The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-07-04
The Spanish Soldiers Stuck to Their
Work Like Men.
Our Troops Attacked Through Open
Ground and Fought Until
the Spaniards Re-
tired.

SKATER, Friday, July /, evening
BY the Associated Press dispatch boat
Cynthia, via Port Antonio, Saturday
and Kingston, Sunday, July 3, 2:3C
a. m.-Hemmed in on all sides by Gen
eral Lawton's division, the Spanish
troops in the town of Caney are to-
night practically prisoners of war and
by daybreak tomorrow Saturday
Spain will have lost 1000 of her best
soldiers killed or wounded and taken
prisoners in and around the town.
which was partly in the hands Of the
American forces at ) O'clock tonight
This result was not claimed, however
without severe fighting on the part of
the American forces, and although it is
impossible at this time to give a list
of the dead and wounded, it is safe to
say that the loss in General Lawton's
division will be 100 killed or wounded.
Among the officers wounded are:
Lieutenant Colonel Patterson, COM
handing the Twenty-second Infantry;
will probably recover.
Lieutenant Besaro, Adjutant Seventh
Infantry; wounded twice.
Major Corliss of the Seventh Infan-
try.
Captain Jackson of Company G, Sew
enth Infantry; shot in the left breast.
Lieutenant Charles E. Field, Second
Massachusetts,; shot through the fore
head.
General Ludlow's horse was killed un-
der him.
In General Lawton's division the Sec
ond Massachusetts, had, up to the mid
die of the day, suffered the heaviest
loss, although other regiments were
more actively engaged during the after
noon. The fight for the possession of
Caney was most obstinate and the ul-
innate victory reflects great credit upon
the American troops. 1t was a glory,
too, for Spain, though she never had a
chance to win at any time during the
day. Her men fought in intrenchments.
covered always by blockhouses, while
the American forces were in the open
from first to last. The Spanish soldiers
stuck to their work like men, and this,
the first land fight of the war, may
well cause Spain to feel proud of her
men.
The American soldiers attacked the
entertainments through open ground,
and from the firing of the first shot un-
til they We're on the hills above Caney,
they fought their way forward and the
Spanish We're driven backwards. Cen
eral Skaters brigade held the right of
the line with the town of Caney. Cen
eral Ludlow's division was in the CEN
ter, and Colonel Miles held the left The
plan of battle was for Captain Allyn
Capron's battery of the F'irt Artillery,
which held a position in the center
above General Ludlow, to shell the fort
near the town, for General Chaffee to
close in as soon as the artillery had
reduced the fort and driven the Span
iards towards Santiago; General Lud-
low to lay in the road below the hill on
which Capronts battery was stationed,
and swing in on General Chaffee's left,
while Colonel Miles brigade was to keep
close to General LudlOw's right and, by
a simultaneous movement, sweep the
Spaniards in toward Caney.
General Lawton, who personally di-
rected the operations Of his division,
left his camp, on the road from Siboney,
to Santiago, at a. m, and at 8 o'clock
was with Captain Capron's battery on
the hill above Caney.
orders were given that the battle
should begin from the center, unless
General Chaffee, who was the nearest
to the enemy, should find himself at
tackled first.
The action opened at 6:4o, with a shot
from the section section of Captain
Capron's battery. It struck close to
the stone fort near Caney. Another
shot hit the fort fairly. The Spaniards
gave up the idea of holding the stone
fort proper after it was struck the first
time, and the entire garrison ran down
the hill toward the town. The covered
way in front of the fort. however, was
held by the Spanish troops, who MAIN
tanned an obstinate fire on our men,
who were advancing slowly through the
bush and groves, only firing an occa-
sional shot.
Captain Cepron's battery opened on
the enemy at once and tore the grouna
up with shells. sending clouds of dust
high into the air.
The battery also sent a number of
shells entirely through the fort, tearing
down large sections OF the walls. This
fine craftsmanship was repeated sew
eral times. the battery stopping the