The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-15
Further Military Operations Now
stopped and General Miles Will
Await Peace Commissioners.
THE SITUATION At SANTIAGO
REMAINING 5000 OF SHAFTER'S MEN
TO RETURN THIS WEEK.
Rapid Decrease i'm Total Number of
ing Crowded on Transports.

AT THE FRONT WITH GEN WILL
SONS COLUMN, five miles beyond Coamo
Porto Rico, Aug. 12 evening delayed in
transmission )-General Wilson moved one
Lancaster battery out to the front this aft
ernoon for the purpose of sheling the
Spanish position on the crest of the noun
tain at the head of the pass through which
the road winds. The enemy occupied posi-
ton of great natural strength, protected by
seven lines of intrenchments and battery
of two howitzers. The Spanards were eager
for the fray and earlier in the day had fired
on Colonel Biddle of the engineers corps,
York, was accommodating on their right
flank.
AS our battery rounded a curve in the
road two thousand yards away the enemy
opened an artillery and infantry fire. Four
companies of the Third Wisconsin, which
were posted on the bluffs to the right of
the road were not permitted to respond
to the infantry fire. The guns advanced at
a gallop in the face of a terrific fire, were
unlimbered and were soon hurting common
shell ard shrapnel at the enemy at a lively
rate, striking the emplacement, batteries
and intrenchments with the rhythmic regu-
larity of a trip hammer.
The enemy soon abandoned one gun, Tut
continued to serve the other at intervals
for over an hour. They had our range and
their shraprel burst repeatedly over cur
men. One shell burst, the fragments killing
Corporal Swanson, of Company L, and Sc
riously wounding Corporal Yanke and Pri-
Yates Runce and Vought. Captain Eager, tie
British army officer, who is with the Amer
lean forces for the purpose of observing the
operations in the field, distinguished him
self by aiding DIR. Woodbury. Here Captain
Lee and Private Sizer, of Company Il, were
wounded by NIauser bullets. In about Two
hours the enemy abandoned the other gun
and the men began to flee from the in
trenchments towards banana grove in the
gorge. Our guns shelled them us they ran
One gun was now ordered to advance to
position a quarter of a mile further en-
IT had just reached the new position when
Spanish infantry reinforcements filed into
the trenches and fired down deadly fire
on our men, compelling the battery to le-
tire at a gallop. Then both the enemy's
ioWllzSTS IeOpeHeQ ana Snrapnel screamed
and Mausers sang. Another gun galloped
from the rear, but our ammunition was ex-
hausted. Lieutenant Haines was shot in the
body with a Mauser just before his gun
retired, the ball following rib.
The orders issued for two companies to
advance were countermanded and the firing
soon ceased Colonel Bliss, of General Will
sons staff, went forward to the enemy's
line with a flag of truce and explained that
peace negotiations were almost concluded
and that their position was untenable and
demanded their surrender. The Spanish
have no communication with the outside
world and the commander asked until to-
morrow morning in order that he might
communicate with Governor General Macias
at San Juan.
General Wilson and his staff viewed to-
days action from hill at the right of the
battery. The enemy's guns were fired from
a high elevation with low velocity. The
Spanards had the ranges as accurately as
they had at Santiago. Their position from
the front is almost impregnable. but il can
be turned. Estimates of the strength of the
enemy range from five hundred to one thou
sand. Their position is five miles from
AibOnitO