Salt Lake Herald | 1898-07-02 | Page 1 | Desperate and Bloody Assault by Shafter; Boys in Blue Drive the Enemy from Their Works

L DESPERATE AND BLOODY ASSAULT BY SHAfT BOYS IN BLUE DRIVE THE ENEMY fROM THEIR WORKS I Armies Engaged In Furious Battle From Early Morning Until Dark AMERICAN LOSS OVER FOUR HUNDRED BUT NUMBER OF KILLED WAS SMALL Americans Reach Outskirts of the City and Will Renew the Battle This Morning 1 Copyright 1S9S by the Associated Press Playa del Este July 1 U2d a m A general assault on the city of Santiago San-tiago de Cuba by the land and sea forces of the United States began at 7 oclock this morning General Lawton advanced and took possession of Ca I bona a suburb of Santiago Morro Castle and the other forts at the entrance of the harbor were bombarded bom-barded by out fleet The Vesuvius used her dynamite guns with good effect The Spanish fleet in the harbor fired on the American troops who were very close to the city Hard fighting all along the American line was in progresaat U oclock Siboney July 1 330 p m via Playa del EsteAt 1 oclock this afternoon after five hours terrific fighting the Spanish began to leave their entrenchments entrench-ments and retreat into the city Many Americans were wounded and are being brought in One man had both arms shot off and was wounded in one hip but was J laughing 1 The fighting continued until dark Our forces carried the enemys outer works and have occupied them this evening The battle will probably be resumed at daybreak The American loss Js heavy Some estimates place it at 500 killed and wounded SHAFTERS OFFICIAL REPORT Washington July 1Tbe war department de-partment has received the following from General Shafter dated at Sib on y Had a very hard engagement today which lasted from S a m until sundown sun-down We have carried their outer works and are now In possession of them There is now about threequarters of a mile of open between my lines and the city By morning troops will be entrenched and considerable augmentation augmenta-tion of forces will be there General Lawtons division and General Bates j I brigade which have been engaged all day in carrying El Caney which was accomplished at 4 p m will be in line and in front of Santiago during the night I regret to say that our casualties will be above 400 Of these not many were kihed Signed SHAFTER SHAFTERS FIRST REPORT Firing Was Light and Desultory at > the Opening I Washington July Secretary Alger received the following dispatch from General Shafter dated at 945 a m I Camp at Savilla Cuba July 1 Action Ac-tion now going on but firing light and desultory Begun on right near Caney Lawton division He will move on northeast part of town of Santiago Will keep you fully advised of progress pro-gress The secretary expressed confidence that our forces are well armed and in good position to give an account of j themselves General Shatter has artil j f lery well placed I A dispatch was received from Colonel Allen In charge of the signal station at Playa del Este He said that the fight was growing furious in all directions direc-tions The time he sent the telegram eight Americans and nine Cubans had been wounded The Spaniards were shelling the Americans as they advanced advanc-ed and Admiral Sampsons fleet was liotl engaging the forts The dispatch was received by the members of the cabinet with much enthusiasm en-thusiasm one member remarking that the sight must be Inconceivably grand and that he would very much liked to have had a hand in the fight No doubt was expressed that our forces would win the day LAWTONS ADVANCE Capture of Caney Was All That Was Intended Yesterday Copyright Isis by the Associated Press General Lawtons Headquarters Rio Guama Thursday June 30 3 p m I Daylight tomorrow Friday will see I a movement of the fifth division under General Lawton to a new base north and east of Santiago All this morning General Garcias Cubans have been moving from their hill camp on the east and have been passing headquarters al most at a jog trot Assuming that 4000 men will be deployed de-ployed on the northeast the American advance is now drawing closer around the doomed city General Lawtons men will move at daybreak Three miles east of their present position po-sition there rises a narrow ridge in the Santiago valley Southward from here the troops can look down on Caney tiny picturesque old and once a thriving thriv-ing Spanish town almost at their feet Three miles west crowning a low ridge that crosses the Santiago valley are seen the Spanish barracks and a large building over which floats the Red Cross societys flag This is the Reina Mercedes hospital where according to all pacIfico reports are now located Lieutenant Hobson and the heroic seven The valley three miles wide would be a garden spot in time of peace Now it is filled with a rank tropical growth covering abandoned plantatluns The only sign of a habitation between Santiago San-tiago and Caney is Buguro house once a hospitable country hotel then used by the Spanish as a barricade btt now abandoned except for a corporals guard of Spaniards Opposite on the northern side