The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-04
BOnnbardnn0nt Of
Moro Ca8N8
A Terrific Fusillade From SIMPSONS Ships
Tears its Battlements to Pieces and Opens
Great Holes in it's Parapets.
OUR KILLED AND WOUNDED
OUR KILLED ANU
Vivid Description of the First Days Fighting at Santiago
The Assault on the Stone Front at FL Caney--Ihe
Heroic Resistance of the Enemy--Charging
Across Open Ground Shooting Away the
Spanish FIag-Retreat of the En-
envy and Fall of EI Caney.

VI OCtiC
Spanish troops in the town of Caney
are tonight practically prisoners of war
and by daybreak tomorrow Saturday
Spain will have lost two thousand of hen
best soldiers, killed. wounded and taken
prisoners in and around the town, which
was practically in the hands of the
American forces at o'clock tonight
This result was not obtained, however
without severe fighting on the part OF
the American forces, and although it Is
impossible at this time to give Il list OF
the dead or wounded it is safe to say
that the loss in Gen. Lawton's division
alone will be 100 Killed or wounded
Among the officers wounded are:
Col. Carpenter, commanding the Sev-
enth infantry.
Lieut. Col. Patterson, commanding the
Twenty-second infantry, will probably
recover.
lieut. Besard. adiutant of the Seventh
iIfantry, wounded twice.
Major Corlish, of the Seventh infan-
try.
Capt. Jackson. of Co. c. Seventh in
fantry. shot in the left breast.
Lieut.. Chas. +. Field, Second Massa-
chusetts. shot through the forehead.
Gen. Ludlow's horse was killed under
him.
In General Lawton'S division the Sec
ond Massachusetts had up to the middle
of the day sustained the heaviest loss,
although other regiments were more ac-
lively engaged During the afternoon
the fight for the possession of Caney
was most obstinate and the ultimate
victory reflects great credit upon the
American troops. 1t was Il glory too.
for Spain. though she never had Il chance
to win at any time during the day. Her
men fought in intrenchments, covered
ways and blockhouses, while the Ameri-
can forces were in the open from first
to last The Spanish soldiers stuck to
their work like men, and this, the first
land fight of the war. may well cause
Spain to feel proud of her sons
DRIVING TIE ENEMY BACK.
The American soldiers attacked the en-
trenchments through open ground and,
from the firing Of the first shot until
they were on the hills above Caney,
they fought their way forward and the
Spanish were driven backward. General
Chaffees brigade held the right of the
line with the town Caney. General
Ludlow's division was in the centre and
Col Miles held the left.
The plan of battle was for Captain
Allyn Capron's battery Of the First ar
tillery. which held position in the cen
ter. above General Ludlow to shell the
fort. for General Chaffee to close in as
soon as the artillery had reduced the
,1,.s,, Ia ,ar.l1f f.,xry ~.
Santiago: General Ludlow to lie in the
rear below the hill on which Capron's
battery was stationed and swing in
on General Chaffee's left, while Colonel
Miles brigade was to keep close to Gen
eral Ludlow's right and. by a simulta-
neous movement, sweep the Spaniards in
toward Caney.
General Lawton. who personally direc-
ted the operations of his division, left
his camp, on the road from Siboney to
Santiago. ut 4 a. m. and at five O'Clock
was with Captain Capron's battery on
given that the battle should begin
from the centre, unless General Chaffee.
who was nearest to the enemy should
find himself attacked first
The action opened at Gao with a shot
from the second section of Captain Cap
ron's battery 1t struck close to the
stone fort near Caney. Another shot
hit the fort fairly. The Spaniards gave
up the idea Of holding the stone fort
proper after it was struck the first time
and the entire garrison ran down the hill
toward the town. The covered way i'll
front Of the fort. however. was held by
the Spanish troops who maintained an
obstinate fire upon our men. who were
advancing slowly through the bush and
groves. only firing an occasional shot.
Can't. Capron's battery opened on the
enemy at once and tore the ground III
with shells. sending clouds of dirt high
into the air. The battery also sent q
number of shells entirely through the
fort. tearing down large sections of tho
walls. This fine craftsmanship was re
peated several times. the battery stop
ping the fire of the Spanish soldiers who
had opened repeatedly from the covered
way pits.
THE ASSAULT ON THE FORT.
BY s O'Clock Gen. Chafee's brigade
was pressing in toward the town and
the firing at intervals was very warm
1t was very difficult to see anything OF
inc bdjtit bN INK III TIE IblllDS HdbHIt Oh
the ground, and the dense vegetation
that obscured the view in almost every
direction made it impossible to see far
The firing. ut times was very heavy
during the morning, but the Spanards
in the covered way made Il most obsti
nate defence and refused to yield an
inch. Time and again the shells from
Capt. Capron's battery drove them to
| cover. but as soon as his fire ceased they
were up and at ii again.
Despite the heavy firing Of the Amcri
can troops they were able to make but
little apparent progress during the morn
ing although eventually they steadily
drew in and enclosed the town on al
sides
At noon it became evident that the
| fire from the covered way could not b.
stopped by the artillery alone, and that
no permanent advance could be made I'M
| til the place was taken, and Gen. Law