The times., 1898-09-15


s. A. chief quartermaster. and Col. John
f. Weston, assistant commissary general
of subsistence chief commissary; but
notwithstanding the utmost efforts it was
difficult to land supplies In excess of
those required daily to feed the men and
animals, and the loss of the scow. men
toned as having broken away during the
voyage. as well as the.-4oss at sea of
lighters sent by the quartermaster'S de-
partment, was greatly felt. Indeed, the
lack of steam launches. lighters. scows,
and wharves can only be appreciated by
those who were the ground directing
the Decentralization and landing of sup
plies. 1t was not until nearly two weeks
after the army landed that il was possi-
BILE to place on shore three days supplies
in excess of those required for the daily
consumption.
After the engagement at La Guasima,
and before the end of the month. the
army. including Gen. Garcia's command.
which had been brought on transports to
Siboney from Aserraderos, was mostly
concentrated at Sevilla. with the eXcep-
ton of the necessary detachments at
Daiquiri and Siboney.
On June 80 j reconnotered the country
about Santiago and made my plan OF at
tack. From 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 un-
! til the San Juan River and El Caney
| were reached.
| The position of Ell Caney. to the north
| east of Santiago, was of great import
| ance to the enemy as holding the Guam
| tanamo Road. as well furnishing shell
| ter for a strong outpost that might be
used to assail the right flank of any force
operating against San Juan Hill.
] In view of this / decided to begin the
IL n
division, while sending two divisions on
/ the direct road to Santiago. passing By
! El PoZo House, and as a diversion to
! direct a small force against Aguadores,
! from Siboney along the railroad by sea-
with a view of attracting the attention Of
| the Spaniards in the latter direction and
] of preventing them from attacking our
| left flank
During the afternoon l assembled the
| division commanders and explained to
| them my general plan of battle Law
toms DIVISION assisted by Capron's Light
/ Battery, was ordered to move out during
! the afternoon toward FL Caney, to begin
I the attack there early the next morning.
! After carrying Ell Caney. LawtoE WAS
TO move by the Caney Road toward San
| tiago. and take possession on the right
of the line. Wheeler's division of dis
| mounted cavalry, and Kent's division of
| infantry were directed on the Santiago
| Road, the head of the column resting
near Ell Pozo, toward which heights
| Grimes's Battery moved on the afternoon
| of the 30th, with orders to take position
thereon early the next morning. and at
| the proper time prepare the way for the
| advance of Wheeler and Kent, San
! Juan Hill. The attack at this point was
/ to be delayed until Lawtons guns were
| heard at Ell Caney and his infantry fire
! showed he had become we'll engaged.
The remainder of the afternoon and
night was devoted to cutting out and re-
! pairing the roads, and to other necessary
preparations for battle These prepara-
! tons Were far from what | 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 impossible:
! fear was entertained that storm might
drive the vessels containing our stores TO
! sea, thus separating us from our base OF
supplies. and, lastly, 1t was reported that
! Gen. Pando, with 5000 re-enforcements
/ for the enemy. was en- route from Man
| Zanillo, and might be expected in a few
| days. Under these conditions / deter
| mined to give battle without delay
The Engagement begins.
Early on the morning of July l, Law
ton was in position around FL Caney.
| Chaffee's brigade on the right. across Gu
| INOdu, AllGS Di1StdS Al Tic
center 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 artillery open
ed on the town at 6:l5 a. m. The battle
here soon became general. and was hotly
contested. The enemy's position was
naturally strong, and was rendered moro
so by blockhouses, stone fort. and t1-
trenchments cut in solid rock, and the
Ioopholing of 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, had
been intended. After the battle had con
| tinued for some time, Bates S brigade o.
two regiments reached my headquarter:
from Siboney. | directed him to move
near Ell Caney, to give assistance, if nee
| essary. He did so and was put in posi-
ton between Miles and Chaffee. Tn,
battle continued with varying intensit!
during most of the day and until tn
place was carried by assault about 4:3
D. m. AS the Spaniards endeavored L
retreat along the Santiago Road, Lud
lows position enabled him to do very eff
fective work, and to practically cut OF
, all retreat in that direction.
, After the battle at FL Caney was wei
opened, and the sound of the small arm
fire caused us to believe that Lawtol
:
rected Grimes's battery to open fire fron
the heights of III Pozo on the San Jual
blockhouse, which could be seen situate
in the enemy's intrenchments extending
along the crest of San Juan Hill. Thj
fire was effective, and the enemy cou
be seen running away from the Vfcinlt
of the blockhouse. The artillery fire fror
El Pozo was soon returned by the enc
my's artillery They evidently had til
range of this hill, dnd their first shell
killed and wounded several men. AS tn
Spaniards used smokeless powder. it wa
very difficult to locate the position o
their pieces while, on the contrary, I'll
smoke caused by our black powder plain
/ ly indicated the position of our battery
At this time the cavalry division, unde
, Gen. Sumner, which was lying conceale
2 in the general vicinity of the Ell Poz
House. was ordered forward with direc
tjons to cross the San Juan River and de
ploy to the right on the Santiago side
/ while Kent's division was to follow ciose
/ lv in its rear and deploy TO the left
e These troops moved forward in comp
5 ance with orders but the road was so nal
row as TO render it impracticable to re
| tain the column of fours formation al a
points, while the underground on eithe
! side was so dense as to preclude the pos
> sibility OF depioying skirmishers. 1T nal
n urallv resulted that the progress mad
S was slow. and the long range rifles of til
. | enemy's infantry killed and wounded
O number of our men while marching alon
this road, and before there was any OF
| portunity to return this fire. At this tim
Generals Kent and Sumner were ordere
n to push forward with all possible hast
o and place their troops in position TO er
5 gage the enemy. Gen. Kent, with this en-
in view forced the head of his colum
= alongside of the cavalry column as far a
: the narrow trail permitted. and thus hui