of the valley Is a broad plateau accessible by a good road This Is the key to Santiago Artillery there could command com-mand the city and force the Spaniards I to evacuate or to storm the heights to capture the battery The latter course the Americans consider extremely unlikely un-likely Ceneral Lawton and his command from the ridge will first take Caney A slight skirmish Is expected but nothing noth-ing serious The captured pa lficos all allege that the Spanish main force which was here four days ago has now been withdrawn into Santiago in pursuance pur-suance of a general plan of concentration tion Spies report General Linares continuous retreat from Baiquiri to Santiago This plan is Idb to be much I I against his own wishes but to be forced upon him by his superior officer General Toral commanding Santiago I It is evident that the Spanish stand is to be made Inside the strong entrenchments I entrench-ments about the city With well armed men eager for a final clash this stand might well be desperate I The temper of the Spaniards is hard to ascertain Owing to the Cubans biased estimate of Spanish ability they predict a merely nominal resistance but the Americans think otherwise At any rate the Spaniards are eating hon s and the civilians are gathering mangroves In a suburban wood where some 20 have bean charged by the American patrol The Spaniards have therefore the spur of hunger Whether Whe-ther it has broken their fighting spirit a few days may tell The capture of Caney and possibly the occupation of the commanding plateau is now thought to be the limit of tomorrows movement General Lawtons command carries provisions I sufficient to last until July 4 With the present supply train service continuing without accident he will easily have I food enough to last to July 12 By that time accordir > to one well informed in-formed officer ana perhaps sooner Santiago will be taken This move of the Fifth division will completely turn the Spanish eastern flank General Kents command will be able to move up parallel to its present pres-ent position acting as a wall against the horde of Spaniards from three strong lines south and east Should a serious effort be made to prevent General Gen-eral Lawtons gaining the desired I plateau and the Spanish Interior forces thereby weakened General Kent and General Wheeler may be thrown for A I l J I MAJOR GENERAL H W LAWTON The Fighting Commander Whose Division Opened Yesterdays Battle ward and a general engagement precipitated pre-cipitated A large detail has been at work all day Improving a military road to Caney with a view of the artillery and the supplies for the other force cutting through the woods parallel to old Santiago San-tiago road It Is also possible that this opening may bring the siege guns inland in-land from the railway that is now working up the coast in the hands of our troops The condition of the American troops is excellent Despite the hard rains and the hot sun only IS men out of General Lawtons 5593 were reported I ill on todays sick call The other commands are equally well off The men are full of fight and eager for the big battle In preparation for the assault on Santiago 60 tried men from each brigade brig-ade noncommissioned officers and privates have been promoted to be wire clippers and they will precede the first firing line about 200 or 300 yards for the purpose of cutting the barbed wire fences of obstruction to the way to the city Their mission is a most hazardous one as they will be exposed to the fire of our men as well i as that of the enemy j The pacfiicos who have been brought into the American camp during the last few days are In a pitiable condition condi-tion Men women and children are absolutely starving and they welcome American shelter General Shafter has established his headquarters with General Lawton and today hoisted the corps flag Today the signal corps used observation observa-tion balloons obtaining a perfect view of the Spanish entrenchments the city and the harbor OPENED BY LAWTON General Is a Fighter and Has a Fighting Fight-ing Division Washington July According to General Shafters report the attack on Santiago was begun by the second division di-vision of the Fifth army corps commanded com-manded by Brigadier General H W Lawton This division consists of three brigades made up as follows First brigade commanded by Colonel J J Van Horn Eighth United States infantry Twentysecond United States infantry and the Second Massachusetts infantry Second brigade commanding officer unknown but supposed to be Coloni BatesFIrst United States Infantry Fourth United States infantry and Twentyflft4i United States Infantry Third brigade commanded by Brigadier Briga-dier General A R Chaffee Seventh United States infantry Twelfth United States infantry and Seventeenth United Unit-ed States infantry Thus i it appears that the entire division di-vision which opened the hostilities of the day Is composed entirely of regulars reg-ulars seasoned and experienced In battle bat-tle with the exception 6f the Second Massachusetts volunteer Infantry which Is regarded as one of the