Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-07-04
BATTLtD FOR cANEY.
How Our Boys and the Dons
Struggled for the Outworks
of Santiago de Cuba.
WHAT WAS ACHIEVED ON FRIDAY
Prize for Which the Fight Was Fought
Surrounded By the Troops Of
Uncle Sam.

Two Thousand Spaniards Killed, Wounded
and Prisoners and Demonstration Made
OF the Fact That the Men in Blue Insist
on Getting There-Description of the
Engagement Where 1t Was Hottest
Dons Put Up an Obstinate Resistance.
Hong Kong. July 4.-The United
States dispatch boat Zafiro, which left
Manila July l, has arrived here. She
reports that the American troops in the
transports City of Sydney, City of
PekinS, and Australia, conveyed by the
Charleston, arrived at Cavite on June
so, having taken the Ladrone islands on
| the way and having left men there.
Headquarters of General Shafter.
July l tEvening), via Kingston. ia
maica, July 4.-[Copyright, 1898. by the
Associated Press. l-Hemmed mall sides
by Gen. Lawton's division the Spanish
troops in the town of Caney are tonight
practically prisoners of war; and by
caybreak tomorrow Spain will have lost
1000 of her best soldiers killed, wounded
and taken prisoners in and around the
town, which was practically in the hands
of the American forces at o'clock to-
night This result was not obtained,
however, without severe fighting on the
part of the American forces, and it
is safe to say that the loss in General
Lawton's division alone will be 15Okilled
or wounded. In General Lawtons d.
vision the Second Massachusetts, had up
| to the middle of the day sustained the
heaviest loss, although other regiments
were more actively engaged.
Fight Wa, Hot and Obstinate.
During the afternoon the fight for the
possession of Caney was most obsti-
nate and the ultimate victory reflects
great credit upon the American troops.
IL was glory, too, for Spain. Her men
fought in entertainments, covered ways
and Lighthouses. while the American
forces were in the open from first to
last. The Spanish soldiers stuck to
their work like men and this, the first
lana fight of the war. may well cause
Spain to feel proud Of hsr men, The
American soldiers attacked theentrench-
ments Through open ground and from
the firing of the first shot until they were
on the hills above Caney they fought
their way forward and the Spanish were
driven backwards
Chafiee Had the Right OF sIie Line.
General Chaffees brigade held the
right of the lire with the town of Caney.
General Ludlow's division was in the
center of and Colonel Miles had the left.
The plan Of battle was for Captain
Allyn CapTon's battery of the First ar
tiiery. which held a position in the
center above General Ludlow, to she'll
the fort near the town: for General
Chaffee to close in as soon as the artil-
lery had reduced the fort and driven the
Spaniards towards Santiago: General
Ludlow to lay in the road below the
hill on which Captain Capron's battery
wasstationed and swing in on General
Chaffee's left. while Colonel Miles bril-
gaGe was to keep close to General Lud-
lows right and. by simultaneous
moveRent. sweep the Spaniards in to-
ward Caney.
C;apron Opens the Battle.
General Lawton. who personally di-
rected the operations of his division.
left his camp at 4 a. m. and at o'clock
was with Captain Capron's battery on
the hill above Caney. Orders were given
that the battle should begin from the
center. unless General Chaffee. who was