a stone blockhouse, rifle pits, and barbed wire, but with no
artillery. About four miles away was San Juan Hill, with more
formidable works straddling the main road which led to Santiago.
Opposite El Caney, General Lawton was in command of about seven
thousand Americans. The fight here began at half-past six in the
morning, but the American artillery was placed at too great a
distance to be very effective. The result was a long and galling
exchange of rifle firing, which is apt to prove trying to raw
troops. The infantry, however, advanced with persistency and
showed marked personal initiative as they pushed forward under
such protection as the brush and grass afforded until they
finally rushed a position which gave opportunity to the
artillery. After this they speedily captured the blockhouse.

The fight lasted over eight hours instead of two, as had been
expected, and thus delayed General Lawton, who was looked for at
San Juan by the American left. The losses, too, were heavy, the
total casualties amounting to seven per cent of the force
engaged. The Americans, however, had gained the position, and
after a battle which had been long and serious enough to test
thoroughly the quality of the personnel of the army. Whatever
deficiencies the Americans may have had in organization,
training, and military education, they undoubtedly possessed
fighting spirit, courage, and personal ingenuity, and these are,
after all, the qualities for which builders of armies look.

The battle of El Caney was perhaps unnecessary, for the position
lay outside the main Spanish line anal would probably have been
abandoned when San Juan fell. For that more critical movement
General Shafter kept about eight thousand troops and the personal