ective work at
this point. The town proper was soon pretty thoroughly cleaned out of
Spanish, though a couple of blockhouses upon the hill to the right of
the town offered shelter to a few, and some could be seen retreating
along a mountain road leading to the northwest. A part of these made
a stand in a field among some bowlders.

General Lawton observes: "The light battery first opened on a column of
Spanish troops, which appeared to be cavalry moving westward from El
Caney, and about 2 miles range, resulting, as was afterwards learned,
in killing 16 in the column."

The General has much to say of a pleasing personal nature.

The report of General Kent is of extraordinary merit for the exact
detail and local color. Colonel McClernand, he says, "pointed out
to me a green hill in the distance which was to be my objective
on my left," and as he moved into action, "I proceeded to join the
head of my division, just coming under heavy fire. Approaching the
First Brigade I directed them to move alongside the cavalry (which
was halted). We were already suffering losses caused by the balloon
near by attracting fire and disclosing our position.

"The enemy's infantry fire, steadily increasing in intensity, now
came from all directions, not only from the front and the dense
tropical thickets on our flanks, but from sharpshooters thickly
posted in trees in our rear, and from shrapnel apparently aimed at
the balloon. Lieutenant-Colonel Derby, of General Shafter's staff,
met me about this time and informed me that a trail or narrow way had
been discovered from the balloon a short distance back leading to the
left to a ford lower down the stream. I hastened to the forks made
by this road, and soon after the Seventy-first New York Regiment of
Hawkins' brigade came up. I turned them into the by path indicated by
Lieutenant-Colonel Derby, leading to the lower ford, sending word to
General Hawkins of this movement. This would have speedily delivered
them in their proper place on the left of their brigade, but under
the galling fire of the enemy the leading battalion of this regiment
was thrown into confusion and recoiled in disorder on the troops in
the rear."

The Second and Third Battalions "came up in better order," but there
was some delay, and General Kent says:

"I had received orders some time before to keep in rear of the cavalry
division. Their advance was much delayed, resulting in frequent halts,
presumably to drop th