The Portland daily press., 1898-09-15
The report continues:

Inc TopOTG COuGluu0S.
''It was not until two weeks after the
army landed that it was possible to place,
OF shore three days supplies in excess of
those required for the daily consump-
tion.
ION June 80, reconnoitered the coun.
try about Santiago and made my plan of
attack. From a high hill from which
the city was in plain view could see
the San Juan hill and the country about
Ell Caney. The roads were very poor
and indeed little better than bride paths
until the San Juan river and Ell Caney
were reached.
Gen. Shafter explained at meeting
of generals his plan of battle as follows:
"Lawton's division assisted by Capron's
light battery was ordered to move out
during the afternoon toward El Caney
to begin the attack there early the next
morning. After carrying Eel Caney,
Lawton was to move by the Caney road
toward Santiago and take possession on
the right of the liue. Wheeler's division
of dismounted cavalry and kent's divfs-
ion of infantry were directed on the San
tiago road. the head OF the column rest
ing near Ell Peso, toward which heights
Grimes's battery moved on the after
noon of the 30th with orders to take posit-
ion thereon early the next morning and
at the proper time prepare the way for
the advance of Wheeler and Kent on San
Juan hill. The attack ut this point was
to be delayed until Lawton's guns were
heard at El Caney and his infantry IRE
showed he had become we'll engaged.
"The preparations were far from what
I desired them to be, but we were in a
sickly climate; our supplies had to be
brought forward by narrow wagon
road which the rains might at any time
render impassable; fear was entertained
that a storm might drive the vessels
containing our stores to sea, thus separate
ing US from our base of supplies aid
lastly it was reported that General Pando
with 5000 reinforcements for the enemy,
was en- route from Manzanillo and might
be expected in a few days. Under these
circumstances I determined to give battle
without delay.
''Early on the morni ng of July l, Law
ton was in q position around Ell Caney,
Chaffee's brigade on the right, across
in the centre and Ludlows on the left.
The duty of cutting off the enemy S
retreat along the Santiago road was
assigned to the latter brigade. The ar
tillery opened on the town at 6.15 a. m.
The battle here soon became general
and was hotly contested. The enemy 5
position was naturally strong and was
rendered more so by block houses, a
stone fort and intrenchments cut in solid
rock and the loop holeing of a solidly
built stone church.
''The opposition offered by the enemy
was greater than had been anticipated
and prevented Lawton from joining the
right of the main line during the day,
as had been intended. After the battle
brigade of two regiments reached my
headquarters at Siboney. 1 directed him
to move near El Caney to give assis.
tanoe, If necessary. He did so and was
put in position between Miles and
Chafzee. The battle continued with
varying intensity during most of the
day and until the place was carried by
assault about 4. 30 p. III. AS the Span
iards epdeavored to rstreat along the San
tiago road Ludlow's position enabled him
to do very effective work and to practical
ly cut of the retreat in that direction.
"After the battle at Ell Caney was well
opened and the fire of the small arms led
us to believe that Lswton was driving
the enemy before him, directed Grimes
of FL Pasco on, the San Juan blookhouse
which could be situated in the enemy
intrenchments, extending along the
creast of San Junn hill. This fire waG
effective and the enemy could be seer
running away from the vicinity of the
blockhouse. The artillery fire from Il
Pasco was soon returned by the enemy's
artillery. 1uey eVlueuJiy lSi 1uo ran ~
of this hill and their first shells killed
and wounded several men. AS the
Spaniards used smokeless powder it was
very difficult to locate the position OF
their pieces while. on the contrary. the
smoke caused by our black powder plain.
ly indicated the position of our battery.
Sat this time the cavalry division un-
der Gen. Sumner which was lying con-
oeaIed in the general vicinity of the e.
Pasco house was ordered forward with
directions to cross the San Juan river
and deploy to the right on the Santigc
slide. while Kent's division was to follow
closely in its rear and deploy to the left.
"These troops moved forward in com
nliapoe with orders, but the road WAS sc
harrow as to render it impracticable tc
retain the column of fours formation
at all while the undergroWth on either
side was so dense as to preclude the pos
sibuity of deploying skirmishers. II
naturally resulted that the progress made