Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-07-02

y
ElBoNEY, July l, p. NAT this
hour the fighting has practically stop
ped. 1t will be resumed tomorrow
Saturday morning. Our troops have
gained several brea5tworks after en-.
countering barDed wire fence eight
feet high.
New YORK, July "A dispatch from
Playa del Este, dated July i, says: San
Juan Heights have fallen, and the way
is now opened for an advance on Nor
70 Castle. 1t was glorious victory,
but very dearly purchased. The place
was the strongest Spanish outpost, well
fortified and valiantly defended. The
position was an excellent one. San
Juan hill is steep, and an artillery bat
terry was located on it. 1t was also &C.
cupied by barracks and other buildings,
but the American troops stormed the
heights, and Spanish valor had to yield
to the tenacily and courage OF the An
glo Saxon. AS | write our troops are
lwarming up the hill and covering it
like ants. The Spaniards are demoral
lied. The fighting has been of the
hardest kind and our troops have suf'
fered severely. but the enemy's works
are in their hands and they do not
count the cost. FL Caney is also ours.
The general advance, which began at
3 p. 10. has been successful ali along the
line. After driving the enemy out Of
Ell Caney the troops took possession OF
the village and destroyed the Spanish
fort by when it had been defended.
The Spaniards fled into the city OF
Santiago, where they now are. The
losses on both sides were heavy. A
bursting Spanish shell almost annihi-
llted an entire company of our troops,
The American losses are estimated al
over 1000 killed and wounded.
A dispas' 10 the Evening World,
dated July l, says: AT I o'clock this
morning the first shot was fired from
Capron's battery. Promptly the Span.
ish began to answer the challenge
from their forts and trenches.
At 10 Grimes's battery opened on the
Spanish troops to the right of the San
Juan blockhouse. The powder used
by our troops was fine target for the
Spanish field battery, which probably
was served by Admiral Cervera'5 ma
rines, judging by the accuracy of the
aim. While our smoke gave the enc
my our range, Grimes could only ap-
proximately locate the enemy's guns,
which used smokeless powder. The
Spanish fire gradually slackened and in
less than an hour it ceased altogether.
Battery A, of The Second Artillery, de-
serves great credit for the victory, for
it was case Of blindness against sight.
Most of the Spanish shells flew low
over the crest of the battery's position
and exploded Through them the
Rough Riders had about ten men
wounded. The Cubans, who also sup
ported the battery, lost twenty killed
and wounded. The details of General
Lawton's losses have not arrived.
The day was clear with a moderate
breeze blowing, but there was strong
heat. The troops are in good condi-
ton.
The military balloons used by the
signal corps proved OF inestimable ser
vice in yesterdays engagement: The
balloon used yesterday floated just
over the tree tops and was easily guided
along three miles Of the road toward
the lines of the enemy. Whenever it
halted for the purpose of taking pho
tograph of the Notifications below, the
Spaniards seized the occasion for TAX
ing shots at the midair monster. At
one time the big balloon hung over
San Juan, not over 500 yards from the
enemy, and for five minutes the Span
iards below tried in vain to punctureit.