The Holly chieftain., 1898-07-08

COMMANDMENT Chief of the Cuban Forces
but despite the terrific heat and the
Spanish fire the American pressed on
until the Spaniards were forced beyond
the gates of the city of Santiago at
eight o'clock, and the commanding
officer ordered firing to cease.
Tonight Gen. Shafter says that he
will ash; from Washington that hos
pital ship, medical supplies and
launches for the transfer of the
wounded be sent here at once. lie
states that the wounded far outnum-
Der the killed and he expects terrific
fighting at close range when the city
of Santiago is stormed. The troops
tonight, after l3 hours of continuous
fighting, are as eager as ever.
AS the brigade of Gen. Lawton
moved forward at eight o'clock this
morning upon Ell Caney, to the north
east of Santiago, the heat had already
begun to be intense. The men went
forward with shout and the fire
which was directed against the Span
ish intrenchments was from the first
successful The town was upon the
right flank of the American lines and
il was the intention to take it first in
order to hold an advantageous posi-
ton to the northeast of Santiago and
thus prevent the joining of the forces
of Pando and Linares. The enemy
was driven from the earthworks and
the American troops now occupy them
The attack was not made, however,
without loss of life and injury to the
American soldiers.
Quickly following the capture of Ell
Caney came the fall of Aguadores,
which lies to the south near where the
Guiana river empties into the ocean.
and close to where the ships of Admi-
raj Sampson were already disabling
the Notifications of the Spaniards
Aguadores is an anchorage two miles
east of Moro castle The Jamaica
cable has for many years had its land
ing at Aguadores- Ell Caney. or San
Luis del Caney, is a village of about
1000 inhabitants on the road from
Santiago to Guantanamo.
Santiago, therefore, after the taking
of these two towns, alone remained to
the Spaniards, and there was evidently
an intense desire on the part of the
soldiers to bring about its instant
capitulation. They were held in check,
however. and the attack was directed
solidly against the crescent shaped
Spanish line in front of Santiago,
which was gradually forced back
within the confines of the city.
A. Viewed In Washington.
WASHINGTON, July 2.-Pride in the
courage of the American troops min
giles with sorrow for the loss of lives
The sense of elation which was all
pervading yesterday at the news Of
steady successes gave way to more
sober feeling in the growing realiza.
tion OF what the victory was
costing. Gen. Skaters second
dispatch. saying II fear l have
underestimated to-day's casualties"
reached the war department at
four o'clock this morning. 1t fol-
lowed an earlier message giving the
losses, killed and wounded. as 400.
From other sources came the informa-
ton that the first days fighting had
killed or disabled about 1000 That
would mean one soldier in 90 of the
entire army, or probably one in ten of
the soldiers actually engaged in the
fighting.
As the figures were studied the inn
pressiveness of war took on a new
phase with those whose memories did
not go back s5 years But the
older officers of the department,
the men to whom fighting is
profession, were not surprised.
They had not expected that
Gen. Shafter could push for
ward and take such points of vantage
as Ell Caney and San Juan without
suffering. They thought a loss of
1000 killed and wounded was by no
means large considering what had
been gained in the first days battle.