Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-08-12


.ish fort near Santiago, was conducted
under the command Of Gen. Kent, with
tho main division Of the army. 1t was
bitter struggle, the Spaniards resist
ing with determination and fierce en-
ergy that was surprising. After some
two hours hard fighting, in which the
attack swayed the right Of the defense
slowly but steadily backward, the cen
ter broke and the position was won.
Driven once from their position, the
3paniards had no heart to return. They
continued to fight in a desultory way,
but retired after a brief period, the
main body retreating upon the intrench-
ments of Santiago, others hurrying to
Ell Caney, where a bitter fight was in
progress.
Ell Caney proved to be the real but
tress of Spanish strength. The hill on
which 1t 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 Oft the re-
treat to the interior which the capture
Of Ell Caney affected. These two fac
tors combined made the task before
the right flank most difficult one. Had
it not been for the exceptional bravery
Of the men it could have only resulted
in disastrous failure.
The American attack was we'll 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 force OF
the regular cavalry and Rough Riders,
and on the right by Gen. Garcia, with a
command of some 5000 Cubans. 1t
was Garcias mission to pass Ell Caney
to the north and complete the circuit OF
the city should the Americans fail in
the assault on the town. This was
an easy task. with the attention OF the
Spaniards distracted. He, however,
dlsregarded his orders and came to the
assistance Of Lawton, and by his brave
efforts won deserved praise.
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 300 yards exposed
to the volley fires of men protected to
the shoulders in rifle pits. But they
carried tko trenches by successive
rushes, 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, push ed
on, firing as they ran. When they
reached the trenches the latter were
full 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
they remained fighting valiantly to tbs
end.
They refused to give way, but con-
tinued the work with their Mausers,
enfilading the American line as it came
over the trenches. One volley which
a company Of cavalry fired tumbled
them forward on their faces. This was
the charge in which the Sixth, Third,
Ninth and Tenth cavalry and the Rough
Riders, all dismounted, and in which
the Twenty-sixth, Sixteenth and Twen-
ty-second Infantry and the Seventy
first New York were engaged.
After the trenches and redoubts were
taken came bold attempt by the
Spaniards to recover them. This oc-
casioned the fercest fighting and the
greatest loss Of the day. When the
Spaniards broke behind the hill and
passed between the reserves, who
came forward, with rush upon our
breathless men, striking and breaking
the line in several places, their impetu-
osity for several minutes well-nigh
made our boys waver. Then, rallying
CALAMITY, they staggered forward, car
rying confusion into the enemy.
Lawton's division bivouacked for the
night near Ell Caney without fires. At
7 o'clock in the morning they were re-
enforced by Capt. Capron's battery, I'M
der Gen. Wheeler. Firing began at
once. Promptly the Spanish answered
the challenge from their forts and
trenches. Grimes battery, coming up,
opened on the Spanish troops to the
right.
The common powder used by our
troops smoked, and was fine target for
the Spanish field battery, which was
served by Admiral Cervera's marines.
The accuracy of the aim was remark
able. While our smoke gave the enc
my our range, Grimes could not locate