The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-07-05

Spanish troops in the town of Caney
are tonight practically prisoners of war,
and by daybrcak tomorrow Saturday
Spain will have lost two thousand OF her
best soldiers. killed, wounded and taken
prisoners in and around the town. which
was practically III the hands of the
American forces at > o'clock tonight.
This result was not obtained, however,
without severe fighting on the part of
the American forces, and although it IS
impossible ut this time to give q list of
the dead or wounded it is safe to say
that the loss in Gen. Lawton's division
alone will be 100 killed or wounded.
: Among the officers wounded are:
Col. Carpenter, commanding the Sew
enth infantry.
: Lieut.. Col. Patterson. commanding the
Twenty-sccond infantry, will probably
recover.
Lieut.. Besard. adjutant Of the Seventh
infantry. wounded twice.
Major CorIish, of the Seventh infan-
try.
Capt. Jackson. of Co. c.. Seventh in
fantry. shot in the left breast.
Lieut.. Chas. +. Field, Second Massa-
chusctts. shot through the forehead.
Gen. Ludlow's horse was killed under
him..
In General Lawton'S division the Sec
ond Massachusetts had up to the middle
of the day sustained the heavicSt loss,
although other regiments We're more ac-
lively engaged. During the afternoon
the fight for the possession of Caney
WAS most obstinate and the ultimate
victory reflects great credit upon the
American troops. 1t was a glory too.
for Spain. though she never had Il chance
to win at any time during the day. Her
men fought i'll Entertainments. covered
ways and blockhouses, while the Ameri-
can forces were in the open from first
to last. The Spanish soldiers stuck to
their work like men. and this. the first
land fight of the war, may we'll cause
Spain to feel proud of her sons.
DRIVING THE ENEMY BACK.
The American soldiers attacked the en-
trenchments through open ground and.
from the firing of the first shot until
they, We're on the hills above Caney,
they fought their way forward and the
Spanish were driven backward. General
Chaffee's brigade held the right Of the
line with the town Cancy. General
Ludlow's division was in the centre and
Col. Miles held the left.
The plan of battle was for Captain
Allyn Capron's battery of the First ar
i, tillcry. which held Il position in the cen
ter, above General Ludlow to shell the
fort, for General Chaffee to close in as
soon as the artillery had reduced the
fort and driven the Spaniards toward
Santiago: General Ludlow to lie in the
rear below the hill on which Capron's
battery was stationed and swing in
on General Chaffee's left. while Colonel
NIInn ni,r,l ,,-,.. 10 l-n,,, .l,,, "a 90,
eral Ludlow's right and. by Il simulta-
ncouS movement, sweep the Spaniards in
toward Caney.
General Iawton, who personally direc-
ted the operations of his division, left
his camp, on the road from Siboney TO
Santiago. at 4 a. m. and at five O'Clock
was with Captain Capron'S battery OF
the hills above Caney. Orders were
given that the battle should begin
from the centre. unless General Chaffec.
who was nearest to the enemy, should
find himself attacked first.
The action opened at Gas with a shot
from the second section of Captain Cap
ron's battery. 1t struck close to the
! stone fort near Caney. Another shot
hit the fort fairly. The Spaniards gave
up the idea of holding the stone fort
proper after it was struck the first time
tINi 'I1 ( 81 ISL xii - IL liz Ill
toward the town. The covered way in
front of the fort. however. was held by
the Spanish troops who maintained an
obstinate fire upon our men. who were
advancing slowly through the bush and
groves, only firing an occasional shot.
Capt. Capron's battery opened on the
enemy at once and tore the ground uI
with shells, sending clouds of dirt high
into the air. The battery also sent i
number of shells entirely through tho
fort. tearing down large sections of tho
walls. This fine craftsmanship was re
peated several times. the battery stop
ping the fire of the Spanish soldiers who
had opened repeatedly from the covered
way pits.
THE ASSAULT on THE FORT.
by $ o'clock Gen. Chafee's brigade
was pressing i'll toward the town anC
the firing at intervals was very warm
1t WAS very difficult to see anything OF
] the battle owing to the rolling nature OF
the ground. and the dense vegetation
that ohscured the view III almost every
direction made it impossible to see far
The firing. at times. was very heav,
during the morning. but the Spaniard.
IN the covered way made Il most obsti
mate defence and refused to yield al
inch. Time and again the shells from
Capt. Capron'S battery drove them t
cover, but as soon as his fire ceased the
were up and at it again.
Despite the heavy firing of the Amer
4 can troops they We're able to make bu
little apparent progress during the morn
ing. although eventually they steadiI
} drew in and enclosed the town on a
sides.
At moor it became evident that tn
fire from the covered way could not b
stopped by the artillery alone, and tia
II no permanent advance could be made III
til the place was taken, and Gen. Law