El Caney held the road from Guantanamo, at which point
an important Spanish force was posted. While General Shafter was
surveying the country from the hill at El Pozo and making what special
examination he could of the country toward San Juan Hills, Generals
Lawton and Chaffee were making a reconnoisance around El Caney. From
General Lawton's report it would appear that the work of
reconnoitering around El Caney was done chiefly by General Chaffee. He
says: "To General Adna R. Chaffee I am indebted for a thorough and
intelligent reconnoissance of the town of El Caney and vicinity prior
to the battle and the submission of a plan of attack which was
adopted. I consider General Chaffee one of the best practical soldiers
in the army and recommend him for special distinction for successfully
charging the stone fort mentioned in this report, the capture of which
practically closed the battle."
The general plan of attack as explained by General Shafter himself in
his "Century" article was "to put a brigade on the road between
Santiago and El Caney, to keep the Spaniards at the latter place from
retreating on the city, and then with the rest of Lawton's division
and the divisions of Wheeler and Kent, and Bates' brigade to attack
the Spanish position in front of Santiago.
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