St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-01-11

d Juan from the fact that the combatan
i at Ell Caney had fairly good view
o each others position.
D The Spanish hero of the fighting {
q Ell Caney is General Joaquin Vara dC
Rey. General del Rey brought up
, brigade from San Luis to help in tn
defense of Santiago, and it fell to hi
| lot to conduct forlorn hope at Ell Ga
| ney. His force consisted of 467 SPANS
regulars, armed with Mausers, and 4
guerrillas, carrying Remingtons Th
first indication of the American advanc
from Sevilla was given on June 80
when the balloon arose behind tn
American camp, and soon after Shafter'
army disappeared in the opening of thu
jungle east of San Juan river.
All day and night the 30th Del Rey I
men dug trenches around the stone for
at Ell Oaney and in front of the loop
holed houses of the village. The trenche!
were three feet deep, and the men hat
orders to win or die in them. In the
stone fort 30 regulars took their stand
and good fight they made with theil
Mausers The fort withstood hom.
bardment of shells, then fusillade of
bullets from all sides. Fighting with
out artillery the 30 regulars kept off 20
times that number of Americans on
July !, although the enemy had lodg
ments at close range.
And Del Reys troops never dreamed
OF an easy victory. The Americans held
their end up, fact the Spaniards noted
at every stage. Said one of Del Rey s
aids: "The enemy's fire was incessant,
and we answered it with equal rapidly
have never seen anything equal to the
courage and dash Of those Americans,
who, stripped to the waist, Offering
their naked breasts to our murderous
fire, literally threw themselves on our
trenches-on the very muzzes of our
guns.
"Our execution must have been terri
BILE. We had the advantage of our posi-
ton and moved them down, but they
never retreated or fell back an inch. As
one man fell another would take his
place, with grim determination and I'M
fiinching devotion to duty in every line
Of his face. p"
This sublime devotion in the assail
ants called for its match on the part of
the defenders. All this time the OLA
men under Del Rey were standing off at
least 1000 Americans at distances of
700 to 1000 yards. The Spanish am
munition was dwindling fast, and about
3 o'clock, after Capron g guns had bored
great holes in the walls of the stone
fort, word reached the general that the
last round Of ammunition had been sent
to the fort. The surviving regulars there
were holding on, with breaches in the
wall large enough to admit man and
900 American rifles busy within 500
yards. With this last round went the
order to make good use Of it, then "sal
vese quien pueda" (save who CAM
Immediately after giving the first or
der OF the day, suggesting retreat, al.
though slaughter and defeat were in
evitable Del Rey fell, shot through
both legs. One of his aids was killed by
his side while he spoke to him Before
the wounded commander could be re
moved to place of cover he was shot
through the head aud killed. The four
men bearing him were also hit, aud his
brother and abide camp. Lieutenap,
Antonio del Rey, wounded and taken
prisoner A decoration Oh General del
Keys breast fell into the hands of the
party Of Americans which buried him,
and General Shafter afterward returned
it to the family of the dead warrior.
During the byplay of the last round
and its tragic sequel the Americans
charged between El Caney village and
the fort and the 80 defenders of the
latter were cut off and surrounded. Still
they fought on. General Chaffee' S story
has already been published to the effect
that when he saw the reckless valor of
the Spaniards in fighting against fate
around their citadel he told their com
mander that if he would call on his fol
lowers to surrender their lives would
be spared The officer, already wound
ed, shrugged his shoulder aud exclaim.
ed, with cynical smile, "The fortune
OF war " After chat the Spaniards in
the trenches we're shot as they attempt
ed to get away, and even while aiming
at Americans Already the flag of the
fort was down and the Spaniards at Ell
Caney village in retreat.
spariards who fought in the open n,
III Oaney were equally brave Maioi
Whipple Of the Second Massaohusett.
took a Mauser all stained with blood
from PROSTATE Spanish officer. who
neld 1t IN his death grip, and had evi
IDENTITY defended the picket line against
the American advance picket.
Cervera's boldness in handling his
squadron raised the estimate of Spanish
courage IN the eyes of Americans. Ono
instance OF his GOODNESS in action plaoea
him beside the fighting sailors of tho
world. The pilot who took the flagship
Maria Teresa out of the channel on july
was a harbor pilot, He stood by Ger.
vera's side in the forward tower md