The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-13

encciai Correspondence OF lHtehkeHVoF'
sTBoNEY, Cuba. July 2s.-on the af-
t,rnoon Of June 80 last, satisfied that
hattie was impending between the
American and Spanish forces, Obtained
nsrmIsslon from the surgeon at sIboney.
Cuba, to ride on an ambulance as far
n tse front as General Skaters head
quarters, on the way to Santiago.
lust before sunset we overlook troops
fastening to the front along this road
which was no. wide enough for a col
nmn OF Tours, and every time we would
reach detachment the men would have
% fall out of line to the side to give our
team room.
The march was continued late Into the
night, but at o'clock the ambulance
halted at the tents of the first division
hospital. about three miles and half
from Santiago. Here among the medical
men found those who knew me. and I
was taken care of for the night
A fourth OF mile beyond the crossing
r.,erred to, the track entered a dense
timber which extended to the next
crossing OF the San Juan. At the left Of
,be road, and a fourth of a mile from it,
1saw GrImes's battery--A. Second U. S.
arunery-on a hill perhaps iseventy-hye
feet higher than the roadway, and near
the buildings OF an abandoned sugar
plantation called FL Poso. or The Well,
Inc name being derivedfrom a well near
the creek, in which stean=pump had
been used
relieving from the location6f the bat
terry that this would be a good place to
see the coming battle, I left the road and
went over to It. found thSt I knew the
officers. and was made welcome. 1t was
no; ye, O'Clock. The battery was IN
position, awaiting orders tO-open fire.
Far Of to the right Capren's battery
had gone INTO position near the town FL
Caney, and the Arst gun was fired at
$50 o'clock. Infantry FIRE on the right
began at 7:l0 O'Clock and soon after
wards Grlmes's battery opened on the
Spanish bldckhouse and intrenchments
surrounding It. which stood in4ront OF a
hospital building just outside OF the city
OF Santiago. over this building then
one Red Cross flag Hoated. In half an
hour seven were displayed from the
group OF buildings. Directlgin front OF
the buildings were two Batteries, one
OF which could NOT be reached without
danger Of striking the hospital.
The Spanlards did not return the artil-
Iery FIRE until $40 o'clock, but the FIRST
shot showed that their range had been
accurately calculated; the tlrss shell ex-
ploding Immediately over the guns OF
Gumes's battery, killing two men and
wounding five others. Suisse
The fire OF the battery was resumed
as soon as the Spanish fire ceased, and
was directed principally upon the block
house referred 10, and TO a position on
lis left. where Il was thought the bat
terry was placed from which The shells
had come; the smokeless powder used
by the Spaniards making it extremely
difficult to locate the guns. bun this was
eventually done, and there Ias no more
artillery fire from that particular spot
on that day.
Immediately in front OF the block
house and on the side Of the hill, which
sloped steeply down to the valley OF the
San Juan. was a rIfie-plt large enough
10 accommodate battalions pnd this
was filled with Spanish inahtrynien.
With their use of snokeless powder 1t
also took some time to determine their
position bu. when II was done they were
soon driven nut by the rapid FIRE Of the
artillery. ~
THE USELESS BALLocN
While this was going oi=tAp troops
which had left in the roadway early in
the morning were pushing tozthe front
and the balloon for some nngnown rea-
son was carried well to the tHgHt of the
column, doatlng just abovq5e1e tree
tops. Asst approached the dlSSf ground
on the farther side of the strGfaka drop
ping ase was opened uponsls by the
spaniards, which soon increased to vol
ieys, Kidding the balloon and rendering
1t useless.
The head of the column succeeded in
get;IHg onto open ground and pushed
forward 10 the banks of the stream. II
was impossible for me in my position tc
determine the order In Which the troops
advanced. Wounded men soon began "a
fall out to the rear. The fire became
beaver each moment, that Of the Span
ilrds being easily distinguished from
the Americans, being volley firing By
blttallons, while that OF our men was
tle firing. Besides, the volunteer regi'
ments,Sec5nd and Ninth Massachusetts
Seventy-nrst New York, aud a part OIL
the Thlrty-four.h Michigan. were armed
with the Springfield, caiibre 40, the re-
port being very much louder thar tina
Of the guns Of either the Spaniards Oh
our Regulars.
The roar Increased rapidly, punctu
atei by that VI Capron's guns far away
on the left. Lawton, Chaftee and Lud'
low We're making Roadway far on th'
right. The distance from right to lef
OF the line, following rs c0ursc, was oYel
four miles. Il was impossible at tina
distance 10 see anything OF the fight 60
ing on at FL Cansy even with goot
gtasS, but by noticing carefully we c0ul'
understand that the line was pushing
forward, driving back thr Spnninrds.
on the left tho American line hat
pushed across the level ground. whlcl
was found obStructe1 with large mum
Der OF barbsd-wirc acknowledgements, II
anticipation 0f such defensive work
900 nipp6rs had been provided befort
me command had LEFT Tampa; but thes
mad AL been placed on board one vessel
the Santiago, and could not be foun,
when Decentralization took place. Som
company commanders had provided
axes and hatchets. and The Cuban ma
cheie was found TO be m excellent wea
ryn for breaking through the wlrea.
MeE and oflceIV were failing fast, tn
natter beng especially F,rgsad out b.
spanish BharpshCDiers made the los
heavier IN proportion than nuong tn
ehaFied men. S,Ei. the troops Ealn2r
Eround Bteadi,y and by noon had carrie
the Ffsl1ula ~ % "a TttoV M, tho frft nri