best volunteer organizations of the army General Lawton who was chosen for the Important and responsible duty of opening the battle by the capture of Caney and the interception of Gpanlsh reinforcements now nearing Santiago is described as a good fighter and soldier sol-dier of exceptional ability He served in the Union army having entered ar sergeant of Company E Ninth Indiana volunteer infantry April 1861 and being be-ing successively promoted through mr it on the field of battle to first lieutenant lieuten-ant of the Thirtieth Indiana infantry p4 SNT1Ol ne 7 X s Duwpp V Jsk en = R 1 V 2 y J c4c aD I I SCENE OP YZSTBBDATS BATTLE This Map Shows the Position Occupied By the American Troops Prior to j Yesterdays Battlc I P I W t 0 > 0 1l r < 0 h o > in August 1861 to captain in May 1S62 and to lieutenant colonel in 1864 In March 1865 he was breveted colonel I for gallant and meritorious services during the war He entered the regular establishment in July 1866 as second I lieutenant of the One Hundred and i Fortyfirst infantry colored and remained re-mained with that branch of the army until January 1S71 when he was transferred trans-ferred to the Fourth cavalry with which he remained until September isIs when he was appointed inspector general with the rank of major He was subsequently promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and held that rank until the opening of the war with Spain when the president appointed him brigadier general of volunteers and assigned him to command of a division of the Fifth army corps commanded by General Shafter < < JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE I Details of the Plan of Attack Mapped Out Copyright 1S93 by the Associated Press With the United States Army Five Miles off Santiago de Cuba Thursday June 30 NoonThe American forces now numbering nearly 17000 men still occupy a position in a long line five miles east of Santiago de Cuba but no forward movement has been made during dur-ing the past 24 hours owing to the difficulty experienced in forwarding sufficient supplies from the base at Ju ragua and to the fact that it has not been possible up to the present to send light artillery and siege guns to the front from Baiquiri Major General Shafter is at the front and conducting the reconnolssance in person The American troops have made no attack as yet pon Aguadors or on the coast near4le left wing of the invading army where the new base may be established later The town of Caney which commands the land entrance into Santiago de Cuba lies to the Americans right wing and will probably bet taken I without difficulty soon as It is held by only a small guard of Spanish troops American scouting parties have been within a thousand yards of Caney without being attacked and the roads in that vicinity have been repaired I re-paired and Improved by our troops indicating in-dicating that artillery will be moved In that tIgI e ntlery I I is believed that the investment of Santiago de Cuba will follow the capture I cap-ture of Caney There are about buw Cubans operating operat-ing with the American army at the front and the Spanish force defending Santiago de Cuba is estimated fit from 12000 to 20000 In addition as already cabled General Pando the Spanish military commander in the field is marching from Manzanillo some 127 miles west with 8000 men and unless checked by the small force of Cubans holding the mountain passes he ought to reach Santiago in his effort to support sup-port General Linares in a few days The American camps have been soak ed by the recent rains and the roads are In bad condition but our officers and men are confident they will be able to make a general attack soon and that Santiago will fall before them READY FOR ASSAULT Off Juragua Province of Santiago de Cuba June 30er 15000 American soldiers including l the regular troops now operatlncr in Cuba and three volunteer regiments supported by 4000 Cubans under General Garcia lie tonight within view of the Spanish intrenchments east of Santiago de Cuba Cu-ba ready for a forward movement in I the morning which may lead imme diately to a general assault upon the cityThe I The advance will be made by General Lawtons division forming the right wing and if the Spaniards show signs of retreating or circumstances otherwise other-wise warrant It his division with General Gen-eral Kents division will doubtless join In the advance and endeavor to drive I the Spaniards before them and enter SpnIards the city While the movement may I not reach this extent tomorrow its purpose is to force the 5000 men of I General LThvtons command two miles further forward than they are now take the little village of Caney and occupy oc-cupy the ridge overlooking the city and harbor from which our artillery fire can be rained upon the Spanish entrenchments en-trenchments In front of the city and upon the large body of Spanish soldiers holding them I may be that the Americans may b satisfied to accomplish this movement in one day and then postpone a further advance until the light artillery and siege guns can be placed in position on the ridge and