The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-07-05
THE STORMING OF Ell CANEY.

THE STORMING OF Ell CANE1.
Rather than take the town by a gen
eral assault, without the ald OF artillery.
which must certainly result III great loss
Of life. General LaWton decided to order
forward artillery to shell the town at
close range. Although the road from the
hill to the edge of the town was nearly
impossible for artillery, Captain Cap
ron made the effort and by i've o'clock
had his guns in position ready to open
on the town.
For some time General Chaffee's bri-
gade held its position behind the stone
fort and then began the descent toward
the town, firing rapid volleys rs they
advanced. General Ludlow and Colonel
Miles pressed closely on the other side,
and at nightfall the own was practically
in the hands Of the Americans.
The country over which General Law
tons division fought offered great adj
vantage both to the attacking party and
to the defenders. 1t is Il broad valley,
fiankcd on the west by towering noun
tains and on the east by Il ridge about
200 fct high. At one time it was under
cultivation. but has been neglected slnce
the opening of the war. it still retains.
however. signs Of its former prosperity
in groves of cocoanut and mango trees,
and broad fields of waving grass, III
most cases waist high. Several ridges
intcrscct it. but none of them IS over
fifty feet high. The valleys hetWecn
these ridges and the groves were points
Of vantage to the American regulars,
who used them 10 the full With all the
skill acquired on the western plains of
America. The open spaces were of great
benefit to the SpaniardS, who were gwen
Il clear sight of the American soldiers
as they advanced. 1T was the crossing
of these places which caused the Amcri-
cans their heaviest losses.
The hrigades of Colonel Miles and Gen
eral Ludlow had more of this work to
perform han had General Chaffee'S. and
they. moreover. We're compelled to make
their final charges on the town across
an open space through which the Spanish
fire swept With deadly effect.
No finer work has ever been lone by
soldiers than was lone by the b~rigades
of Gen. Ludlow and Col. Miles as they
closed in on the The Spanish
bla2ed away at them with MauSerS and
machine guns. but without effect. Moth
ing could stop them. and they pushed
III closer and closer during the afternoon,
and by the time Gen. Chaffce,S men We're
III front. Miles and Ludlow were on the
skirts Of the town. holding on with
t~enacity and preventing the Sraniards
from rctrcating toward Santiago, while
Chaifee closed III on the right.
The fighting for hours in front of Col.
Miles line at Il hacienda known as
Duero House, was very fierce. h
Spanish defence was exceedingly obsti-
nate. The house was guarded by rifle
pits. and as fast as the Spaniards were
driven from one they retreated into an
other and continued their fire. 1t was
entirely Il fight with rifles. as the Ameri-
cans had only Capt. Capron's battery of
artillery and the Spaniards had none at
all.
In this part Of the fight Capt. Capron's
battery was Unable to fire for fear of hit
ting our own mon. The place was finally
taken with a rush about > O'Clock, the
Spanish fleeing, part TO the hills and part
to Caney, where they We're rounded up
with the other Spanish troops which
had been driven in by zen. Chafee.
Tomorrow Saturday morning at day
break Gen. LaNton's division will sweep
past Caney on the direct road to Santa
| 90. connecting with Gen. kent's and
Gen. Wheeler's divisions and forming
the right of the line.
When the final closing movement was
begun at 6 p. m. the town of Caney was
taken and a large number of prisoners
We're captured. The Spanish loss is
1000 in all.
MADRID DEEPLY CONCERNED.
YJ