Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-08-18
warShips Assembling.

town.
WarShfps Assembling.
Key West, Fla, Aug. 15.-In accord
ance with orders from the navy de-
partment following the presidents
proclamation of a 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-ineh shells from MORO castle has
been neatly patched, and the damage
to the ships inconsiderab BILE The larger
gunboats and the torpedo boat de-
stroyers have not yet received orders,
but the torpedo boats and revenue cut
ters have already been called north.
Naval officers are unanimous in their
expressions of qualification that the
war is over and are anNiously looking
for orders which will take them north.
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 Ian |
caster battery out to the front this !
afternoon for the purpose of she'll |
ing the Spanish position on 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 entertainments and a \
battery Of two howitzers. The Span. I
iards were eager for the FRAY. and
earlier in the day had fired upon Col.
Biddle, Of the engineer corps, who
with platoon oil troop c, of New
York, was accommodating on their
right Hank. As our battery rounded
curve in the read 1000 yards away
the enemy opened an artillery and in
fantry fire. Four companies of the
Third Wisconsin, which were pos+ed
on the bluffs TO The right OF the road
were not permitted to respond TO the
infantry fire
Batteries Fight NobIy.
The guns advanced al gallon in the
face Of terrific fire. were unlimbered
and were soon hurting common she'll
and shrapnel at the enemy ut a lively
rate, striking the emplacemepts. bat
teries and entertainments with the
rhythmic regularity Of trip hammer
The enemy soon abandoned one cum
bnt continued to serve the other at in
tervals for over an hour. They had our
range, and their shrapncl burst re-
peatedly over our men. One she'll /
burst The fragments killing Corp |
swanson. OF company l., and seriously |
wo@aaiug Corp. Nanke and Privates /
Bunee aud Nought. Capt Lee and Pri- |
vate Szer of compa ny +. were wounded |
by Mauser bullets In about two hours |
the enemy abandoned the other gun. |
and the men began 10 flee from the en-
trenchmeuts 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.
ther on. II had just reached he new
position when Spanish infantry re-
endorsements filed into the trenches
ard fred down deadly fire
upon cur men, compelling the bat
terry TO retire at gallop. Then
both he enemy howitzers reopened |
and shrapuel screamed and Mausers
sang. Another gun galloped from the |
rear, but our ammunition was ex-
hau>ted Lieut.. lIaines was sho; IN the |
body ny Mauser just before rs gun
retired, the bail following a rib The !
orders issued fer two companies TO
advance were countermandcd and the
firing soon ceased.
Demanded Surrendcr.
Gel Bliss, OF Gen. Wilson's stan. went
forward 10 she euemy's line with flag
Of truce and explained that peace ne
Cotiations were almost concluded and
that their position was uuteuabe and
demanded their surrender. The Span
sh have no communication with the
outside world and the commander
asked until morning in order that he
might communicate with Governor
Genera Macias AT SapJuan.