The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-03
HERAI DIS BATTIF STORY

Herald for the headquarters of the army
before Santiago. July /, Via Playa de
Este, says:
'Major General Skater began this
morning with great vigor :hs attack On
the outer defenses of Santiago
From three directions the American
| forces advanced toward the doomed city.
While General Lawton and General Whee-
Ter were attacking Caney, northeast CT
Santiago, General Kent was advancing
toward Aguadores.
General Garcia, with his Cuban troops,
at the same time approached Caney from
the southeast, and the other divisions OF
the American army pressed toward San
tlago from the east, our forces thus pre-
| senting a solid front from the coast to
General Linares' northern defenses.
"Four members of the Twenty-irst reg
fighting between Sevilla and Aguadores.
while sixteen other Americans, all MEM
bers of the Twenty-first we're wounded.
Both the American and Spanish fleets
early Joined in the battle. While Admiral
Sampson's men were reducing the recent
ly emplaced batteries at Aguadores, Adj
miral Cervera's fleet was hurting shells
in the direction Of the American and Gu
BAN lines.
1.-TWO batteries Of light artillery. acting
under orders from Major General Shafter,
who went to the front at the head of the
troops, began the battle of Santiago by
attacking Caney.
From this village a direct road leads
into Santiago and the advance of our
forces will be irresistible when they gain
possession of this road.
General Joe Wheeler, with a de-
tachment of his cavalry commanded, and
General Garcia, with his Cuban troops,
quickly joined General Lawtons men in
the advance upon Caney The Spaniards
for time fought desperately to prevent
Caney from falling into the hands Of our
forces. 1t was vain effort.
Before the fighting had been long I'M
der way the Americans and Cubans gained
advanced ground. Foot by foot the enemy
was driven back into the village. 1t was
evident after the first hours fighting that
General Shafter had accurately gagged
the strength of the enemy and that he
would be able to drive the Spaniards into
Santiago at his pleasure.
TT was with difficulty that the COM
handing officers restrained the ardor Of
our troops until the hour for beginning the
attack came. The enthusiasm of the
American forces was Intense and their
spirit quickly spread to the Cuban TROOPS.
All have shared the belief of General
Shafter that Santiago could be taken by
d., Ior 80 oh md
been impatient to advance.
'Brigadier General Kent. who COM
mands the. center Of the general line of
the attack, started the Twenty-first reg
iment Of regulars toward Aguadores a the
same hour that General Lawtons men adj
vanced toward Caney. Upon these troops
fell the brunt of the battle to the south
east OF Santiago during the early hours Of
the day.
There was desperate fighting about
Aguadores. Acting under orders from
General Linares the Spaniards at that
point returned the American fire with a
fury that aroused our men to the fiercest
determination. They boldly faced the
enemys fire, holding the ground tenac-
iously and pressing forward whenever an
opportunity to gain an advanced footing
presented itself. In their operations about
Aguadores the Americans were greatly
encouraged by the work of the fleet, which
poured heavy fire into the lines CT the
Spaniards.
Admiral Sampson ordered the New
York, Gloucester and Suwanee to attack
the batteries recently placed to the east
of MORO. The vessels engaged the bat
teries at short range and left only the
SCARED hillside to show where the bat
teries had been.
The Massachusetts and the New York
then opened with their big guns, plugging
a heavy fire into the enemy's line. Com
mon shells and reduced charges were used
for the purpose and they demoralized the
enemy's ranks. The shells were directed
at high elevation so as to clear the
towering coast line ridge.
THE Newark joined the fleet this morn
ing and at noon the Iowa steamed within
one thousand yards of MORO Castle. Ad-
miral Sampson had signalled from the
flagship as the Iowa was about to open
fire, the annuhing pennant was hoisted.
THE Harvard arrived at Altares this
morning with the Michigan volunteers
They were hurried ashore and FASTENED TO
join the American line.
LAS the enemy was pressed back to-
ward Santiago both at Caney and at Agu-
adores the progress of our forces was in
entire harmony with the plans of Cen
eral Shafter. Our lines thus became more
closely knit and now the Americans and
Cubans present a continuous front from
the southeast to the north of the city
ION the right at Caney now is General
H. w. Lawton with three brigades-the
First is under Colonel J. J, Van Horn,
commanding the Eighth United States
regulars, and the Twenty-second United
States infantry, and the Second Massa-
chusetts, Colonel E. p. Clark commanding.
The Second regiment is composed of the
First, Fourth and Twenty-fifth United
States infantry. The Third brigade, I'M
der General E. R. Chanee, is composed
of the Seventh. Twelfth and Seventeenth
United States infantry.
General Joseph Wheeler with four light
batteries is strung cut in the rear OF
Lawton's division. General S. B. ".
Young is attached to General Wheeler's
command. This cavalry force is dis
mounted and is composed OF eight troops
of the First cavalry. eight troops OF the
Third. eight troops OF the Sixth, eight
troops Of the Ninth and eight troops OF
the Tenth.
ION the left OF Lawton. in the center.
resting on the second crossing Of the
river Guamo. Just back of Sevilla and
moving toward Asuadores. is force COM
,,-s,7 ~ rba First brigade. under Ger