Battle of El Caney

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Battle of El Caney
Part of the Spanish-American War
The Capture of El Caney. Contemporary print by Kurz and Allison.
Date July 1, 1898 Location El Caney, Cuba Result Indecisive
Combatants
United States Republic of Cuba	Spain
Commanders
Henry W. Lawton	Joaquín Vara del Rey †
Strength
8,500 regulars 1,000 guerrilleros	500 regulars
Casualties
81 dead 360 wounded	38 dead 138 wounded 130 captured

Cuban Campaign
Cárdenas – Cienfuegos – Guantánamo Bay – Las Guasimas – Tayacoba – Aguadores – El Caney – San Juan Hill – Naval Santiago – Santiago – Manimani

The Battle of El Caney was fought on July 1, 1898, during the Spanish-American War.

At El Caney, Cuba, 500 Spanish soldiers under General Joaquín Vara del Rey were instructed to hold the northwest flank of Santiago against an American advance. Despite having no machine guns or artillery and being denied promised reinforcements, Vara del Rey and his soldiers held over eight thousand Americans from their position for nearly twelve hours, preventing them from sweeping through and overwhelming the defenders of San Juan Hill.

The Americans took staggering losses: over 80 dead and 350 wounded. Precise Cuban losses at El Caney are not known, but the Cuban irregulars also suffered heavily, losing 150 killed and wounded that day.

Many have called this engagement proof that, properly led, the Spanish Army might well have defeated the United States during the Cuban Campaign.

[edit] References

• Albert A. Nofi (1997). The Spanish-American War, 1898. Combined Books. ISBN 0-938289-57-8. 
• Carrasco García, Antonio, En Guerra con Los Estados Unidos: Cuba, 1898, Madrid: 1998.

[edit] External links

• Spanish-American War Centennial Website
• History of Negro soldiers in the Spanish-American War, and other items of interest, by Edward Augustus Johnston, published 1899, hosted by the Portal to Texas History. Features illustrations and information about the Battle of El Caney.