Evening star., 1898-08-10
B EFORE SAN TAG o
Story Of El Caney Engagement Told by
Lieutenant Nichols.
Capture of the Stone Fort and a
Night March-ThrfIling
Incidents.

fngton boy, who was officer on the field
of Ell Caney. has arrived in the city. suffer
ing from an ugly wound in the left foot.
received in the trenches before Santiago
shortly after the outlying works had been
taken and when the American army was
tightening its lines around the doomed
city. Lieutenant Nichols is an officer OF
much experience with the regular army
in the west, and is, therefore, competent
to speak the work of the American
forces in Cuba, as far as it came under his
observation. he was to lead the men
Of his company in the struggle for the
possession Of FL Caney.
The lieutenant is stopping at st. Eliza
beth's. where he is completely at home
in the big institution, for his father, the
late DIR. Chas Nichols, was the first super
intendent Of the hospital, and the lieuten-
ant was born there. His friends through
out Washington were extremely anxious
concerning him when the reports Of the
stubborn fighting over the outer defenses
of the city of Santiago, during the three
first days of July, began to come in. and
about the first news of him came in the
form Of dispatch printed In The Star
stating that he was wounded and was
about to sail north on the Olivette. He
was first at the Roosevelt Hospital and
then came to Washington. With the
healthiest of color from exposure to the
Cuban sun, and with we1l-knit strong
frame, he looks the ideal soldier. His
wounded foot still bothers him somewhat
and will not permit him to get about with
out the use of crutches.
Praise Tor the Infantry.
Lieut.. Nichols has the highest praise for
the great work performed in Cuba by the
infantry, whose triumphs will bear retell-
ing many times yet. He is thoroughly ac-
ouainted with the topography of the coun-
try over which the command that he was
attached to operated and his natural artis-
tic ability enabled him to show by maps
and diagram, we'll as by photographs
made by himself, the positions of the Amer
lean and Spanish forces at Ell Caney, there
by making his story of the operations
about the place a comprehensive one.
In speaking of the fight at La Quasina be-
tween the men of the rough riders and the
enemy, Lieut.. Nichols gives due meei of
praise to the troopers of the 10th Cavalry
colored, for their famous onslaught upon
the enemy. He also makes it plain that
this affair was in ali probability planned by
the Spaniards to be an ambuscade, but that
ii failed of its purpose The lieutenant says
the rough riders were advancing up the
steep or "hardback'' side of the route,
which was the left side, while the colored
troops and The list Cavalry, regulars, were
marching in a parallel direction on the
right. or low side. A small force of in
trenched Spaniards contested the advance
of the rough riders. This force was evil
IDENTIFY meant to retire and draw the rough
riders after them. Across on the other
side, distant about 600 yards 4 heavy force
of the enemy was fntrenched, doubtless in
tending, from their position on a bluff, TO
enhlade the rough riders If they rushed
their opponents.
Where Capt. Capron Was Wounded.
Lieutenant Nichols is of the opinion that
Captain A. K. Capron's mortal wound was
received from this concealed force of the
,4l.1
by a charge of the colored troopers and the
1st Cavalry. The 9TH Infantry was some
distance in the rear when this fight was
taking place and quickly hurried to the
support of the Americans engaged, the af-
fair being over, however, when they came
up.
The regiment to which Lieutenant Nichols
is attached was prominently concerned in
the battle of FL Caney, July l. This town
is situated about Ave miles northeast from
Santiago From Ell Caney to Santiago runs a
road which the American officers thought
would afford a means of entrance for soms
of their troops. The defenses about FL Caney
were strong, consisting of the usual block
houses, rifle pits and the well-remembered
stone fort, the principal defense of Ell
Caney. which crowned the summit Of a
steep hill Added to all these were the
sharpshooters located in the Ell Caney
church and others behind the cemetery
stone wall. AS the 7th lay that day on the
brow of the hill, directly opposite the stone
their line with a 6Oo-yard radius would
just barely include all these defenses with
in its bounds. Major General A. R. Chat
fees brigade, consisting of the nth, 9TH
and 18th Infantry, had the right in the at
tack on El Caney's defenses, and Lieuten-
ant Nichols was with these troops and saw
their work.
In speaking of the operations that came
under his eye, Lieutenant Nichols said:
A Night March.
ofs ha
the Sd Brigade of the I'd Division, consisting
of the 18th, 18th and 7th Infantry. and COM
manded by Major General A. R. Chaffee,
pulled out for a night march to the rear of
Ell Caney, fording the Aguadores twice at
places knee-deep, and marching about five
and a half miles, when We bivouacked for
the night In line of battle in the mountains,
no fires being permitted. We were then
about five miles to the northeast of EI
Caney. At break of day on the 1st, about
4 O clock, stacks were broken and the march
was resumed, the 7th leading, followed by
the 18th and the 18th. After some hard
marching over the mountains we arrived in
sight of the town of Ell Caney about G.
o'clock, and the troops were halted ana
packs were thrown off. At 6:15 o'clock the
Spaniards opened fire on the head of our
column. Immediately General Chaffee or
dered Company Of the 1th to concentrate
its fire upon a blockhouse on our right.
The order was obeyed with such precision
that in q short time the fire from the Span
iards inside was effectually silenced. The
1st Battalion of the 7th, under Major Cor
liss, then took up double time, debouched
across an open space commanded by the
stone fort of the Spaniards on our left
and advanced to a position on the crest of
the hill overlooking the village Of Ell Caney.
1.-The I'd Battalion, in like manner, COM
manded by Major Coolidge. took up posi-
ton on the left Of the LIST Battalion. while
the 18th was moved upon our right as a re-
serve. The 18th had in the meantime been
posted under cover of the heavy timber at
the foot of the hill surmounted by the
strong stone fort.
1.-The entire 18th and 7th were soon en-
gagged heavily with the enemy, the 18th sus-
tanning fire from the stone fort and the
7th from the fort, the town and the block
houses near it. while the 18th was getting
fire from the Ell Caney church and from
the Spaniards behind the cemetery's stone
wall.
Enemy's Guns Elective.
''The position OF the 18th was a most try
ing one, as they were being reached by the
enemy's fire, while the formation of the
ground prevented them from returning It
effectively. About o'clock in the after
noon Gen. Chaffee in person advanced the
7th Infantry to the crest of the hill and
ordered that all firing on the stone fort be
Stopped as the battery of Uobt artillery