Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-08-18
ARMY GETS THE NEWS
All Forward Movement Is at Once
Stopped.
Story Of the Wars Ending Reaches
Gen. Wilson While In the Midst of
Battle-Spaniards Notified
and Fight Ceases.

/
Ponce, Puerto Rico, Aug. 1.-THE
1 peace news has stopped all forward
movement of the American army in
Puerto Rico. Gen. Wilson at Coamo
and Gen. Schwan at Mayaguez will re-
main at those places. Gen. Henry, who
Is at Utuado, will return to AdJuntas,
and Gen. Brooke, who had advanced
beyond Guayama, will return to that
| town.
| Warships Assembling.
Key West, Fla, Aug. 15.-In accord
ance with orders from the navy de-
partment following the presidents
proclamation of suspension of hos
tilities, Commodore Howell, of the
North Cuban coast blockading squad
ron, is rapidly assembling his ships at
Key West. Many arrived Saturday
and still more Sunday. The flagship
San Francisco, with the commodore
aboard, arrived Sunday morning. She
looks none the worse for her expert
ence off Havana early Friday morn
ing. The hole torn in her stern by the
12-inch shells from MORO castle has
| DCch hCdliJ anu the IdIudR6
to the ships inconsiderable. The larger
gunboats and the torpedo boat de-
stroyers have not yet received orders,
but the torpedo boats and revenue cut
tiers have already been called north
Naval officers are unanimous in their
expressions of qualification that the
war is over and are anxiously looking
for orders which will take them north.
Leaving Santiago.
Washington, Aug. 15.-By Wednes-
day or Thursday of this week it is ex-
pected by war department officials
that all of Gen. Skaters command
will have left Santiago for the United
States. In a dispatch to the war de-
partment Gen. Shafter says that the
early departure of the troops now de-
ponds entirely upon the transports,
which are daily expected to arrive at
Santiago. At the present time only
about 5000 men of Gen. Skaters corps
are at Santiago, the remainder having
already sailed TO- this country.
Hadn't Heard the News.
At the Front with Gen. Wilson's Col
umn, Five Miles Beyond Coamo, Puerto
Rico, Aug. IL delayed in Transmits
sion).-Gen. Wilson moved one Lam
caster battery out to the front this
afternoon for the purpose of she'll
ing the Spanish position Oh the crest
OF the mountain, at the head of the
pass, through which the road winds.
The enemy occupied position of
great natural strength, protected by
seven lines of entrenchments and a
battery of two howitzers. The Span
iards were eager for the fray, and
earlier in the day had fired upon Col
Blddle, 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 in
fantry fire. Four companies of the
Third Wisconsin, which were posted
on the bluffs to the right of the road.
were not permitted to respond to the
infantry fire.
Batteries Fight NobIy.
The guns advanced at gallop in the
face of terrific fire, were unlimbered
and were soon hurting common shell
and shrapnel ut 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 re-
peatedly over our men. One shell
burst, the fragments killing Corp.
Swanson, of company L, and seriously
wounding Corp. Yanke and Privates
Bunce and Vougbt. Capt. Lee and Pri-
vate Sizer, of company F. were wounded
by Mauser bullets. In about two hours
the enemy abandoned the other gun,
and the men began to flee from the en-
trenchments toward banana grove in
the gorge. Our guns shelled them as
they ran.
One gun was now ordered to advance
to position quarter of mile fur
Their on. 1t had just reached the new
position when Spanish infantry re-
endorsements filed into the trenches
and fired down a deadly fire
upon our men, compelling the bat
terry % retire at gallop. Then
both the enemy's howitzers reopened
and shrapnel screamed and Mausers
sang. Another gun galloped from the
j rear, but our ammunition was ex-
hausted. Lieut.. Haines was shot in the
body by Mauser just before his gun
retired, the ball following rib. The
orders issued for two companies to
advance were countermanded and the
firing soon ceased.
Demanded Surrender.
Gel. Bliss, of Gen. Wilson's staff, went
forward to the enemy's line with flag
of truce and explained that peace ne
gotiations were almost concluded and
that their position was untenabie and
demanded their surrender. The Span
ish have no communication with the
outside world and the commander
asked until morning in order that he
might communicate with Governor
General Macias at San Juan.
Death of an Aged Lady.