Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-15
Makes His Report on the
Campaign Which Ended
With Fall of Santiago.
STORY OF THE BATTLE.
American Commander Could Exercise NJ
Control Over Con. Garcia-Battle of
La Guasin,a Had an Inspiring Ef-
feet Upon Our Troops High
Praise for Gen. wheeler
Bravery of Men Extolled.

feet Upon Our Troops-High |
Praise for Gen. Wheeler |
Bravery of Men Extolled.
Washington, Sept. 1i-Gen. Skaters re-
port of the campaign which terminated in
the fall of Santiago has been made pub
lie. He briefly recounts the organization
of the expedition and It's embarkaton and
then deVotes the main body of the Export
to the active operations about Santiago.
Gen. Shafter says the expedition was un-
dertaken in compliance with telegraphic
instructions OF May 30 from headquarters
of the army, in which IT was stated
Admiral Schley reports that two cruls-
ers and two torpedo boats have been seen
in the harbor of Santiago. Go with your
force to capture garrison at Santiago and
assisting in capturing harbor and fleet"
Tho report gives in detail the troops as-
sombcd at Tampa. The cavalry was dis
mounted because OF lack of transportation
for the animals and because it was be-
licved mounted cavalry could not opcr-
ate efficiently near Santiago. This, Gen.
Shafter says. was found subsequently to
be correct After reclting tie delay at
Tampa, due to inadequate facilities, Gen.
Shaftcr says that on June I he received
orders to sail without delay but not with
less than 1900 men. After some OF the
transports had already reached the lower
bay, tecgraphic Instructions were receiV-
cd from the secretary Of war directing
that the sailing of the expedition be de-
layed waiting further orders. This delay
was occasioned by the navy reporting that
a Spanish war vessel had been sighted in
the Nicholas channel The ships in the
lower bay were Immediately recalled. The
expedition sailed on June A. with Si5 Of
ficers and 1902 men. Gen. Shaftcr briefly
covers the trip and landing and his first
meeting with Gen. Garcia adding:
During the interview Gen. Garcia Of
fcrcd the services of his troops, COM
prising about 1900 men in the vicinity of
| .Nsscraderos and about 800 under Cen
Castillo. at the little town of Cujababo, A
few miles east of Daiquiri. l accepted his
ofcr imprcssing 1t upon him that | could
exercise no military control over him en-
cept such as he would concede and as
/ long as he served under me | would fur
ntsH him rations and ammunition"
! After comforting with Admiral Sampson
and Gen. Garcia, the plan of campaign
was outlined by Gen. Shaftcr. The dis
| embari1tion was to commence on the I'D
| At Daiquiri, with feints by tho Cubans
on Cahanas and by the navy at various
! points In order to mislead the enemy as
/ to the place of landing.
OF the early operations and the skirmish
| in which the rough riders participated,
| the report says:
Cen. Youngs brigade passed beyond
| Lawton on the night of the 23d-2ith, thus
| taking the advance, and on the morning
| of the latter date became engaged with
! a Spanish force intrcnched in a strong
| position at la Guasima, n point on the
Santiago road about three miles from ST.
honey Gen. Young's force consisted of
one squadron of the first cavalry, one OF
4. r.. IFrt
I ted States volunteer cavalry, in all 96i Of
ficcrs and men. The enemy made an OBJ
stnate resistance, but were driven from
the field with considerable loss. our own
loss was one officer and "A men killed, six
officers and i6 men wounded. The report
ed losses of the Spanards were nine killed
and n wounded. The engagement had an
inspiring effect upon our men and doubt
less correspondingly depressed the enemy
as 1t was now plainly demonstrated to
them that they had n foe to meet who
would advance upon them under IA heavy
fire delivered from intrenchments. Gen
Wheeler, division commander, was pres
cnt during the engagement and reports
that our troops, officers and men fought
with the greatest gallantry. This engage
ment gave us a we'll watcred country far
thcr to the front, on which TO encamp oui
, troops"
Tho report continues:
II was not nlltll IcuIly TWO WttkS Hllel
the army auied that ii was possible tC
place on shore three days supplies IL
excess of those required for the daily con
sumption.
On June 80, reconnoitrcd the countr,
about Santiago ana made my plan Of at
tack From a high hill from which thu
city was in plain view | could see the SaT
l Juan hill and the country about Eel Ca
ney. The roads were very poor and In
3 decd little better than bride paths unit
the San Juan river and Ell Caney were
4 reached"
Gen. Shafter explained at meeting o
generals his plan of battle as follows;
"Lawtons division assisted by Capron'
3 light battery was ordered to move on
curing the afternoon toward FL Caney, Il
begin the attack there early the mex
morning. After carrying El Cancy, Law
I ton was to move by the El Caney road to
ward Santiago and take position on tn
Q right of the line. Wheelcr's division o
dismounted cavalry and kcnts division
. of infantry were directed on the Sontias
road. the head of the column resting nea
A F;l Pozo toward which heights Grimes
battery moved on the afternoon OF IN
30th with orders to take position ther
carly the next morning and at the prope
time prepare the way for the advance o
, Wheeler and Kent on San Juan Hin. Tn
e attack at this point was to be delayed un
h III Iawton's guns were heard at El Ca
e ney and hIs infantry fire showed he ha
r become we'll engaged.
f. THE preparations were far from what
k desired them to be but we were in a sick
4 ly climate; our supplies had to he brougn
o forward by a narrow wagon road whic
I the rains might at any time render lmpas
d sable as fear was entertained that
o storm might drive the vessels containn
s our stores to sea thus separating us froI
L our base of supplies and lastly 1t was re
ported that Cen Pando, with 5000 rein
forcements, for the enemy was en- rout
from Manzanillo and might be expecte
In a few days. Under these conditions
determined to give battle without delay.
:, After describing in some detail tn
20 early features of the engagement, Gei
20 Shafter says:
= = Gen. Wheeler the permanent commar
40 der of the cavalry division, who had bee
!, ill., came forward during the morning an
. later returned to duty and rendered mos
40 gallant and efficient service during III
10 remainder of the day,
30 30 After crossing the stream the cavalr
90 moved to the right with q view OF COZ
20 Meeting with Lawtons left, when !
= could come up and with their left restin
near the Santiago road.
"In the meantime Kents division, wit
IS the exception OF two rcgiments Of Hav
n kin's brigade being thus uncovered, move
no rapidly to the front from the forks pr
,f viously mentioned, IN the road utllizlT
" both trails, but more especially the OF
to the left and, crossing the creek form