The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-04

ton decided to capture it by assault.
Accordingly he sent a messenger to Gen.
Chaffee with instructions to take the
pOSiticn by Il charge. Gen. Chaffee
thereupon closed in with his men randi
Nv from the north. while Captain Capron
maintained a heavy fire OH the fort.
keeping the Spaniards in the covered
way and putting hole after hole into the
stone walls of the fort. Shortly after
ward he threw Il shot from the battery
which tore away the flagstaff, bringing
the Spanish flag to the ground.
From that time no banner waved
above it.
At g o'clock the advanced line of Gen
ChafTee's skirmishcrs. the Seventh infan-
try. began to appear ON the edge of the
woods below the fort and by rapid
rushes advanced up the hill to the fort
40 shot was fired as they swept for
ward. 1t was evident that the covered
way had been abandoned and in few
minutes the American troops were thick
around the fort which commands the
north side of the town. The Spaniards
were completely surrounded. The main
part of the army was between them and
Santiago, and Gen. Lawton's division
was around them on the other three
sides.
They retired to buildings in the town
and made gallant defence, but, from
the time Gen. Chalfee's men took the
stone fort they were lost troops to
Spain.
THE STORN1ING OF Ell CANEY.
Rather than take the town ,by a gen
eral assault, without the aid of artillery
which must certainly result in great loss
of life, General Lawton decided to order
forward artillery to she'll the town at
close range. Although the road from the
Hill to the edge of the town was nearly
impassable for artillery. Captain Cap
ron made the effort and by five o'clock
had his guns in position ready to open
on the town.
For some time General Chaffee's bril-
gade held its position behind the stone
fort and then began the descent toward
the town. firing rapid volleys as they
advanced. General Ludlow and Colonel
Miles pressed closely on the other side,
and at nightfall the town was practically
in the hands of the Americans.
The country over which General Law
toms division fought offered great adj
vantage both to the attacking party and
to the defenders. 1t is Il broad valley.
fianked on the west by towering noun
tains and on the east by Il ridge about
200 fet high. At one time it was under
cultivation. but has been neglected since
the opening of the war. 1t still retains,
however signs of its former prosperity
in groves Of cocOanut and mango trees,
and broad fields of waving grass, in
most cases waist high. Several ridges
intcrSect it. but none of them is over
fifty feet high The valleys between
these ridges and the 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 Spaniards. who were given
Il clear sight of the American soldiers
as they advanced. 1t was the crossing
of these places which caused the Ameri-
cans their heaviest losses.
The brigades of Colonel Miles and Gen
eral Ludlow had more of this work to
perform than had General Chaffee's, and
they, moreover. 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 Gen. Ludlow and Col. Miles as they
closed in on the town. The Spanish
bazed away mt them with MauSerS and
machine guns, but without effect. Moth
ing could stop them, and they pushed
in closer and closer during the afternoon,
and by the time Gen Chaifee'S men We're
in front, Miles and Ludlow were on the
skirts of the town, holding on with
tenacity and preventing the Spaniards
from retreating toward Santiago while
Chaffee closed in on the right
The fighting for hours in front of Col.
Miles line at hacienda known as
Duero House. was very fierce. The
| Spanish defence was exceedingly obsti-
nate The house was guarded by rifle
pits. and as fast as the Spaniards were
driven from one they retreated into an
other and continued their fire. 1t was
entirely fight with rifles. as the Ameri-
cans had only Capt Capron's battery of
artillery and the Spaniards had none at
all.
In this part of the fight Capt. Capron's
battery was unable to fire for fear of hit
| ting our own men. The place was finally
taken with Il rush about - clock, me
Spanish fleeing, part to the hills and part
to Caney, where they were rounded up
with the other Spanish troops which
had been driven in by Gen. Chafee.
Tomorrow Saturday morning ut day
break Gen. Lawton's division will sweep
past Caney on the direct road to Santa
20. connecting with Gen. Kent's and
Gen. Wheeler's divisions and forming
the right Of the line.
When the final closing movement was
begun at 6 p. M, the town Of Caney was
taken and large number Of prisoners
were captured. The Spanish loss is
1000 in all.
MADRID DEEPLY CONCERNED.
London. July 3.-The Madrid CORE
spondent of the Standard says: