The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-15
FIERCE FIGHTING AT AIBoNITo.
SPANISH POSITION ONE OF GREAT
NATURAL STRENGTH.

Held the Range Accurately and Sent
of American Soldiers-After Two
Hours of Firing the Enemy Re
treated 10 a Banana Grove-BIunt
Refusal TO observation-disclosures Or
ders to Gen. Ernst COuutermanded
on Receipt of order to Suspend
HOstiIities-Gen. wilson's Flag of
Truce for the Purpose of Notifying
the Enemy of Peace Not Respected.
At the Front, With Gen. Wilson, Five
Miles Beyond Coamo, Porto Rico, Aug.
Z, evening delayed in Transmission.-
Gen. Wilson moved one Lancaster battery
out to the front this afternoon, for the
purpose of Smelling the Spanish position
on the crest of the mountain at the head
of the pass through which the road winds.
The enemy occupied a position of great
natural strength, protected by seven lines
of entertainments and battery of two
HoWitzers.
The Spaniards were eager for the fray,
and earlier in the day had fired upon Col.
Bidd;e of the engineer corps, who, with
platoon Oh Troop y OF new lOAfAI was ~
connoltering on their right flank.
AS our battery rounded a curve In the
road 1000 yards away the enemy opened
an artillery and infantry fire. Four com
panies of the Third Wisconsin, which were
posted on the bluffs TO the right of the
road, were not permitted to respond to the
infantry fire.
Iva al Of
face of a terrific fire, were unlimbered
and were soon hurting common she'll and
shrapnel at the enemy at lively rate,
striking the emplacements batteries and
entertainments with the rhythmic regular
ity of a trip-hammer,
The enemy soon abandoned one gun, but
continued to serve the other at intervals
for over an hour. They had our range,
and their shrapnel burst repeatedly over
our men. One shell burst, the fragments
killing Corpl. Swanson of Company L and
seriously wounding Corpl. Yanke and
Privates Bunce and Voigt.
Capt. Paget the British army officer,
who Is with the American forces for the
purpose of observing the operations in the
field distinguished himself by aiding DR..
Woodbury..
Here Capt. Lee and Private Sizer of
Company F were wounded by Mauser bull
let's In about two hours the enemy aban-
doned the other gun and the men began
10 fee from the entertainments toward a
banana grove in the gorge. Our guns
shelled them as they ran.
one gun was now ordered to advance to
position a quarter of mile further on.
1t had just reached the new position when
Spanish infantry reinforcements filed into
the trenches and fired down a deadly fire
upon our men, compelling the battery to
retire at a gallop. Then both the enemy s
Howitzers and shrapnel screamed and
Mausers ratified. Another group came
from the rear, but our ammunition was
exhausted.
Lieut.. Halnes was shot in the body by
a Mauser just before his gun retired, the
fall following a rib The orders issued
for two companies to advance were coun-
fernandez and the firing soon ceased.
Col. Bliss of Gen. Wilson's staff went
forward to the enemy's line with a flag
of truce and explained that peace nego-
tiations were almost concluded and that
their position was untenable and de-
manded their surrender.
The Spanish have no communication
with the outside world, and the command
err asked until tomorrow in order that he
might communicate with Gov. Gen. Ma
cias at San Juan.
Gen. Wilson and his staff viewed to-
days action from a hill at the right of
the battery. The enemy's guns We're fired
from a high elevation with low velocity.
The Spaniards have the range as ac-
curately as they had at Santiago. Their
position from the front is almost impreS-
nable, but it can be turned.
Estimates of the strength of the enc
my range from 500 to LOCO. Their posi-
ton Is five miles from Aibonito.
COL. NUEXIIIIAS, REEUSAIA