The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-19
tack and to their subsequent steadness in
defense OF that which they had gained.
PANORAMA OF THE EIGHT

PANORAMA OF THE FIGHT.
1t was only as the staIwart blue-brown
line of the American troops hurled the
Spanish back from the deep intrenchmente
in which the latter had been hidden and
took their places as possessors of a DOM
mating position, that the whole panorama
of the fight was unfolded to those who were
carefully watching it from the exposed
vantage point of Grimes's hill, where the
shells from the Spanish smokeless batteries
dropped with irregularity for hours The
sun had burst forth from the mist at the
moment of the first command forward
with scorching intensity. Now the mist had
risen and was absorbed in the vast depths
OF the air, which seemed to give all the
colors OF the landscape more lively bril-
Between five and six miles to the north
eastward the insiStent firing of Lawtons
artillery could be marked almost as dis
tinctly as the gyrations of a crack pitcher
by the grandStand spectator of a baseball
game First the white puff of old-fashioned
powder. What seemed to be many seconds
would tick away before the dull, round de-
tonation reached the ear; lastly, through
the glass around the base of the old church,
converted into blockhouSe, near the upper
end OF the town, or else upon the ramparts
of the stone fort above it, great masses
of dirt and dust were seen to rise, showing
that the shell had struck and had exploded
at or near its mark. The mist fingered over
the lower foothills however, and only where
deeper fringe Of vapor f1oated over the
Gust VI the NdHey COulu the line OF our IN
fantrymen be made out 1t was, of course,
much in advance of the artillery position
which was sharp-pointed, pyramid-shaped
hill, to our right rear. The steady pop-pop
of Lawton's rifles. answered by the Spanish
at longer and longer intervals, was cheer
ing enough. as well because it proved the
GOODNESS and deliberation of our marksmen
as that indicated and uncompromising on
ward movement
The firing continued heavier on the right
through the whole of the first day than it
was on the left. Nowhere was better dem
onstrated the fact that position and de-
tensive works were the chief reliance of the
enemy. 1t was a marvel to every military
man who surveyed the field after had
secured possession of the whole Spanish line
how we ever had been able to do it. They
all declared that with such position, so COW
cred by fntrenchments, no army in the
world equal to ours in numbers could have
dislodged us unless. indeed, it had a great
preponderance in artillery.
NOT ENOUGH FIELD GUNS
One of the most striking facts of the cam
paign is that the Santiago expedition was
insufiiciently equipped with field guns, but
even had we three times as many field guns
1t would still be true that were absurdly
wrong in our notion of the fighting capacity
of the Spanish troops and of the value OF
their preparations for defense.
While for three or four days our army
was encamped on the Sevilla branch of the
San Juan it became common remark Of
with q small degree of enterprise could at
tack us there and easily do us great dam
age. If, indeed, he could not rout and
drive us back in confusion, so crowded and
Jumbled was our camp and so imperfect our
formation. A high ridge to the westward
of our center which was not thoroughly
picketed would have afforded him command
of our entire position But not even DEM
onstration was made against 1t was
only when Ii was thought that the Span
iards were erecting new and more menacing
works in the vicinity of Caney which might
enfilade our right that General Shafters de-
termination to move at once was announced.
The reason for the Spanish Indifference 10
our position, and also for the very feeble
resistance which they made to our advance
near Sevilla is no longer far to seek. They
had chosen the decisive battle-ground, and
there alone did they wish TO fight. Their
confidence in the strength of the San Juan
position was entirely justified. In the first
place the natural conformation of the coun-
try could hardly be more favorable 10 a
defensive campaign. The Wilderness in
Virginia presented far less difficulties to the
invading NOrtherneTs than did the San Juan
valley to Skaters army. The greater part
of ii is densely covered with young timber
underground. interlaced with thorny vines
or studded with natural abatis of cacti.
originally little more than blind trails every
one OF which afforded hundreds of opportu-
mites for ambuscade. What an undertaking
II was to deploy line of battle at right
angles TO one of these paths will perhaps
be imagined.
COMMANDS MIXED UP.
On Friday, July /. in moving through the
timber towards San Juan ridge. some of