The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-03
RESULTS OF FIRST BATTLE.
sHAFTER,s MOVEMENTS AS A
WHOLE WELL PLANNED.


Chief Error Was in Placing Infantry
behind ArtiIIcry-In This Position
They Received All shells of Enemy
which Failed TO Hit the Mark
Many Needless Casualties Thus
Caused.
Copyright, 1895, by the Associated Press
Siboney. July /. via Juragua, by the AS
sociated Press Dispatch Boat Cynthia, VIA
Port Antonio, July ,, and Kingston, 1850
n. mat $3.50 o. m. Gen. Shafter said TO
the Associated Press correspondent at MS
headquarters: I'VE have Caney in our
possession, and the whole crest of the pla-
teau at Caney. we have taken some 1900
prisoners on this side of Santiago.
"Gen. Lawton is moving TO the left to
toin the line with Gen. Wheeler. The
Standards have been driven back into the
citv and tomorrow morning we viii take
and enter it"
This statement was fully confirmed by
what the correspondent had seen half
hour before from Capt. Grimes artillery
position, which was still the best point
of vantage from which to survey the field.
At sunset, as the correspondent stood on
the summit behind the cannon that had
done such execution during the day, our
infantry in possession of a big block
house opposite our original center were
vet persistently and cheerfully popping
away at the Spaniards, who were, behind
the lesser entertainments and the re-
fuges between them and the city
1t appeared when darkness came that
not a Spaniard could be found outside the
Scity proper in that particular vicinity.
Most noticeable was the lack Of any re-
sponsive fire from the Spaniards, further
evidence added to that of the afternoon
that their ammunition was greatly reduc-
ed
At this time all the firing has ceased on
the right of our position and Gen. Law
toms artillery is already moving past
Caney to it's designated station for Sat
urday's fight, near the Hacienda Dueeres
from which an oblique fire may be poured
into the heart of Santiago, crossed by an
equally effective angle of projection from
the San Juan. The summit is now in our
hands.
All the reserves have been hurried into
position tonight ana fresh ammunition
is being taken to the front as rapidly as
possible. 1t is probable that every avail
able man will be in the line of BATTLE
Early this morning Gen. Shafter said
he did not believe there were any con-
siderable entrenchments between our new
Ctt,I,
GERS, however including Gen. Garcia, who
was interviewed on this subject yester-
day, hold different opinion. The gen.
eral belief is that we will enter the city
tomorrow but after hard fighting.
1t cannot be said with certainty wheth-
er Gen. Pando, with his 5000 men from
ManzaniIlo, has yet arrived from Santa
go, but it IS probable that they have, and
to them fell the chief share in the de-
Tense to-day.
Another thousand men has thought to
be in movement from Holguin, but it Is
doubtful if the concentration. has yet been
completed.
Admiral Sampson tonight sent a dis
patch to Gen. Shafter over thte army tel
ephone wire which has been strung from
the base TO the quarters In the field, stat
ing that he had thrown a certain num-
Der of shells into the harbor of Santiago
to-day by way of cooperation with the
land movement, and was ready to con-
tnue the dose tomorrow if it was
thought desirable
There was early cannonadng at the
shore to-day against Moro castle prior 20
the feint made by Gen. Duffield against
Aguadores.
Until to-day the American invasion or
Cuba has not looked like real war, but
this negative impression is. now absolute
ly dspeled While there have been some
errors of detail the forward movement
as a whole was well planned and has
been admirably executed.
The chief error was In placing the in
fantrYs behind the artillery in position to
reeeiM all the shells of the enemy, which
failed to hit the mark at which they
were aimed. Many needless casualties
were thus caused.