The National tribune., 1899-03-30

% chat she Was taking along with her one OF
tha hest reDo-ters in the country. allud
Inv to her gifted Vice President. WIN
all that, however, Mr. kennan mas taken
the liberty to apply his satire at tunes 10
Miss Barton herself. and has not vailed
the many whimsical foib!es exhibited by
the charitable lady. Indeed, when MI.
Kennan finds his own ship quarantineo
against him, and is fed Tor days out Oh
hammer lowered to him over the snip
side at the end OF string through 'he
good Offices of Mrs. John Addison Porter
wife In the Presidents secretary, ne can
: not forbear calling attention to the TACT
that while he and Gen Leonard "ooo
are not allowed TO endanger the heaiih oi
the shin by going aboard after they nave
been ON shore, still the officers and crew
and vorkmen 90 and come hourly with
out let or hindrance.
Tboso who have read Mr.. Kennan's
work on the Siberian exile system ana
other Subjects will not be surprised to
learn that he speaks with entire freedom
upon all subjects and persons coming
within the field of his observation, and
that he is least OF all respecter oil shoai
der-straps.
A very few passages taheh ~
hook will serve to indicate its character.
After giving an account OF the long walt
at Tampa and the voyage to Cuoa WIN
the feet transports, the writer lands Win
the army, and Witnesses the operauohs
. hack of Santiago. With reference 10 inc
battle of Caney he says:
THE STRUGGLE AT CANEY.
"At that time June 29I the divisions
of Gems. Kent, Wheeler, and Lawton were
encamped on the Siboney Santiago road,
between the high ridge OF SevIlla, from
which had seen the city two days before,
and a half-ruined house and plantation,
two OF three miles farther on. known as
FL Pozo. Most vi the troops were IN Inc
valley of a small stream which rises on
tte western slope OF the Seyilla water
shed, runs for d short distance In tne Oh
rection of Santiago, and la, altef re-
cejying a number Of tributaries. Turns
aouthward, Just beyond the PoZo iarm-
house, and falls into the sea througn tne
: notch in the rampant at Aguadores. Al
Though the bottom OF this valley, in gen
eral. was densely wooded, theie was d
series of grassy openings. or giades, on
the northern side OF the stream Just east
cf Ell Pozo. and in one of these openings
Gen Lawton, who led the ADVANCE Hao
established his Headquarters.
HAbout three miles due north from III
Pozo. and between three and four miles
in a norsbeasierly direction from Santiago,
there was a small village called Caney,
which, on account of its geographical
position, was regarded as place OF con-
sideIable strategic Importance. II was
connected by roads or practicable trails
with Santiago on the west, Guantanamo
on the east, and Ell PoZo on the south;
and an enemy holding it would not only
outfiank us on that side as soon as we
a. Do, E.vv
means Of a rapid cross march IN our rear,
might cut OF seriously imperil our only line
Of communication with our base oil sup
> plies at Siboney. The fact was well
known, Furthermore, that there was
strong division OF Spanish regulars about
8.00O mem at Guantanamo; and II this
division should undertake TO reinforce the
garrison a. Santiago, Caney would be Gi-
rectly on its line Of march. In view Of
these considerations, Gen. Shafter, after
a survey Of the country from the summit
of the hill at III Pozo, determined TO seize
Caney, and. having thus cut OF rein
forcements from Guantanamo and pro
tected himself from a flanking movement
on the right, advance directly upon the
city. The plan was good enough. as far
- as 1t went; but Cen. ohai'eI mad made
no reconnaissance on the Siboney-San-
.D tiaao road beyond El Pozo, and vas
wholly ignorant not only OF the strength
OF the enemy's position there, but Of the
nature OF the country TO he trayerSed. Ii
Is true that he had specifically looked
over the ground, once, from the top of the
Pozo hill; but he could get, in that way,
very little accurate knowledge OF the
topography of the region, and still less
of the Spaniards' defensive strength.
"Our only possible line of advance, in
the center, was the Siboney Santiago
road, which ran through dense jungle,
down the valley of the Aguadores River,
crossed a small stream flowing into that
river from the north, then crossed the San
Juan River, another tributary of the Aqua
dores, and finally emerged from the
forest directly in front OF the San Juan
nights. The enemy, Of course, knew ex-
actly where this road lay, and where IL
came out of the woods into the open coun-
try; and they had so disposed their bat
teries and rifiepits that they could not
only concentrate their fire upon the lower
stretches and the mouth Of the road. bu,
sweep with n hail storm Of proicc:ilcs the
whole margin OF tho forest where we
should have to deploy and form our at
tacking line. Gen. Shafter had not as
certained these facts by means OF a re-
connaissance, nor had he, apparently,
considered such state OF affairs as q
contingency to be guarded against; but
Mr. HIchard Harding Davis asserts that
Gen. Chafiee, commander Of brigade in
Gen. Lawton's Division, anticipated pre-
cisely this situation, and predicted, five
days before the battle, that il our men