Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-03

bursting Spanish shell almost annihilated
an entire company Of our troops.
A special dispatch to the Evening World,
dated Ell Paso. Cuba, near Santiago. noon,
by way of Playa del Este, July l, says:
The first artillery fight of the campaign
has just been ended by the silencing Of a
Spanish battery.
The wounded are being picked up as this
dispatch is hurried away.
General Lawton's division bivouacked
near Ell Caney last night without fires. AT
{ o'clock this morning there was sullen
"boom.' 1t was the first shot from Ca
pron's battery, fired to avenge the killing
Of his son. Promptly the Spanish began to
answer the challenge from their forts. At
7:l5 Grimes battery opened on the Spanish
troops TO the right of the San Juan block
house.
The common powder used by our troops
smoked and was a fine target for the Span
ish fed battery. which probably W &c we'd
by Admiral Cervera's marines. judging by
the accuracy of the aim While our smoke
gave the enemy our range. Grimes could
not locate the enenIy's guns. which used
smokeless powder, except approximately.
But, satisfied as to the Spanish position.
our men worked like mad. The Spanish fire
| gradually slackened. and In less than an
hour 1t ceased altogether.
| Battery A, of the Second artillery. de-
serves great credit for victory. for it was
! a case Of blindness against sight. The bat
| terry loss, the officers state, was as fol-
! lows:
| Killed-Privates Underwood and Helm.
| Wounded-Heary. George c., first ser
| geant; veite, sergeant; Cornford, sergeant;
| keene, corporal.
| The battery was supported by the rough
! riders, about 100 Cubans with Hotchkiss
! gun, a detachment of the Tenth cavalry
J and a squad from Company c, of the Sec
| ond cavalry.
| Most of the Spanish shells fell low over
! the crest Of the batterys position and ex-
| pIoGed. Through them the rough riders
| hal about ten wounded, among them R.
/ Chaplain, whose left elbow was smashed.
! The Cuban leader, Gonzales, reports that
the Cubans lost twenty killed and wound
ed.
: The details Of General Lawton's losses
have not arrived.
/! Heavy volley firing has been heard for
three hours. 1t seems to indicate a strong
I American advance.
| There is no artillery firing from El
Caney. and only scattering shots came
/: from San Juan, which has slope of fif-
teen feet in the hundred.
| Both divisions are really In battle. The
day is clear and moderate breeze is
blowing. but there is q strong heat. The
troops are in good condition.
Grimes and Corporal Mclean. who vert
overcome by the heat, are recovering
The battery shot 100 rounds, two-thirds
shells and the balance shrapnel.
The military balloon used by the sigma
corps for the purpose of obtaining accurate
information of the situation Of the enemy
and the character of their defenses proved
of inestfmable service in the engagement
The balloon foated just over the tree top:
and was easily guided along three miles OF
the road toward the lines Of the enemy
, Whenever 1t halted for the purpose ol
taking a photograph of the fortifcation:
below. the Spaniards seized the occasion
for taking pot shots at the mid-air mon
ster. At one time the big balloon hung owe
San Juan, not over 500 yards from tn,
enemy. and for five minutes the Spaniard
below tried in vain to puncture 1t.
In the fighting at San Juan. a Spanish
she'll two and a half inches in diameter
burst In the midst Of Captain Purifier.
battery in the First artillery, woundint
several.
Roosevelt's rough riders were also In thi
fight. and bore themselves with as mucf
credit as in the last Fridays battle in tn,
bush. Several Of the rough riders wer,
wounded. among them the following:
Sergeant s. G. Devore, Troop K.
Corporal W. A. Armstrong. Troop ].
Corporal McSparron, Toop G.
Private Alvin C. Ash, Troop G.
Private W. Freeman. Troop F.
Private Benjamin A. Long. Troop K
Private Mason Mitchell. Troop K.
Corporal v. D. Horton. Troop I, Thirt
United States cavalry, was also wounded.