We were nearing the enemy, and every effort was made to surprise him.

We had been told that El Caney was well fortified, and so we found it.
The first warning the people had of a foe being near was the roar of our field artillery and the bursting of a shell in their midst.

The battle was on.

In many cases an invading army serves notice of a bombardment, but in this case it was incompatible with military strategy.

Non-combatants, women and children all suffered, for to have warned them so they might have escaped would also have given warning to the Spanish forces of our approach.