The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-02
FIRST SHOT
In the Artillery Duel of the
Santiago Battle
Is Fired by the Father of Cap
tain CaprOn.
ENGAGEMENT SHORT
AndE Results in SiIencing of the
Spanish Guns
Which We're Evidently Manned
by CerVera's Men.
THE ARTILLERY LOSS
In the Fight Was Two Killed
Four Wounded.
Rough Riders Have Ten Wound
ed-Cuban Loss 20.

New York, July "A special dispatch
to the Evening World, dated Ell Paso,
Cuba, near Santiago. noon. by way of
Playa del Este, July 1, says:
The first artillery fight of the cam
paign has just been ended by the
silencing of a Spanish battery
The wounded are still being picked up
as this dispatch is hurried away.
General Lawton's division bivouacked
near Ell Caney last night without fires.
At o'clock this morning there was
sullen boom. 1t was the first shot
from CaprOns battery fired to avenge
the killing of his son. Promptly the
Spanish began to answer the challenge
from their forts and trenches. At 7:15
a. m. Crimes battery opened on the
Spanish troops to the right of the San
Juan block house.
The common powder used by troops
smoked and was a fine target for the
Spanish field battery which probably
was served by Admiral Cervera's men,
judging by the accuracy of the aim.
While the smoke gave the enemy our
range. Grimes could not locate the
| eneny's guns, which used smokeless
powder, except approximately But
satisfied as to the Spanish position, our
men worked like mad
The Spanish fire gradually slackened
and in less than an hour it ceased alto
gether.
Battery A of the Second artillery
| deserves great credit for the victory,
for it was a case of blindness against
sight
! The battery loss, the officers state,
| was as follows:
Killed.
UNDERWOOD. private.
! HELM, private.
Wounded.
Heary. George C.. First regiment.
! Neite, sergeant.
/ Cornford, sergeant.
| Keene, corporal.
The battery was supported by the
rough riders, about 100 Cubans with a
/ Hotchkiss gun, a detachment of the
| Tenth cavalry and squad from COM
! pany c, of the Second cavalry.
Most of the Spanish shells few low
over the crest of the battery's position
! and exploded.
Through them the rough riders had
about ten wounded, among them r.
Chaplain, whose left elbow was
| smashed.
The Cuban leader Gonzales, reports
| that the Cubans lost 20 killed and
The details of Gen. Lawton's losses
! have not arrived Heavy volley firing
has been heard for three hours. It
! seems to indicate strong American
/ advance.
There is no artillery firing from EI
! Caney and only scattering shots came
| from San Juan, which has a slope of is
| feet in the hundred.
Both divisions are really in battle.
The day is clear and a moderate
! breeze is blowing, but there is a strong
heat. The troops are in good condi-
tion.
Captain Grimes and Corporal Nc
Lean were overcome by the heat butare
The battery shot 100 rounds, two
thirds shell and the balance shrapneL
The War Balloons.
The military balloons used by the sig
nal corps for the purpose of obtaining
! accurate information OF the location of
the enemy and the character of their
defences proved of inestimabIe service
! in the engagement. The balloon ftoatedi
just over the tree tops and was easily
guided along three miles of the road
toward the lines OF the enemy. When
ever it halted for the purpose Of TAX
ing a photograph of the forti6cations
below, the Spaniards seized the oc-.
casion for taking pot shots at the mid
! air monster. At one time the big
balloon hung over San Juan, not over
500 yards from the enemy and for five
| minutes the Spaniards below tried in
vain to puncture it.
IN the fighting at San Juan, a Span
ishi shell two and half inches in di-
anIeter burst in the midst of Captain
Puriter's battery in the First artillery,
| Wounding several
RooseVelt's rough riders were also in
this fight and bore themselves with rs
much credit as in last Fridays battle
1 in the bush.
Rough Riders Wounded.
Several Of the rough riders were
wounded; among them the following
Devore, S, sergeant, troop K
Armstrong, w. A, corporal troop y
McSparron, corporal, troop c.
Ash. Alvin c., private, troop G.
Freeman, w, private, troop F.
Long. BENJAMIN A, private, troop Z.
Mitchell, Mason, private, troop &
Horton, V. D., corporal troop Third
u S. cavalry, was also wounded
vitascope Next Week.