The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-04
Copyright lsss by Associated Press.

RAtBS a&1katSa toeN hAAN 80
Antonio. Sunday, July 8. 2:3o a. m.-
Hemmed in on all sides by General
Lawton's division, the Spanish troops in
the own of Caney are tonight prac-
tioally prisoners Of war. and by day
break Tomorrow Saturday Spain will
have lost 1000 of her best soldiers.
killed. wounded and taken prisoners in
and around the town. which was prac-
ticaIly in the hands OF the American
forces n S o'clock tonight.
This result was not obtained, how
ever, without severe fighting on the
part Of the American forces. and al
though 1t is impossible at his time to
give a list of the dead or wounded. it il
safe to say thai the loss in General
Lawton's division alone will be $50
killed or wounded. Among the officers
wounded are: Colonel Carpenter. COM
handing the eth infantry; Lieutenant
Colonel Patterson, commanding the 22d
infantry. will probably recover: Lieu
tenant Besaros, 9TH infantry, wounded
twice; Major Corliss of the 7th infan-
try; Captain Jackson of company G.
eth infantry, shot in the left breast;
Lieutenant Charles z. Field, I'd Massa-
chusetts, shot through forehead. Gen
erai Ludlow's horse was killed under
him.
General Lawton's division. the I'd
Massachusetts,. had up to the middle Of
the day suffered the heaviest loss, al
though other regiments were more &C
lively engaged during the afternoon.
The fight for the possession OF Caney
was most obstinate. and the ultimate
victory reflects great credit upon the
American roops II was glory, too,
for Spain. though she never had a
chance to win at any time during the
day. Her men fought in entrench-
merts, covered with ways and block
houses, while the Amsfcan forces were
IN the open from first to last. The
Spanish soldiers stuck TO their work like
men. and this, the first land fight OF the
war, may well cause Spain TO feel proud
of her men,
The American soldiers attacked the
entertainments through open ground.
and from the firing OF the first shot IN
til they were on the hills above Caney
they fought their way forward, and the
epaniards were driven backwards Cen
eral Chafee's brigade held the rfEht
Of the line with the town OF CAnsy-
General Ludlow's division was In the
center, and Colonel Miles held the left
The plan OF battle was for Captain
ALVIN Capron's battery OF the lst artil-
lery. which held a position IN the cen
ter above General Ludlow. 20 shell the
fort near the town, for General Chah@
10 close in as soon as the artillery had
reduced the fort and driven the Spanish
towards Santiago; General LUDLOW .
lay in the road below the hill OF which
Captain Capron's battery was stationed
- -.xs-w a, IN GanarzN #nN-
while Col. Miles brigade Was kept close
to Ludlow's right and, by q stimuli
taneous movement. sweep \ spanisrcs
in toward Caney. General hwton.
who personally directed ths operations
Of his division, left his camp on the
road from Siboney 10 Santiago al Z a
m, and al 8 o'clock was with Captain
Capron's battery on the bill above
Caney.
orders were given that the battle
should begin from the center unless
General Chaffee. who was the nearest 70
the enemy, should find himself attacked
first.
The action opened at s:45 with a .hoi
from The second section OF Captain
Capron's battery. II struck close TO the
stone fort near Caney. Another shot MI
the fort fairly. The Spanish gave W
the idea of holding the stone fort proper
after II was struck the first time. and
the entire garrison ran down the NH 10
ward the town. The covered way In
front Of the fort. however. was hello by
the Spanish troops. who maintained al
obstinate ere On our men. who were al,
vancing slowly through the bush ano
groves. only firing an occasional shot
Captain Capron's battery opened on thu
enemy at once and tore the ground W
with the shells, sending clouds OF dus
high into the air.
The battery also sent q number o.
shells entirely through the fort. tearins
down large sections OF the fort severa
times. This excellent marksmanshil
succeeded IN stopping the fre OF th'
Spanish soldiers, who had opened fr'
repeatedly from the covered-way pits
BY these means General Chafee's brig
ade was pressing into the town and tn
fire at intervals was very warm.
II was very difficult TO see anything o
the battle, owing TO the rolling natur
of the ground and the dense vegetation
that obscured the view in almost ever,
direction made il impossible TO see far
The fring al times was very lively dur
ing the morning. but the Spaniards d
the covered way made a most obstlnat
defense and refused 10 yield an Incl
Time and again the shells from Captain
Capron's battery drove them to v
but as soon as his fire ceased they wer
UP n at u again
Despite the heavy firing OF the Amer
can troops they were able to make bu
little apparent progress during IN
morning, although eventually the
steadily drew in and enclosed the tow
on all sides.
At noon IL became evident thai IN
IRE from the covered a would not 3
stopped by the artillery alone, and tina
no permanent advance could be mad
until the place was taken, and Genera
Lawton decided 10 capture it by assault
Accordingly he sent q messenger 70 Ger
eral Chaffee with Instructions 10 tax
the position by a charge. General Chat
fee thereupon closed IN with his me
rapidly from the north, while CAPITA
Capron maintained a heavy fire on tina
fort, keeping the Spanish in the coyere
way and putting hole after hole into M
eton. walls Of the forts. Shortly after
wards he threw a shot from the batter
which tore away the flagstaff. bringln
the 9nanish flag TO the ground. FrOT