The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-03
LEADS ALA NORTH CAROL INA DAHL les DIM NEWS AMID G9RGWL A0M

al NV uuU UOH w
batteries were less than two miles apart.
Col Woods command behaved with
great bravery. firing steady and deadly
volleys. with the enemy's shells screech-
ing and bursting over their heads.
Twenty minutes of fearfully hot work
sIenced the Spanish batteries. Ten
shots were sent into them after they
ceased firing, but there was no response
and it is presumed that the guns were
dismounted or the gunners driven off.
Away to the left Gen. Lawton's divi-
sion, with Chaffee's men and Capron' $
battery was meantime fighting fercely
with the enemy entrenched i'll and about
Caney. The Spaniards contested every
inch of ground bitterly and fought with
unexpected GOODNESS and courage, but
the irresistible onward movement of the
Americans slowly forced them back up
on and beyond Caney. About IL O'Clock
the terrible fire from Capt. Capron' $
guns and the muskets Of the men broke
the Spanish line, and retreat began to-
ward the line of the outer Notifications.
The enemy took the trail known as the
main Santiago road and Capt. Grimes
battery Immediately began pitching
shells in ahead of the retreating men
while Il detachment of 1000 Cubans
headed by Garcia started to cut off the
retreat.
No report has yet been received from
them A large detachment Of General
Kent's reserves was sent to aid Gen.
Garcia in this work, and it is probable
tbut farna frbtipp oncurra1
All this time Gen. Sumner had COM
mandcd the center owing to Gen. Wheel
er's illness. but about II 80 Gen. Wheel
er started on the two miles journey to
the front in an ambulance About
half way to the front he met Il number
of filters bearing wounded
The veteran under protest by the sur
gcons immediately ordered his horse.
and after personally assisting the wound
ed into the ambulance, mounted and rode
onward. The men burst into frantic
cheers which followed the general all
along the line. BY noon, although still
very i'll, Gen. Wheeler had established
headquarters ut the extreme front and
centre Of the line and still holds his
position.
The hardest fighting of the day seems
to have been on the right flank and
heavy casualties are reported from there.
The advance there was more rapid
than ut other points on the line, and
General Chaffees brigade was the first
to cross the little San Juan river close
to the line of outer Notifications. AT
o'clock Caney had not been entered by
the American troops, but they had
pushed on past it and it was theirs at
any time they choose to march into
it, AT that hour General Shafter, whose
headquarters for the day. had been
three miles TO the rear, went forward to
assume personal command of the opera
tons. Some surprise is expressed that
he did not wait for the siege guns be-
fore beginning the final attack, as these
guns are still on the beach at Baiquiri.
He decided yesterday that they were
unnecessary and determined TO strike at
once.
The only movement of the day which
did not meet with success, was General
Duffield's attempt to occupy the sea viii
lage of Aguadores. The New York, SUI
vance and Gloucester shelled the old
fort and the rifle pits during the fore
noon. drove all the Spaniards from. the
vicinity and bowled over the parapet
owing to the broken railroad bridge. Gen
pral Duftield's troops were unable to get
across the river which separated them
from the little town and were compelled
to go back to Juragua. 1t is probable
that an effort will he made tomorrow
to repair the bridge and complete
movement attempted.
To-day it was reported ut Juragua
that General Duffeld had been defeated,
but this is not true, as he did not en-
counter any large body of Spaniards.
Many dramatic incidents occurred
during the day, with numerous evidences
OF splendid personal bravery of the
American officers and men in their work
of continuous and intense physical
strain, owing to the hills and swamps
and the fierce tropical sun which ham,
mered upon them the greater part of the
day.
The Cubans behaved with skill and
valor and rendered valuable aid. General
Garcia and the other Cuban generals
led the troops in person and showed
great GOODNESS in tight places.
The Spanish fought stubbornly
throughout and the retreat was slowly
and coolly conducted They contested
every men OF the way ana IouSHt Win
| unexpected skill. their officers handling
the troops with bravery and good judg-
ment AS in all of their fighting so far,
however, they did most of their work
under cover, rarely showing themselves
in large bodies in the open. All the
retreats were toward Santiago and it is
probable that by nightfal the entire
force of Spaniards in the province OF
Santiago de Cuba will be within the
city's walls with the exception of four
| thousand men under General Pando,
whose attempt to reinforce Santiago is
| believed to have been frustrated.
BATTERIES SILENCED.