The San Francisco call., 1898-06-26

thick underbrush and the Cubans were ordered to reply.
 Colonel Wood, after ordering his men to lie down quickly, surveyed the situ- atlon. His men had been caught in an ambush. The firing at once became furious. From several sides the enemy's S bullets came whistling toward our men and the engagement had hardly begun when several Rough Riders rolled over on the ground, dead.
 The Spanish could not be definitely located. They were well screened by the underbrush and their positions could be judged only from the direction of their fire. General Castillos men began firing more rapidly and the Rough Riders made ready to join in the shooting. Provoked by their in- ability to see the enemy the men be- gan to curse.
 Don't swear!" Colonel Wood shouted. Shoot"
 They did They joined the Cubans in pouring terrific fire into the bushes where the Spaniards lay It was an even fight for the next fifteen minutes or so. The fire of the Spanish then fell off bit. They seemed to be falling or retreaung. Lighter and lighter became the fire from the underbrush, until finally only an occasional shot whizzed toward the Americans position. This
  run quickly inspired the American troops. They charged forward pres ently gaining a position from which they could see the Spaniards.
 They renewed their fire with greater vigor, driving the enemy foot by foot toward Sevilla. The Spaniards resisted the American advance with great stub bornness, but the tide of battle had turned against them. During the next two hours they devoted themselves less and less. to shooting and finally fled precipitately toward Sevilla.
 While the Rough Riders were giving and taking hard knocks on the high ground the firing became general in the valley to the north, where General Lawton, the Cuban skirmish line hav- ing been driven back, checked the ad- vance of strong Spanish force, and eventually compelled them to retreat General LaWton succeeded in bringing a section of the mountain battery into action. This kept the road clear of Spaniards while our troops quickly formed and moved forward. There was heavy firing in this locality, but at noon General Lawton seemed to have pressed the enemy back across Jura- guaSito Creek.
 The Second Massachusetts took part in this engagement, and they thus were the first volunteers, aside from the Rough Riders, to be under fire.
 When the Mindora started with this dispatch the battle was in full pro- gress both on the mesa and across the valley. The Spanish everywhere were fighting bravely and making desperate resistance, but they were slowly yield ing in all directions.
 An attempt of the enemy to execute a flank movement on our troops in the mesa was checked by the Wampatuck and New Orleans, which shelled the chaparral just beneath the top of the ridge.
 It is impossible at this hour to make any accurate estimates of the losses on either side. Several of the Rough Riders reported as killed or wounded are coming to the rear for surgical treatment Their wounds are mostly slight The men say others are hurt too badly to get back without stretch CTS owing to the thickness of the under brush, which covers a great part of the battlefield.
 Many of the dead will be undiscov- cred for days until their whereabouts is revealed by the vultures, which al- ready hover in thousands over the field.
 The Spanish loss is believed to be heavy. It is known that it is con- siderably il excess of the American loss.
 When rolls are called tonight some light will be thro VII on the American losses, but it will not be conclusive. Many men are certain to have lost their commands during the battle and they may be unable to rejoin their organiza- tions before tomorrow. They will be reported as missing in the meantime
 Many dead Spaniards lay about the blockhouses where the enemy made it's final rally. After the structure had been set on fire the bodies of these soldiers were cremated and it is be- lieved hundreds died.
 The heat was intense during the day and a great many of the American nervous excitement attendant upon their first battle, was heavy strain upon the men.
 General Lawton, in obtaining a posi- tion across Juraguasito Creek, Is en- camped only six miles from Santiago Cathedral and two miles from Sevilla.
 To the westward General Garcia is making splendid progress. While our troops were engaged about Sevilla, General Garcia attacked Hermitano, five miles west of Socapa Castle and only eight miles from Santiago. There is small Spanish fort at Hermitano with some field guns, supported by a garrison. General Garcia sent 1000 Gu bans against this fort, the attack being designed to prevent General Linares from sending troops to check the ad- vance of the main army. The Cubans attacked so spiritedly, however, that they are reported to have taken part of the intrenchments.
 The spanish are preparing to fall back to Caimanes, which is inside the regular defenses of Santiago. Cobre was abandoned by General Linares last night and the garrison was withdrawn to Caimanes. During General Garcia's s attack on Hermitano the Texas and Brooklyn shelled the Socapa and Es- trella Notifications, which replied feebly.
 When Mindora left the two battle ships were firing at Juraguasito to pre- vent the Spanish from destroying a railroad bridge which they were pre- pairing to do. The Cubans report that General Linares has undermined many of the roads and paths leading into Santiago and that he will try to blow