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Cuba - Province of Oriente - El Caney: The ruins of the fortress at El Caney have [has] been surrounded by a small park and a broad stone stair built to reach the broken walls and the interior of the fort. Both the Cuban and the American flag now flies over the fort honoring the men who fought a hard battle against the Spaniards who held the fortified eminence on the morning of July 1, 1898. The pedestal in the center of the fort has been restored and a field piece surmounts it just as it did that fateful day in the Spanish-American war. Troops of general Lawton;s division attacked the fortress about 6:30 a.m. and expected to down the Spaniards in time to go on to Loma San Juan (San Juan Hill) a few miles nearer the chief objective of the city of Santiago de Cuba. The Americans were still using smoking powder which gave off trails of revealing black and the Spaniards high above them as they advanced were able to pick them off with guns in which the Spaniards were using smokeless powder. The Cubans were their [there] to help if possible the American advance, but they were under orders to Wostholm fire and remain at their posts. They suffered very heavy losses because of their set position as did the Americans in their forward progress. The battle raged far longer than expected before the Spaniards finally capitulated.
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