops which
had been driven by General Chaffee.
Tomorrow Saturday morning at day
break General Lawton's division will sweep
past Caney on the direct road to Santiago
connecting with General Kent's and General
Wheeler's divisions and forming the right
| OF the line
When the tinal closing-in movement was