preparations can be made to pour a deadly fire of shell and shrapnel shrap-nel Into the entrenchmtits dislodging the enemy and enabling the main body of the American forces to carry the city by storm I is believed that at the same time Continued on Page 2 BATTLE AT SMTIilGO Continued from Page 1 General Lawton advances General Kents division on the left will attack Aguidores on the coast four miles to the east of Morro Castle which will give our army a base much nearer Santiago than the present one at Ju re = ua S ON HALF RATIONS Until today our men at Jhe front have been subsisting on half rations but owing ow-ing to the excellent work of Colonel John Weston chief of the commissary department supplies have been sent to the front by pack trains with great dispatch all day and night and our I soldiers are no longer in want of food Though they have been drenched with rain for several days and have been suffering from lack of sufficient food the spirit of our soldiers is all that could b desired and they are eager for the general attaclt upon he enemys stronghold The Third and Twentieth Infantry the last regulars to remain at Juragua went to the front today and the Thir tvthird Michigan and one battalion of the Thirtyfourth Michigan will break camp early this morning and join General Kents division on th except oast leaving nothing at Juragua < cept supplies and a large field hospital in charge of the f surgeon of the corps prepared tc crd to the wounded wound-ed who may bo sent there from the field hospitals at the front feld at the With our troops lying almost gates of Santiago supported by the rtes ot Santago great fleet of our warships lying just outride feet entrance of the hrbor I prepared tH demolish the Spanish shore batteries if they attempt to stop the bateries fall of the progress of our army the fal progess Santiago eems to be near at hand Santn great majorty of our sol dieis sleeping tonight on the eve of events which are to occur tomorrow believe the American flag will float birthday over Santiago on the nations on Monday next A SPANISH RUSE I I I Bed Cross Society Displayed Along I Their Entrenchments Correspondence of the Associated Press I Asuadores June OTh Sinnirn I in the front of General Kents line have adopted a new method of pr v uin I their works They him from filing on orks Red at frequent intervals i i have strung the line being directly in Cross lings lne btlng directy view I their entrenchments The obi ob-i i ject of ths it is thought at General I Kents headquarters is to prevent the I Amerians from firing In that direction or if tho Red Cros Is Irored to spread I the idea that the American soldiers I were violating the rules of civl iced warfare ir I firing upon the hospitals In firing upon hospitals it has been j I determined that no attention would be I paid to the Red Cross flags so long as they are c ose up to what it is believed I i I I will be the line of fire I I Much work has been done on the I roads in wore vicinity The heavy I I rains placed them in bad condition and it was almost Impossible to transport i trans-port artillery and teams over them It I I is believed however that the American i Ameri-can officers have determined not to await the arrival of the artillery but ito i-to move forward on Aguadores as soon i as possible As there is only a small j battery and a weak garrison there the i place should be taken without diKl j culty unless the men get in range of j culy batteries east of the big guns of the I Morrow castle i I cute Crowds of Cuban refugees from Santiago fed along the roads today Santago and all told the same story They are I short of food in the city they say but they say the Spaniards rely on the entrenchments in front of the city I The guns inside of it are of little use i The Cubans also say the Spaniards i are terrified at the approach of the I American troops and the refugees i predict that they will make but n short I defense Cubans to Stop Pando Washington July IAn official dispatch dis-patch was received last night at the war icpartmont confirming the press report that General Shafter had sent back on transports to Aserraderos whence they came 2000 of Garcias Cubans Cu-bans The purpose is a double cue first to prevent reinforcements coming into Santiago from Manzanillo on the west and secondly to prevent the retreat in that direction of the Spanish garrkon of the ton I Will Return Traasporta Washington July IIn reply to a message asking General Shatter how many transports could be sent bc to Tampa in order that reinforcements him General might be sent Adjutant Corblr late tonight received the following follow-ing reply Colonel Humphries has been ordered to return aa many transports trans-ports as possible at once Reinforcements For Shafter Tampa Fa July LThe transport I Louisiana sailed from Port Tampa last i Tuesday bound for Santiago with re I Inforcementr for General Shcfter The Louisiana carried 1C2 recruits the ThlrtyseconT ambulance corps consisting of 39 privates andi officer 8 > hor Cr 2 bell horses 40 ambulance mile 10 pack mule 10 ambulance hail 28 packers I d < c t