The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-08-15
LAST FIGHT OF THN WAR
Spaniards Made a Vigorous Defense
in Porto Rico.
FURTHER FIGHTING PREVENTED

BY Orders Received From Washing
ton-0overnor General Macias Ig-
nored Flag of Truce Sent by Gem
eral Wilson.
Coamo, Porto Rico. Aug. 15.-General
Wilson moved one Lancaster battery
out to the front Friday afternoon for
the purpose of shelling the Spanish po-
sition on the crest of the mountain at
the head of the pass through which
the road winds. The enemy occupied
a position of great natural strength.
protected by seven Lines of entrench-
ments and a battery of two howitzers.
The Spaniards were eager for the fray.
and eaTlier in the day had fired upon
Colonel Biddle, of the engineer corps,
who, with platoon of Troop c. of New
York, was accommodating on their right
flank.
AS our battery rounded "a curve In
the road 1000 yards away the enemy
opened an artillery and infantry fire.
Four companies of the Third Wiscon-
sin, which were posted on the bluffs
to the right Of the road, were not per-
mitted to respond to the infantry FIRE
The guns advanced at a gallop in the
face Of a terrific fire. were unllmbereG
and were soon hurting common shell
and sirrapnel at the enemy at lively
rate, striking the emplacements, bat
| teries and entertainments with the
rhythmic regularity of trip hammer.
| The enemy soon abandoned one gun
but continued to serve the other at in
terVals for over an hour. They had
our range, and their shrapnel burst
repeatedly over our men. One shell
burst the fragments killing Corporal
| Swanson, of Company l.. and seri-
ousy wounding Corporal Yanke and
Privates Bunce and Vought. Captain
| Lee and Private Sizer, of Company f,
were wounded by Mauser bullets. In
about two hours the enemy abandoned
the other gun and began fleeing from
the entertainments toward a banana
grove In the rear. Our guns sheiled
them as they ran.
One gun was now ordered to advance
to a position a quarter of a mile fur
ther on. 1t had just reached the new
| position when Spanish infantry re-
| Inducements filed into the trenches and
fired down deadly fire upon our men,
compelling the battery to retire at a
! gallop. Then both the enemy's how
itzers reopened and shrapnel screamed
and Mausers sang. Another gun gal
! loped from the rear, but our ammuni-
tion was exhausted. Lieutenant Haines
was shot in the body by a Mauser just
before his gun retired, the ball fol-
lowing a rib.
The orders issued for two companies
to advance We're countermanded and
INa Cab, fFal Is-F.
of General Wilson's staff, went forward
to the enemy's line with a flag of truce
and explained that peace negotiation!
were almost concluded and that theil
position was untenable and demanded
their surrender. The Spanish have nj
commIniCation with the outside worlC
and the commander asked until Satur
day morning in order that he Nigh
communicate with Governor Genera
Macias at San Juan.
General Wilson and his staff viewed
Fridays action from a hill at the righ
of the battery. The enemys guns wer
fired from a high elevation with low
velocity. The Spaniards had the ranges
as accurately as they had at Santiago
Their position from the front was al
most mpregnahle Estimates of tn,
strength of the enemy range from so
to 1000. Their position was five miles
Fror, AihopIto
.yren tho American e,ererol 70 n, 40
,i,.o,, -. F,,,t,,a, s,t,,,31tr,rr t,aal 60 no
,i,, - ,,a e., -, rr,,t7 S,,,,,, ~ .,,I,
that .ta cno,tsh oo,,,,,,o,,1ar C,o,orc
Nr,,o,,t,L,s cant -, cat,,riaS, ,,,,.,,t,,,
-, (,a,,o,.oi yUii.o,,,, 1l,,,,1. o., -,
,,,,.ra,,Ia, 90 Aiho,,i,o 80
s,,h+ r,o,,id nortot,,,, ho,,o oo
o,,rrad b,,+ 49, ory7a,., ,l,,,,,,ad c,or,
ytasbt,rtnr ~, cat,,rdo,, ,,aan TI
ordars 20 ad,,anna iss',oa to Co,a.a
Ernst,o h,i,,oda ,,ora oo,,,tar,,,,,,da,
,,nnn raoa,rt % tbo ,,rasi1art,s nr5ar e
s,,sra,,d hnst,I,ttas
CepesoI Wilson cont a Marty with