New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-24
LESSONS LEARNED IN CUBA.
INFANTRY NOT AGAIN TO DO THE WORK
OF TIE ARTILLERY.

promise that the infantry Will not a second time
! be asked 10 do the work OF the artillery VIII
/ probably he kept. 1t could hardly do so without
| leaving the flower Of the Regular Army In
! graves Cuban soil. as well as some or the
/ best volunteer regiments. The lessons learned
/ In taking the outlying fortiications OF Santiago
| will not be without profit.
In the United States It is doubtless matter
or comment that the Army should suffer so
! heavily I'm dead and wounded. while the Navy Is
/ able to destroy the Spanish fleet with hardly
life sacrifice. An understanding Of the land
position makes the explanation easier. though 1t
does not Justify the failure to take into account
| the desperate resistance which the Spanish sol
ders could make 10 the advance Of an invading
army They had all the advantage OF protected
positlon-forts. intrenchments. rifle pits. forests
| and underbrush. 1t will be said 10 their credit
that they utilized their natural advantages with
strategic SKIN. From the beginning they
pronted by the too great eagerness Of the Amer
lean troops. officers and men. and by the delu-
sion which seems to have been general in the
Army that the Spaniards were az Incapable OF
making defensive fight OF waging an ag-
grcssve one. When the march overland from
Baiquiri In progress the attack on the
Wood and Roosevelt regiment OF Rough Riders
gave n hint that further surprises might be eX-
pected. hut while greater caution was exercised
in marching the possibility OF a stubborn stand
by tho Spanish troops anywhere outside OF the
trenches OF Santiago Itself was not entertained.
Now It IS known that the Spanish defences We're
both scientific and thorough while the knowl-
edge OF the country possessed by General Shat
ter and his staff was imperfect. The Cubans
were partly responsible FOR this They have
done better fighting as allies than has been
credited to them. but as a bureau OF informa-
ton ,hcy have been a failure Geography has
been one of the weak points Of the American IN
vasion Of cuba The commanding officers have
no, known the strong positions OF the enemy.
and they have not always been sure Of their
own
IMPORTANCE OF CANEY AND SAN JUAN
40 criticism can lie against the Army. The
work ahead ~ Il in the lighting which began on
the morning 81 July | was to take and occupy
the outlying defcnces OF Santiago. This was
done thoroughly and effectively. The village OF
Caney. on the north. with rs line OF forts and
blockhouscs. which was stormed and taken
after nine hours fighting. is proving OF great
value as base Of operations It's strength was
not fully Understood The blockhouse San
Juan Hill northeast Of Santiago. which was oc-
cupcd after prolonged and gallant struggle
IS now the key 10 the American position. Both
places had to be taken before the town could be
invested either FOR n waiting siege or for bonn
bardmeut. The troops earned all the COM
mcndation that has been given to them. and the
fun measure Of praise never be given for
their bravery.
The criticism Is OF imperfect plans, OF lack OF
conccr; among the attacking forces Of the de-
nc.cncles in the work Of the Engineer Corps
and Of the weakness 81 the artillery. II a cam
paIgn against Havana is necessary. all these
lessons viii be remembered
The Siege at this moment OF writing appears
to be complete enough to be maintained for a
long time without material harm TO the troops
maintaining II. except such AZ may come from
the alienation u exposure 70 sun and rain In
the trenches and rifle pits. The health problem
* a serious one. yet thus far II has proved less
serious than was anticipated. II Is certain.
however that an indefinite continuance Of the
present general good health cannot be counted
on. The troops would be better off In san
lingo awaiting transportation back to the United
states If peace comes. or II the war goes on
and the next movement Is against either Porto
Rico or Havana.
Probably the Spaniards will settle this qucs-
ton ~ a long Siege by themselves precptating
n hombardment. with their outer line of in
trenchmcnts only half a mile in front Of the
American rife pits on San Juan HILL collision
IL pretty apt 10 come when the exchange OF
prisoners H. completed After to-day there will
be little reason why the white flag should be
u.
city under the warning that n bombardment
was probable. Most Of them have taken refuge
in the village Of Caney. and have become a
charge upon the American military authorities
POSITION OF THE BATTERIES AND TROOPS
The spaniards will he the most anxious to
locate the artillery which Is To shell the city. |
Three ~ tho batteries. Of four guns each. have |
been placed 10 the left ~ san Juan. These are
the Parkhurst. Grimes and Best batteries. The |
Capron battery is TO the right between Caney |
and Santiago. The heavy siege guns have not !
been brought up from the coast. but the eight /
mortar guns ready to be used. 1t IL be |
lioved they will be abb. 10 drop pound shrap- !
mel into the Spanish rifle pits The Spaniards /
viii probably the shrapnel. as they did last |
week. but instead Of falling into exposed and |
unprotected ranks Of American troops most Of
their shrapne IL expected to drop into bomb
proofs. II is thought that the Spanish guns
which did the greatest harm have been located
and can be rendered useless. There are mines
laid for the troops whenever they advance to
take the inner Entertainments Of Santiago and
no rush Will be made over this ground until
they are DESTROYED.
The position 81 the American forces, though 1t
may he shifted slightly, will not vary materially
in case Of an engagement General Bates Is on
the extreme left with the Sd and 10Th Infantry
and the 9th Massachusetts Volunteers Kents
division occupies the left Ii Is made up or
Hawkinss brigade comprising the p pn iOtn
the 10Th. DIST and I'd: and Worth's the 18th.
19th and oath Infantry. Wheelers cavalry
division holds the centre, with fenefal summer
commanding the 3D. 9th and 9th. and Colonel
Wood the LIST. 10Th and LIST Volunteers. or Rough
Riders Lawtons division Is on the right. with
Colonel Mless brigade. comprising the 4th LIST
and DIST Infantry. and General Charees brig
AIDE. the 18th. 9TH and 18th General Ludlow
has the extreme right. with the 18th. I'D and
the ID Massachusetts, Volunteers. His forces
are in junction with General Garcia's Cuban
Army which is close to Santiago along the coast
side The Saith Michigan Volunteers is at pres
ent engaged in roadmakng, and the 33d in hos
pit al service.
Whether the Spanish are getting any large
eccessions 10 their troops from either Man
zanillo or Holguin Is uncertain Some hundreds
have slipped in and 1t Is guesswork whether
these were stragRlers an advance guard. Tho
Spanish troops which were at Guantanamo
when the American marines landed and establ-
lished Camp McCalla have not entered Santiago.
The soldiers who are taken prisoners report that