The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-08-18
TAKING FORT SAN JUAN
Description of the Battle That Preceded the
Surrender of Santiago de Cuba-The
Spaniards Fought Like Demons.

The attack upon San Juan, the Span
ten fort near Santiago, was conducted
under the command of Gen. Kent, with
,be main division of the army. 1t was
hitter struggle, the Spaniards resist
inc with a determination and fierce ell
orgy that was surprising. After some
two hours hard fighting, in which the
attack swayed the right of the defense
s,owlv but steadily backward, the CEN
,er broke and the position was won.
driven once from their position, the
standards had no heart to return. They
continued TO fight in a desultory way,
INIT retired after a brief period, the
main body retreating upon the intrench-
ments of Santiago, others hurrying TO
Fl Caney, where a bitter fight was in
progress.
Ell Caney proved TO be the real but
tress of Spanish strength. The hill on
which II stood gave the defending
force a great advantage. Not only this,
the larger portion of the Spanish army
had been stationed there, in anticipa-
ton of the attempt to cut off the re-
treat to the interior which the capture
Of FL Caney affected. These two fac
tors combined made the task before
the right flank a most difficult one. Had
II not been for the exceptional bravery
Of the men it could have only resulted
in a disastrous failure.
The American attack was well direct
ed From the front Gen. Lawton led
with his infantry force OF several thou
sand men. He was supported in the
rear by Gen. Wheeler with four light
batteries of artillery, on the left by
Gen. Young in command OF a force of
the regular cavalry and Rough Riders,
and on the right by Gen. Garcia. with a
command Of some 5000 Cubans. It
was GarCias mission to pass Ell Caney
to the north and complete the circuit of
the city should the Americans fail n
the assault on the town. This was
an easy task, with the attention of the
Spanards distracted He. however,
dlsregarded his orders and came to the
assistance Of Lawton, and by his brave
Efforts won deserved praise.
Il was Lawton who faced the serious
work, the character Of the fighting
In stOrming the main redoubt was not
fully realized. The entertainments lay
west of the hills. Without cover the
Americans, in their advance up the
slope, were for fully 800 yards exposed
TO the volley fires of men protected TO
the shoulders in rife pits. But they
carried the trenches by successive
ushes, pausing and budding behind
every bush or rut for temporary shelter
from the rain Of bullets. like storm
driven sheep. The wounded were
dragged out of the death hail. After
each pause the men, undaunted, pushed
on, firing as they ran. When they
reached the trenches the latter were
lull to the brim with the enemy's dead.
The Spaniards had fed over the sum-
nit of the hills, but standing upon The
bodies Of their fallen comrades, there
hey remained fighting valiantly TO the
md
They refused to give way, but con-
dnued the work with their Mausers,
'nflading the American line as II came
over the trenches. One volley which
company Of cavalry fired tumbled
hem forward on their faces. This was
the charge in which the Sixth, Third,
Ninth and Tenth cavalry and the Rough