The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-11-16


ground east and northeast of Santiago
General Lawton's division was to con-
stitute the right wing Of the assaulting
force, and I learned from his headquar
tiers that Lawton was unwilling to hurl
his division against the height assigned
him for capture, leaving the Spanish in
possession of Ell Caney close III his rear:
It should be said, however, that Gen.
eral Lawton believed he could take El
Caney in half an hour, and other gen
erals, more especially Wheeler and
Young, who had looked the ground
over, said about the same thing. These
opinions were based upon information
gained before Ell Caney had been re-en-
forced and strengthened. When Lawton
came to attack, it was another matter.
Wheeler says that he asked Shafter to
let the cavalry division take Ell Caney,
but Shafter said the task had already
been given to Lawton, and he could not
change it.
On the 2Sth and goth of June the
whole corps moved forward from the
Savilla camp toward Santiago bringing
up between La Redonda and Ell Poso..
Ell Poso is narrow defle between
mountains. Before descending into the
defle, the troops obtained from the tops
of the mountains on either side Of the
road glimpsas of Santiago and Ell Caney
with their defenses and Of the noun
tains and valleys intervening.
On the 30th General Shafter gave out
his order of battle, which was to carry
the San Juan and Ell Caney road
heights, in order to bring Santiago city
under his guns From the highest to
the lowest the soldiers said that the
preparations for this attack were far
from what they had expected, from
what they should have been, in order to
insure success and what they might
have been after few days delay build
ing wharfs and roads and putting on
wagon trains. General Shafter says
frankly that the preparations were not
what he desired them to be, but the
army, composed wholly of northern
men, was in hot and sickly climate,
the rainy season was coming on, when
the already bad roads would be made
worse, tropical storm due at that time
might drive the navy as well as the sup
DIV ships far out to sea, and it was ex-
pected that General Pando, with 8, 1000
Spanish troops, would join the garrison
in the city. Under these conditions
Shafter decided to force the battle at
once.
From that time on until the begin
ming of the parley over surrender, the
elements active or threatening, the i'm
petuosity of the troops, especially when
they came within sight or range of the
Spaniards, as well as the restless and
unsparing energy of "Pecos Bill'' Shat
ter, combined to rush the army forward
at pace only compared to that of a
| hurricane.
All this time and afterward until the
American flag f1oated over Santiago the
spirit of the soldierswas: "Let as 60 at
them Let us go at them!" This is not
to say that there was indecent haste,
that the men were ready to rush head
long into disaster. The result shows
that men Of all ranks were prepared to
90 at the task in the deliberate manner
set down for them in their instructions.
They never for moment forgot these
instructions, line upon line and precept
upon precept, and it was tteir GOODNESS
and self control which saved the army
from horrible disaster and gave ita VIC
tory when the turn Of a hand might
have precipitated defeat.
The Spaniards said that the Amerl-
cans violated the rules OF warfare by
not retreating after receiving volley
from the enemy. This method of fight
ing is not set down in the American
tactics. By going ahead in spite Of and
in face of repeated volleys the we'll
trained regulars took the Spaniards by
surprise, quite as much as the smoke
less powder and deadly accuracy OF the
Mauser amazed the Americans.
Lawton had about 5000 men for the
attack on Ell Caney and the El Caney
heights before Santiago. The infantry
division Of Kent numbered about 4,50O
men and Wheeler's dismounted cavalry
about 2, 500, making 1000 for the at
tack on San Juan heights. Both columns
were ordered to take their places on the
night of the SOth for forward move
ment. Chafee's brigade, 1900 strong,
took the trail from La Redonda north to
point on the ridge east of Ell Caney
blockhouse, followed by Capron's bat