The position occupied by the left wing of the army was a strong
natural position, but had no protection for the right flank. In this,
Lawton's Division did not execute the part of the battle assigned to
it. Thus the officers on the San Juan ridge, who knew anything about
the plan of the battle, were constantly directing their gaze, at every
lull in the fighting, toward El Caney, and to the right of Gen. Wood's
position, but there were no indications of the approach of Gen.
Lawton.
Returning now to the right wing: the San Juan block-house and the
ridge in its vicinity having been captured, a glance at the map will
show that the retreat of the Spanish forces at El Caney was in
imminent danger of being cut off. This capture occurred at 1:23-1/2 p.
m. The Spanish commander at El Caney had been killed about noon, his
men had suffered heavily, and the new commanding officer discovered
that his retreat by the El Caney road was threatened. The only other
line of retreat was by way of the San Miguel and Cuabitas roads. The
Spanish forces at El Caney were also running low in their ammunition,
and it was therefore decided to withdraw. Portions of the Spanish
troops did withdraw, some by way of the El Caney road toward Santiago;
the remainder, some 350 or 400, were crushed in the final charge upon
El Caney, between 4 and 4:30 o'clock.
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