Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-10-27
THE FREE PRESS THURSDAY OCTOBER 81 1898

Caney in bali an GUur, and other gen
erals, more especially Wheeler and
Young. who had looked the ground
over, said about the same thing. These
opinions wero based upon information
gained before FL Caney had been re EN-
forced and strengthened. When Lawton
came to attack, it was another matter.
Wheeler says that he asked Shaftcr to
let the cavalry division take FL Caney,
but Shafter said the task had already
been given to Lawton, and he could not
change it,
On the 2Sth and goth of June the
whole corps moved forward from the
Savilla camp toward Santiago, bringing
up between La Redonda and FL Poso.
Ell Poso is narrow dofilo between
mountains. Before descending into the
detile, the troops obtained from the tops
of the mountains on either side of the
road glimpses ofSantiago and FL Cancy
with their defenses and of the noun
tains and valleys intervening.
On tho 30th General Shafter gave out
his order of battle, which was to carry
the San Juan and El Cnney road
heights, in order to bring Santiago city
under his guns. From the highest to
the lowest the soldiers said that the
preparations for this attack werc far
from what they had expected, from
what they should have been, in order to
insure success and what they might
have been after few days delay build
ing wharfs and roads and putting Oh
wagon trains General Shaftcr says
frankly that the preparations We're not
what he desired them to be, but the
army, composed wholly of northern
men, was in hot and sickly climate,
the rainy season was coming on, when
tho already bad roads would he made
worse tropical storm due at that timo
might drive the navy as we'll as the sup
ply ships far ont to sea, and it was ex-
pccted that General Pando, with S, 600
Spanish troops, would join the garrison
i'll the city Under these conditions
Shafter decided to force the battle at
once.
From that time on until the begin
ming of the parlcy over surrender, the
elements active or threatening, the inn
pctuUsity of the troops, especially when
they camo within sight or range of tro
Spaniards, as well as tho restless aud
unsparing energy of "Pccos Bill" Shat.
ter, combined to rush the army forward
at pace only compared to that of u
hurricane.
All this time and afterward until the
American flag fioated over Santiago the
spirit Of the soldiers was: Let us 30 at
them! Let us go ut themr' This is not
to say that there was indecent haste
that the men were ready to rush head.
long into disaster, The result shows
that men of all ranks We're prepared to
80 at the task i'll the deliberate manner
set down for them in their instructions
They never for moment forgot these
instructions, line upon line and precept
upon preCept, and it was their coDlneSS
and self control which saved the army
from horrible disaster and gave ita vic.
tory when the turn of hand might
have prccipitated defeat.
The Spaniards said that the Amcri
not retreatipg after receiving vollcy
from the enemy. This method If fight
ing is not set down in the American
tactics. BY going ahead in spite of an
in face of repeated volleys tho vel
trained regulars took tho Srnniaris /.
surprise, quite as much as tho smCk,
less powder and deadly accuracy Of til
Mauser amazed the Americans.
Lawton had about 5000 men for tn,
attack on FL Caney and the FL Cane,
heights before Santiago. The infantry
division Of Kent numbered about 4,50C
men and Wheelers dismounted cavalry
about 1900, making 1000 for the at
tack on San Juan heights. Both columns
were ordered to take their places cn th,
night Of tine 30th for a forward move
ment. Chatleo's brigade, /, 500 strong
took the trail from La Redonda north It
point on the ridge east OF FL Caney
blockhouse, followed by Capron's bat