Evening star., 1898-09-15

10 pesm the attack there early the next
morning. After carrying El Caney. Law
Ton was to move by the Caney road TO-
"afd santiago, and take position on the
Ii5 fisn. OF the line Wheeler's division of
olSmohhted cavalry, and kent's division
oL infantry, were directed on the Santiago
road, the head of the column restinp naor
FL Pozo, toward which heights Grimes,
naLtery moved on the afternoon of the
"oth, with orders to take position thereon
early the next morning and at the nroner
tinie ne prepare the way for the advance of
wheeler and Kent, on San Juan hill The
attack at this point was to be DELAYED
until Lawtons guns were heard at EI
Ganey ana his infantry fire showed he
had become well engaged
Inc preparations We're far from what 7
desired tfem to be, but we were in a sick
~ climate; our supplies had to be brouqht
forward by a narrow wagon road uh1l,,
the rains might at any time render i'm
nasSable; feir was entertained that
storm might drive the vessels containinsr
cur stores to sea, thus separating US from
our base OF supplies, and, lastly. il was
reported that General Pando. with SWn
reinforcements for the enemy, was on
route from Manzanillo, and might he ex
pected in few days. Under these condi-
delay"
General Shafter then goes into detail as
TO the disposition of the various divisions
at Ell Cancy and San Juan hf1r, and gives
of the troops In the battles
speaking of the final assault on San
Juan hill General Shafter, says:
Charge on San Juan Hill,
After completing their formation under
destructive fire and advancing a short
distance both divisions found in their front
wide bottom, in which had been placed a
barbed wire entaEglement, and beyond
which there was a high hill, along the
crest of which the enemy was strongly
posted. Nothing daunted these gallant
men pushed on to drive the enemy from
his chosen position, both divisions losing
heavily. In this assault Colonel Hamilton
Lieutenants Smith and Shitp were killed
ard Colonel Carroll, Lieutenants Thaver
and Myer, all III the cavalry, We're wound
ed.
Great credit is due to Brigadier Cen
erai H. s. Hawkins, who, placing him
self between his regiments, urged Them
on by voice and bugle calls to the attack
so brilliantly executed
I'm this fierce encounter words fail to
do justice to the gallant regimental COM
manders and their heroic men, for while
the generals indicated the forma tions ana
the points of attack, it was, after all. the
intrepid bravery of the subordinate officers
and men that planted our colors on the
crest of San Juan hill and drove the en-
emy from his trenches and block houses,
thus gaining a position which sealed the
fate of Santiago.
I'm this action On this part of the aeld
most efficient service was rendered tv
Lieutenant John H. Parker, 18th Infantry.
and the GatIr gun detachment under his
command. The fighting continued at in
tervals until nightfall, but our men held
resolutely to the positions gained at The
cost of so much blood and toll
Il am greatly indebted to General
Wheeler, who, as previously stated. re-
turned from the sick list to duty during
the afternoon. ms cheerfulness and ag
gressveness made itself felt on this part
of the battlefield, and the information he
furnished to me at various stages of the
battle proved to be most useful.
My own health was impaired by over
exertion in the sun and intense heat of the
day before, which prevented me from par
tcipating as actively in the battles as I
desired, but from a high hill near my head
quarters l had general view of the battle
field, extending from Ell Caney on the right
to the left of our lines on San Juan Hill
General Shafter follows in detail the
movements of the troops and the intrench-
ing done during the night after the can
ture of San Juan Hill. He says:
General Dufiield, with the 33d Michigan.
attacked Aguado1es, as ordered, but was
unable to accomplish more than to detain
the Spaniards in that vicinity.
"On the night of, July I ordered General
Duffield at Siboney, to send forward the
34th Michigan and the 9th Massa chusetts
both OF which had just arrived from the
United States. These regiments reached the
front the next morning.
"All day on the I'd the battle ragged with
more or less fury, but such of our troops
as were in position at daylight held their
ground, and Lawton gained strong and
commanding position on the right
about 10 pm. the enemy made a vieor-
Gus assault to break through my lines. but
he was repulsed at all points
ION the morning of the Sd the battle was
renewed, but the enemy seemed to have
expended his energy in the assault of the
previous night, and the firing along the
lines was desultory until stopped nv my
sending the following letter within the
Spanish lines.
General Shafter then gives the dispatches