At Seven O'clock In The Morning General Wilson Began The Frontal
Attack By Turning Loose The Artillery On A Block-House, Which
Threatened His Approach, And By Advancing The Wisconsin Volunteers.
The Cavalry He Sent To The Right To Capture Los Banos.
At eight
o'clock, from where the main body rested, two miles from Coamo, we
could hear the Sixteenth Pennsylvania open its attack and instantly
become hotly engaged.
The enemy returned the fire fiercely, and the
firing from both sides at once became so severe that it was evident
the Pennsylvania Volunteers either would take the town without the
main body, or that they would greatly need its assistance. The
artillery was accordingly advanced one thousand yards and the
infantry was hurried forward. The Second Wisconsin approached Coamo
along the main road from Ponce, the Third Wisconsin through fields of
grass to the right of the road, until the two regiments met at the
ford by which the Banos road crosses the Coamo River. But before
they met, from a position near the artillery, I had watched through
my glasses the Second Wisconsin with General Ernst at its head
advancing along the main road, and as, when I saw them, they were
near the river, I guessed they would continue across the bridge and
that they soon would be in the town.
As the firing from the Sixteenth still continued, it seemed obvious
that General Ernst would be the first general officer to enter Coamo,
and to receive its surrender.
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