The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-04

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defense and refused to yield an inch.
Time and again the shells from Capt. Ca
prons battery drove them to cover, but as
soon as his fire ceased they were up and
at At again.
Despite the heavy firing of the Ameri-
can troops they were able to make but lit
tie apparent progress during the morning
although eventually they steadily drew in
and enclosed the town on all sides.
At noon ii became evident that the fire
from the covered way could not be stopped
by the artillery alone, and that no perma-
nent advance could be made until the
place was taken, and Gen. Lawton decid-
cd TO capture it by assault
Accordingly he sent messengers to Gen.
Chaffee with instructions to take the posi-
tions by a charge.
Gen. Chaffee thereupon closed in with
his men rapidly from the north, while
Capt Capron maintained a heavy fire on
that fort, keeping the Spaniards In the
covered way and putting hole after hole
into the stone walls of The fort. Shortly
afterward he threw a shot from the bat
terry which tore away the flagstaff. bring
ing the Spanish flag to the ground
From that time no banner waved above
it,
At 8 o'clock the advance line of Gen
Chaffees skirmishers, the Seventh IN
fantry, began to appear on the edge of the
woods below the fort, and by rapid rushes
"a. 40 1,fn 10 he e1,o
was fired as they swept forward.
1t was evident that the covered way rad
been abandoned and in a few minutes
the American troops were thick around
the fort which commands the north side
of the town
The spaniards were completely sur
rounded.
The main part of the army was between
them and Santiago, and Gen. Lawton's
division was around them on the other
three sides.
They retired to buildings in the town
and made gallant defense. but, from the
time Gen. Chaffees men took the fort
they were lost troops 10 Spain.
Rather than take the town by a general
assault, without the aid of artillery,
which must certainly result in great loss
of life, Gen. Lawton decided to order for
ward artillery to shell the town at close
range.
Although the road from the hill to the
edge of the town was nearly impossible
for artillery, Capt Capron made The
effort All by o'clock had his guns in
position ready to open on the town.
For some time Gen. Chaffee's brigade
held its position behind the stone fort,
and then began the descent toward the
town, firing rapid volleys as they adj
vanced.
Gen. Ludlow and Col. Miles pressed
closely on the other sides, and at nightfall
the town was practically in the hands of
the Americans.
The country over which Gen. Lawton's
division fought offered great advantages,
both the attacking party and to the de-
tenders. 1t is a broad valley. fianlIed on
the west by towering mountains, and on
the east by a ridge about 200 feet high. At
one time 1t was under cultivation, but has
been neglected since the opening OF the
war 1t stil retains, however signs of its
former prosperity in groves of cocoanut
and mango trees and broad fields OF wav-
ing grass, in most cases waist high. Sew
eral ridges intersect it, but none of them
is over fifty feet high. The valleys be-
tween these ridges and the groves were
points of vantage to the American regu-
lars, who used them to the fun with all
the skill acquired on the Western plains
of America. The open spaces were of
great benefit to the Spaniards, who were
given a clear sight of the American sol
diers as they advanced. 1t was the cross
ing of the places which caused the AIaeI
leans their heaviest losses.
The brigades of Col. Miles and Gen. Lud-
low had more of this work to perform than
had Gen. Chaffee's and they, moreover,
were compelled TO make their final charges
on the town across an open space, through
which the Spanish fire swept with deadly
effect.
No finer work has even been done by
soldiers than was done by the brigades of
Cen Ludlow and Col Miles as they clos
ed in on the town. The Spanish blazed
away at them with Mausers and machine
guns, but without effect Nothing could
stop them and they pushed in closer and
closer during the afternoon and by the
time Gen. Chaffee's men were in form
Col. Miles and Gen. Ludlow were on the
skirts of the town, holding on with tenac-
ity and preventing the Spaniards from
retreating toward Santiago, while Gen.
Chaffee closed in on the right.
The lighting for hours in front of Col
Miles line at hacienda, known as Duero
House, was very fierce. The Spanish de
tense was exceedingly obstinate. The
house was guarded by rife pits and as
fast as the Spaniards We're driven from
/ one they rctreated into another and re-
/ newed their fire. II was entirely a fight
/ with rifles as the Americans had only
Capt. Caprons battery Of artillery, but the
/ Spaniards had none at all