So General Shafter, coming ashore for the first time a week after the landing of his troops, planned a forward movement with this object in view.

Lawton's division was to capture Caney, and then swing round so as to sever all outside communication with Santiago.

While he was doing this, demonstrations that should deter the Spaniards from sending an additional force in that direction were to be made against San Juan and Aguadores.

These movements were to occupy one day, and on the next the reunited army was to attack the entire line of the San Juan ridge.

In the mean time no one knew anything of the valley lying between this strongly protected ridge and those who proposed to capture it.
So the order was issued, and late in the afternoon of June 30th, in a pouring rain, the camps were broken, and the drenched army eagerly began its forward movement.