The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-31
ANECDOTES OF GkN. LAYTON.
New Version or the Charge by which FL
Caney Was Captured.

Caney Was Captured.
| Som- National Guard officers who served in the
Spanish American War were discussing Gen
l.awton's death and his services in Cuba One
Of them told thu following stories concerning
| his conduct at III Canry where hc wore the white
| helmet which was tn" cause Of his death:
"On thu morning Of July I Gen. Lawton was
sent with force Of about 5 900 men To take FL
| Caney, while the balance of the troops were 10
be engaged at San Juan. As dusk fell after tho
first days fighting viewed with alarm the
thin blue line which surrounded San Juan
Many " us tired out with the long, hot day =
work, having broken camp that morning at 3
o'clock, fell asleep on the damp hillside Of San
Juan trying to gain = few moments res, before
| the struggle which We knew was inevitable the
| next day. Grave doubts were expressed II We
| could hold our position against the Spaniards
| and II will b" remembered that there was CON
| suitauun ot Officers at which IL was suggested
that our troops should b. Withdrawn. plan which
was violently opposed by Gen Wheeler and others
About midnight We were awakened with thu
pleasing intelligence that Gen. Lawton had cap
tured RI tancy with very small loss. I think
five. aud that h- was rapidly moving 10 JOIN our
right, which would b. done bv daybreak This
hc accomplished, and II IL doubtful II save for
this II our troops could have held their position
Our Joy was somewhat, tempered by the fact that
'Vu lsh"tou loss az ri I hnNy was mlCh heavier
than at first reported.
"A day or two after the attic ono OF the officers
81 Gen. Lawton's staff told nj, Of tn. Generals
famous whit, helmet which seems To have b,ep
the cause OF his death near Manila He said
that during the battle Of II Cancy the tall form
"f Gen Law,on with his white helmet was a mos,
CONSPICUOUS object while directing the movements
ol The troops Then, as was aftcrward the case
Ia tho Philippines hc was thus a target for the
cncn'y's bullets, but undisturbcd and unprotected
he stood while the bullets battered like hal about
him, One or two Of his staff officers begged hi m
to lie down as he was drawing the Are Of the enemy.
hut II never seemed 10 occur TO him that nc would
he HIT and b" Enthusiastically remarked TO
these officers that II any of them cared about
lying down they could do so, and many II ,nrm
did so while Lawton remained erect. And there
the stan had To remain exposed TO a CALLING Are
as inc cnomys sharpshootcrs continued to select
ecu Iawions white hrnlct as a mark.
! nave seen some mention since tac death Of
ten Iawton of tn" order sent 10 him by Gen
Shaftcr 10 Withdraw his troops from FL Cancy
a proceeding which would have been disastrous
IN our forces, bu, have ncrcr seen the statement
given 10 mc by thr same stat officer. lie told
ME that as Gen. lawton stood directing tho troops
an aide from, tho staff Of Cen Shaftcr rode up and
said:
Gen LAYTON. Gen. Shaflcr directs you To
Withdraw your troops ~" "
~ FIRST Gen LAYTON was .nonpusscd; then
turning 10 the aide he said This IL too serious
qnIe /, in writing from Gen Shai,eT. ' lie well eli
rear aud that a written order from him could
n rms be Icrrined before the charge WAS ordered
believe that the whole story has been "d wv "''
Gen lawton knowing that The aide would
soon reduce the order 10 writing Immediately
SEM ORDERS 70 his ofh''Is 10 change. The aide
returned in about twenty minutes With the writ,en
order having only retired shot distance 10
as the whole American force stormcd ,ross he
he,d IN mat last desperate, successful attempt
y" lake +, taney When he handed the wri lien
ntdrr 10 thr General, .awton pointed Ia the charg
ing troops and said. AS yom see the ,roops
a asyc already commenced 10 charge Tell Gen
stop them now
Thus the capture Of ri Caney was due 10 Gen.
LAYTON Perseverance under difficulties
The following story Of Gen Iawton was told by
sergeant IN the regular Army who served under
being the odes enlisted man IN Inc Figh;h
Army Corps After the surrender II Santiago
ne General was standing in The main street 81
van, massive form making him even more con
sprunus than usual lie wore a Llue shr, and
cg his nat and was Si,hou, any indications
from West Point. and so belonging 10 The class
E M.s II H., me army es Johnny come lately
was waking down the street, aud having n high
sense 81 his own importance, tspped the General
on . NE shoulder, taking him Tor a non commits
ne VAS addressed thus by the young Officer.
Scrgehnt are you soldier ."
Yes sir, replied the General
you see him" ' WV"
a, The General saluted, but with So abrupt and
nlppnnl an air that the anger Of the Lieutenant
WAS aroused, and he further asked;
Sergeant, what's your name"
We'll replied the General, assuming n ,livb,
drnwl That was some ines characteristics my
name Is Major General Henry " Lavton
Mhai your name" leaving the Lieutenant
eIes'ial~n and slAmmcring out some lame apoluay,