The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-15
ATTACK AT COAMO.
The Last Battle on the Soil of Porto
Rico.

The Last Battle on the Soil of Porto
Rico.
COAMO, Porto Rico, Aug. 12.-Cen.
Wilson moved Battery K to the front
this afternoon for the purpose of she'll
Ing the Spanish position on the crest
OF the mountain at the head Of the
pass through which the road winds
The enemy occupied a position of great
natural strength, protected by seven
lines OF entertainments and a battery
or two of howitzers. The Spania
were eager for the fray, and earlier in
the day had fired upon Col BiddweN.
OF the engineer corps, who, with @
platoon OF Troop c, Of New York. was
accommodating on their right flank.
AS the battery rounded curve in the
road 1000 yards away the enemy OPEN
cd an artillery and infantry fire. Four
companies Of the Third Wisconsin.
posted on the bluffs to the right of the
road, were not permitted to respond to
the infantry fire. The guns advanced
at gallop in the face of a terrific fire.
were unlimlbered. and were sson hurl-
ing shell and shrapnel at the enemy at
a lively rate. The enemy soon aban-
doned one gun, but continued to serve
the other at intervals for over an hour.
They had our range, and their shrapnel
burst repeatedly over our men. One
shell burst, the fragments killing Cor
poral Swanson, of Company L, and Sc
r1ously wounding Corporal Yanke and
Privates Bunce and Vought.
Capt Paget, the British army officer
who is with the American forces for
the purpose of observing the operations
In the field, distinguished himself by
aiding DR.. Woodbury.. Capt. Lee and
Private Siser, Of Company F, who were
wounded by Mauser bullets. In about
two hours the enemy abandoned the
other gun, and the men began to flee
from the entertainments toward a.
grove in the gorge. Our guns shclled
them as they ran. One gun was now
ordered to advance to position a quar-
ter of mile further on. 1t had Just
reached the new position when Spanish
infantry reinforcements filed into the
trenches and sent deadly fire upon
our men. compelling the battery to re-
treat at a gallop. Then both the enc
n1y's howitzers reopened and shrapnel
screamed and Mausers sang. Another
gun galloped from the rear, but our
ammunition was exhausted
Lieut. Haines was shot in the body
by Mauser just before his gun re-
tired, the ball following rib.
The orders issued for the two COM
panies to advance were countermand-
ed, and the firing ceased
Col. Bliss, of Gen. Wilson's staff, went
forward to the enemys line with a flag
Of truce, and explained that peace re-
gotiations were almost concluded, and
that their position was untenable and
demanded their surrender.
The Spanish have no communication
with the outside world, and the COM
mander asked until tomorrow morning
in order that he might communicate
with Geo. Gen. Macias, at San Juan.
Gen. Wilson and his staff viewed to-
days action from a hill at the right Of
the battery The enemys guns were
fired from a high elevation with low
velocity The Spaniards had the rang
es as accurately as they had at Santi-
ago. Their position from the front is
almost impregnable, but 1t can be
turned.
Estimates of the strength of the en-
emy vary from SOC to 1000. Their po-
sition is five miles from Aibonito.