New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-18
THE FIGHT BEFORE Ell CANEY
Glory OF THE ATTACK BY TIE AMERl-
CAN TROOPS.
rr,r TROOPS ENGAGED AND THEIR MOVE
MENTs- SUFFERING FROM HEAT AND
HIDDEN TREE FIGHTERS

rvnoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF TIE Iiih''A'I
HEADQUARTERS Second Division. F1fth Arry
Corps. Battle Of FL Caney July 1.-Ihe plan OF
~ sov,s hattie WAS 10 take the town Of II
Caney Spelled FL Ganey on the Oni'eu "'a'e'
(,ova-,roent mani. and thus to prevent General
pondo's entrance into Santiago de CUBA with
~. forces except by crossing the bay FL Caney
,s nearer Santiago than 1t is shown on TINS
same man. and further to the west TO the
cecond Division OF the Fifth Army Corps, Gen
90, rawton commanding this task was as
.,c,ed This division is made up as follows:
r,,-s, brigade General Ludlow commanding.
G., 20d and ID Massachusetts,; Second Brigade.
Co,o,el Miles commanding. 4th. LIST and 21th:
r,A,r1 BRIGADE. General Chaffee commanding,
1",b 7th and 17th. Battery f. LIST Artillery.
,,os IN shell the town. The First Division and
cavalry. under General Wheeler. and the First
DIVISION. under Kent, made a movement on
ca, ruan. suburb Of Santiago, from the south
cas-, md three batteries OF artillery were 10
hsein the land bombardmont of Santiago.
Last night the troops who We're to take part
~ the engagement were moved we'll forward.
r-oere had been heavy rain in the afternoon,
and brooks that could be crossed on stepping
s,ones IN the morning had become rushing tor
rents No logs had been felled al the fOrds or
s,one crossings laid SO the soldiers had TO wade
knee deep over several streams. Not being al
lowed 10 light fires. they could not dry their
shoes
General Lawton's headquarters fixed on
the knoll whence Battery T did It's firing. To
the east several miles away. stretched the tall
range Of the Sierre del Cobre. 10 the northwest
the slerre Maestro. No hills obscured the view
q, e. Caney. which lies TO the north on the
further side Of the plain. largely wooded. There
&c a good deal Of thick underbrush. and clumps
Of tall cocoanut palms grow at intervals.
caneral Chaffee's brigade marched 10 the
right 10 reach FL Caney by skirtng the base Of
the sieIre del Cohre range. General Ludlow
and his three regiments IN the centre.
bound for the objective point from the south.
The Second Brigade. Colonel Miles. was held in
reserve. the 1st Infantry supporting Battery f.
All the Second Division to meet in the
afternoon at FL Casa Decrot fine old country
place northeast OF Santiago and near f.
LACK OF ARTILLERY SUPPORT
Under General Duffeld some Michigan troops
moved from siboney by rail along the coast
toward Aguadores. but this chiefly 10 keep
the attention Of the Spanish directed IN part IN
this direction. The cavalry and the First d.
vision OF infantry had some terrible lighting on
the direct lire 10 Santiago although II had no'
been meant that serious attack should be mace
on the city to-day This division consisted or
First Brigade. General Hawkins 9th, 10Th ana
list New-York Second Brigade, Colonel Pear
son. 10Th. Dist and "a; Third Brigade. Colonel
Wyckot. 18Th 9th and oath. The Spanish
shrapnel did terrible havoc IN several OF these
regiments. especially the 18Th. The United
States artillery did little all day The loss 10
the Americans due in part TO the guerillas'
who fought from trees and underhrush, but
more especially 20 the infantry's being prac-
ticay unsupported in its attack on the NJ ST.
works. According to military authorities, the
advantage in favor Of intrenched forces is about
four to one. With an artillery fire Of due
effectiveness the casualties in the American
Army to-day would have been far less
In spite Of their hard march OF the night be
fore the troops were around early. No tattoo
or taps mad been sounded nor reveille. At
3 80 o'clock the men were aroused. They had
few bites Of bareback and some cold meat.
All fires were forbidden. 1t a short march
20 the knoll whence the bombardment OF El
Caney vas 10 begin. On and about this the LIST
Regiment was drawn up before dawn. num-
Der Of Cubans were already there and were set
10 work TO cut down the underbrush that OBJ
scured the view OF the gunners. Directions
were given through the Rev. DR.. A. Diaz a
Baptist clergyman OF Havana, who IS well
known in the United States evangelist.
He is now connected with the Bureau OF Mill
tary Information
The lire OF vision clear the next thing to
get the range by triangllation. This was done
by Second Lieutenant Hamilton. Of Battery f.
He measured a space Of about Atty yards
marked by two poles. and then calculated the
distance 20 big stone fort which TO ne
the target OF the first shots This building was
about ffty feet high and had two round
bastions Rife pits surrounded It at the base
Of the little hill on which II stood. Fl Caney
Itself lay to the left Of H. toward Santiago, It's
tiles OF red showing UP in the green trees.
Two ordinary wooden blockhouses were in the
town.
Captain Allyn K Capron whose son, Captain
A X. Capron. Jr. Of the LIST Volunteer Cavalry.
Of commanding the first battery TO open fire in
the siege Of Santiago. II was still dark when,
at 6:40 o'clock. he gave the command. Can
noneers take your places" General Lawton
and his stan were already there The sun was
still hidden by the Sierre del Cobre but there
was light enough 10 get good view Of the
scene OF action
In fifteen minutes the four pieces OF 30 call
hre, were drawn up in line pointing at the stone
fort. Lieutenant Hamilton announced that the
range from 2 $50 to 2.4Oo yards. 1t had
been supposed by some that the Spaniards would
evacuate the town last night 70 prevent being
cut of from Santiago by superior forces. 80
many glasses trained ON the fort, and the
comment made that no flag was displayed
there However. at $50 o'clock a cloud above
the eastward mountains caught the first rays
OF the sun. people were seen moving on the
passions. and the flag went up. Soon the sun
came into view. lighting UP the fine square bel
ny Of Ell Caney church
captain Capron took a long view OF the fort
ahd ventured the opinion that the range was
more than 2.4O0 yards Captain Carbaugh. Of