The National tribune., 1903-07-09
THE AMERICAN
SPANISH WAR.
Continued from first page,

H. SFANl0H w AN.
Continued ffem first p"s'9
til nightfall, but our men held resolutely to
the positions gained-at the cost or so
much blood and tsiL vj During the night
Lieut. Col. Derby collected and sent for
ward the necessary tools, and later i'll the
7 night trenches of very considerable strength
were constructed. During the afternoon
Maj. Dllenbeck. by my order, brought for
wa ! the two reninirfihg batteries of his
battalion and put ;fheh in position at III
Pozo, to the left-of- Grimes. Later in
the afternoon all three batteries were
moved forward to positions near the fir
ing line. but the nature of the country
and the intensity of the enemys small
arms fire was such that no substantial
results We're gained by our artillery in the
new positions. The batteries were in
trenched during the night. The diversion
at AguadOres was successful, IN That the
Spaniards who were there were held SO
that they could not withdraw to reinforce
those in Santiago.
After the brilliant and important vic
tory gained Mt FL Caney. Lawton started
his tired troops, who had been hghtlng all
day and marching much of the night be-
fore. 10 connect with the right of the Cav
airy Division. Night came ON before TINS
movement could be accomplished. In the
darkness. the enemy's pickets were en-
countcred. and the Division Commander,
being uncertain of the ground and as to
what might he in the front. halted his
command and reported the situation to
me. This information was received about
12:fO n. III. Gen. LawtOn was directed to
march by the road passing my headquar-
tiers and the FL Pozo House. as the only
certain way of gaining his new position.
NJ. .,nlI n
line from Ell Caney to Aguadores. at the
junction of the Santiago and El Cancy
roads and from n mile to a mile and n
half to the rear of the center of the line.
I.awton's Division returned along the
Caney road to the Santiago road, thence
along the Santiago road to the San Juan
River. and took position on the right Of
the Cavalry Division early the next morn
ling. the morning of the I'd. Chaffee's
Brigade arrived first about 80, and the
other hrigadcs before noon.
On the night of July ]. the 31th Mich.
and 9th Mass. which had just arrived at
Siboney from the United States. We're
brought forward. The 34th Mich. was
placed in the rear of Kent, and the 9th
Mass. was assigned to Bates, who placed
it on his left.
CLOSING IN on TIE CITY.
Soon after daylight on July 2 the Span
iaris opened fire. but with the intrench-
ments made during the night by our troops
the approach Of Lawton's Division and
the presence of Batess Brigade. which
had taken position during the night on
Kcnt's left, little apprehension was fcli
as to our ability to repel the Spani;lrds
and to ho.d our position.
1t is proper to state here that Gen.
Bates and his brigade performed most
arduous and efficient service, having
marched much of the night of June 80
and Il good part of the next day, during
which they also participated in the battle
Ell Caney. After, this they proceeded. by
way of El Pozo. to the left Of the line ut
San IHnp' reaching the new position about
All day on the "a the battle ragged with
more or less fury, but such of our troops
as were in position at daylight held their
ground, and Lawton also gained a strong
and commanding position on the right.
About 10 p. m. the enemy made an assault
on one of our pIckets and for a short
time firing was general throughout the
line, but no advantage was gained on
! either side. BE- 'at
On the morning, Of, July 8 the battle
was renewed. butethe: enemy seemed to
have expended his energy in the assault
of the previous night, and the firing along
the lines was desultory until stopped by
the sending of the4 following letter within
the Spanish lines:
Headquarters United States Forces,
near San Juan River.
July 3, 1898; $50 A. m.
"To the Commanding General of the
Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba.
'Sir: | shall be obliged unless you sur
render, to shell Santiago de Cuba. Please
inform the citizens of foreign countries,
10, n,,I al; xI,nk -,
should leave the city before 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning.
Very respectfully. your obedient serv-
ant, WILLIAM II. SIIAFTER,
"Major-General, U. S. w
To this letter the following reply was
received:
Santiago de Cuba, July 3, 1893.
"His Excellency, the General Commanding
Forces of the u. S., near San Juan
River.
"Sir: I have the honor to reply to yonr
communication of to-day, written at $50
n. m. and received at l p. m, demanding
the surrender of this city, or in the con-
trary case announcing to me that you will
lombard this city and that l advise the
foreigners, women and children, that they
must leave the city before 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning.
1T is my duty to say to you that this
city will not surrender and that l will in
form the foreign Consuls and inhabitants
of the contents Of your message.
Every respectfully,
Jose ToRAL,
"Commander-in-C Chief Fourth Corps
The first message went under a flag Of
truce at 1870 p. m. l was of the opinion
that the Spaniards would surrender if
given reasonable time and thought this
result would be hastened if the men of
their army could be made to understand
how they would be treated as prisoners of
war. Acting upon this presumption, it
seemed best to offer to return all the
wounded Spanish officers at Ell Caney
who were able to bear transportation, and
who were willing to give their paroles not
to serve against the forces Of the United
States until regularly exchanged. This
offer was made and accepted. These off
GERS, as well as several of the wounded
Spanish privates, 27 in all, were sent to
their lines under the escort of some of our
mounted cavalry. Our troops were re-
ceived with honors and there is every
reason to believe that the return of the
Spanish prisoners and what they told of
the treatment they had received from US
produced favorable impression on their