The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-08
WILMINGTON. n. G..
FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1898.
THE BATTLE OF THE FIRST OF
JULY-RESULTS

AS returns come in from the des-
perate fighting in the battle of last Fri
day at Santiago, the losses on the Amer
lear side increase rapidly. The COM
handing general guessed wildly. He
telegraphed about 400 were killed and
wounded. Later information made the
losses 1000. And on Monday comes
the saddening news that 1900 were
killed and wounded. 1t is plain now
that the fighting was terrific and the
Americans only succeeded in their
ends in part. The chief point of at
tack-the real objective end of the
battle-was to capture the heights
Aguadores, for its possession would
put our guns in a position to COM
mand even the batteries OF MORO
Castle, and possibly make it even
untenable There was 7 1000 men massed
to carry the strongly defended and
most important heights. Brigadier
General Kent was in command. Our
troops stormed the heights but failed
to capture. Our troops could not scale
the heights of Aguadores, but held
o be accomplished by the 1000. You
see now how the forces were too small,
too weak. Suppose there had been 49,
900 or 20, 900 in the advance upon those
terrific heights they would have been
ours. These much coveted heights
from their top the Spanish intrench-
ments Immediately around the city
can be swept by our artillery, and the
city itself thereby rendered untena-
ble."
The Americans were more success
full elsewhere. General Lawson COM
manded a force of 5000 on the right
wing, and General Hawkins had a
small force of 5000 in the centre.
They had each a much stronger force
in their front. You see everywhere
our troops were put at q disadvantage
q VI Sh$ "iAbA ~ CoA SOFC-A
ment to provide a larger force. If
General Shafter had been in command
of 80, 900 men he could have secured
every result he sought. The success
of our arms on right and centre was
satisfactory. The success at Canery
was complete and most important.
The aquaduct that supplies the town
with water can be destroyed by our
troops holding Caney. If Aguadores
finally is captured it will be after
stubborn resistance and will be attend
ed with great loss probably to our
brave army. The heights are the key
to the defenses. The loss of Cervera's
fleet, however, makes a great change
in the outlook since Fridays very seri-
ols battle.
1t is a noticeable fact, and very cred
liable to the negroes in h regular
army, that it is reported that the
heaviest losses sustained in the battle
were in the four negro regiments COM
manded by white officers. They were
the Ninth and Tenth cavalry and
the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-1fth
infantry. Their fine fighting shows
what good discipline and we'll Offered
negro regiments can accomplish. Let
tn m have all due credit for their gal
lantry and dash under a severe test.
1t was indeed a splendid Fourth OF
July hat the dashing, hard fighter
Schley sent us, but let it be remem-
bered that many hundreds Of the dead
have fallen in the land battle, and that
more than twelve hundred men OF
our army are lying wounded and suf-
fering and many of them dying, under
circumstances quite appalling ano
most pitiable. The strong men of the
north and west and some few from the
south. are writhing in pain or in the
death-throes and their kindred anc
friends are far away unable to minis
ter to their necessities. The list
lengthens daily, and others are to FOL
low. Many a wounded heart IN oul
land is bleeding for the OF
dead husband, or son., or relative
War is terrible and no nation calling
itself Christian should ever dare to &c
to war save under the very greatest
n~rovocation and after all possible
means for peace had been exhausted
Who told editor Chick of the Hickor!