New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-04

and thence on TO FL Pozo, Las Guasmas and
Siboney. Next to the excellence OF these newly
opened lines Of travel ones greatest surprise Is
to find the country fought over 80 clear and
open. The dry season dwarfs underground all
over Cuba. and the rains are said to change
materially the face of every province. But IL is
hard TO believe that a single months rainfall
year ago could have converted the rolling
country east Of Santiago into that vast thick o
of bush and chaparra which II has been pct
ured by so many oyer-sensitzed eye witnesses
Of the Santiago campaign
On spring day the scene Of the fighting Is
spread out from the top of San Juan Hill IKE
an open map. One can see at glance the ri
Pozo farmhouses far in the rear. near when
Grimes's battery was planted and from when
the battle OF July / begun. FL Caney lies
far to the northeast. covered by thin haze, ana
the valleys Of the San Juan River and Aqua
dores Gre y clearly and sharply defined IN
the immediate foreground. Few battle fields or
the Civil War are completely unveiled. Little
Round Top at Gettysburg, was far more hidden
and inaccessible to Longstreets assault than
San Juan Hill to that Of the Firth Army
Corps at Santiago. The field Of Chickamauga
was at all points infinitely more impenetraoie
than the so-called jungle west from FL Pozo.
CONVENTIONAL LINES FOLLOWED.
Nor does 1t take extraordinary intelligence to
discover that the attack on General Torals posi-
lions followed conventional military lines. San
Juan HILL on which Of the largest Spanish
blockhouses stood. was the key to the citys
whole outer plan OF defenceS, ana the so-cdlleu
Bloody Ford approach was the only one really
available TO reach this vital spot. Inc crltlcai
point in the attacking movement was IN the
depoyment of the troops for the assault Tor
such is the formation of the San Juan Hill that
every step taken toward II after crossing the
last river bed q step toward safety ana not
toward death From their trenches the spanish
infantrymen could not hit men VINO mad got
within four hundred yards of the base or the
almost vertical slope: and this fact, which most
OF the soldiers realized. doubtless accounts Tor
q confusion
from the exposed river bed for the foot OF the
hill.
Kettle Hill. an outlying spur to the northeast
of San Juan was the advance Spanish post
assaulted by the Rough Riders and the rest OF
the cavalry division. 1t was held, OF course
until the loss of San Juan Hill proper enabled
these commands TO advance and occupy posi-
lions not about the captured blockhouse, but on
the northWard extension OF san Juan Ridge
which the Spanards had been obliged 10 aoan-
don.
With the capture of San Juan Hill the defence
Of Santiago became hopeless in military sense
though lack or artillery ana equipment uh-
doubtedly prevented the American Army from
developing with any promptness It's natural al
vantages of position. Probably the most serious
technical error Of the campaign was the costly
assault on FL Caney. a position which would
have fallen Of itself on the retreat Of the span
ish forces from San Juan to the interior line OF
defences.
The suggestion has been made by General
Wood and others that the United States Govern
ment enlarge its present scheme OF military
tie fields. With the question of sovereignty still
undetermined no serious effort can be made to
enlist either American or Cuban support for this
patriotic enterprise. But should the United
States be forced by circumstances TO retain po-
tica and military control in Cuba, the crea-
tion of a military park here is likely to be one
OF the Governments earliest concerns. Local
interest in the preservation Of the battle fields
OF July and > is already excited, for the people
of Santiago are shrewd and fully appreciate
the added attractions such a project will hold
out to the American health and pleasure seekers,
who are sure TO turn TO Cuba in increasing num-
bers every year. With four or five military
parks already approaching completion in the
United States-all designed to preserve the great
battle fields o the Civil War-there seems to be
every reason TO count on the ultimate CONVEX
sion into a military reservation Of the single
important field on which il was given the Ameri-
can Army to prove its temper during the war
with Spain.
The story Of Santiago has been told with a
wealth OF contradiction and an historical in
tensity OF prejudice lavshed few other mill
tary campaigns. Some day. when passions have
cooled down. the truth about the operations OF
! the Fifth Corps will be known. And nothing
/ will hasten that day materially than the
perpetuation Of the battle lines to the east OF
| this city. mute testimonials TO the magnitude
! and brilliancy OF an American victory whose
/ significance the personal animosites and over
/ hasty judgments Of the hour have gone much
for nhS