Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1898 — SOME LIVELY WORK. [ARTICLE]

SOME LIVELY WORK.

Shafter’s Army Landed Without the Loss of a Man. J SHARP FIGHTING REAR SANTIAGO. Spaniard* Are Driven Back—Cervera Cables Madrid That the Situation la Critical—The Texas Under Hot Fire. VBaiquiri Harbor, Cuba, June 24, via Dispatch Boat to Kingston.—The last of Gen. Shafter’s 16,000 American sbldiens were put ashore here late Wednesday anight. The Spaniards, utterly misled by Admiral Sampson’s fierce attack on Cabanas arid the other fortifications to the west of Santiago harbor, sent the atrongest body of their troops 40 miles away from where the troops were landed. The other bombardments, extending over a line of coast more than 20 miles long, prevented the massing of what Spanish soldiers were available on the east side of the harbor and the landing was accomplished without the loss of an American soldier. The siege guns, mules and horses, ammunition and other heavy supplies are being carried to the iron pier at Baiquiri. They are perfectly safe there. Between them and the Spaniards is the whole American force of 16,000 men in perfect fighting trim stationed, with all the knowledge that experience can give. Meanwhile, 15 miles away, over the hills, a battie is raging between Gen. Garcia’s 6,000 Cuban insurgents and the Spanish garrison of Santiago. With ♦ his insurgeut force to run over the Spaniards would be a longtime in reaching Baiquiri. The Cubans are in better trim than they ever were. Spaniard* Driven Hack. On Board the Dispatch Bout Mindora, Off Santiago, via Port Antonio, Jamaica, June 24. —Hard though desultory fighting was going on in the mountains on all skies of Santiago all Wednesday night. Gen. Shatter continued landing his troops at the Sigua Iron company’s docks. While this was going on several transports proceeded westward 12 miles and troops were landed to cooperate directly with the Cuban forces marching upon the doomed city in that direction. From the hills back of Santiago 900 Cubans have appeared and are harassing the enemy. Two bodies of Spaniards were driven from the hills in this direction back upon Santiago. This was only done after a desperate fight, in which 25 Spaniards are said to have been killed and twice that number wounded. Cubans who came out of Santiago Wednesday night report that the city is suffering terribly. Hunger is. encroaching upon citizens and soldiers alike. The citizens of Santiago are alrady petitioning the governor ♦ hat surrender be made without further fighting. Ccrvern Report*. Madrid, Jline 24.—Cable dispatches received here from Admiral Cervera say ♦he crews of the Spanish warships at Santiago have joined the land forces in order to take parkin the defense of the city. He adds that the situation is critical, but in a later dispatch, affirms that ♦he Spaniards “have victoriously repulsed the enemy.” A dispatch from the governor of Santiago de Cuba says: The attack on Seboney and Baiquiri continued until nightfall. The enemy was repulsed except on the left, at Baiquiri, where the Spaniards were obliged to retire in consequence of a flanking movement upon the part of the enemy, who landed several kilometers east of Baiquiri. The Spanish forces retired in good order Into the mountains. Seboney and Berraoo were destroyed by the American shells. During the afternoon u semi-official note was issued, “in order to avoid a misunderstanding,” pointing out that merely the Spanish left retired and took up a position in the mountains, owing to the Americans landing nine kilometers ♦ ust of Baiquiri where there were no Spanish troops, and endeavoring to outfla’nk the Spaniards. The note then points out that “this part of the country is very unhealthy nnd that yellow jack ir rampant." The Spanish official dis- ! patches are announced to have created “an excellent impression” here as indicating the “immense difficulties of the advance on Santiago de Cuba.” The dispatches from Cuba were read in the senate. whereupon the senators made patriotic speeches. Claim* m Victors - . The minister of war, fim. Correa, it is announced, has received an official dispatch from Santiago de Cuba, announcing that "The Americans’ nttack on Puntu Berraco has been repulsed after ahard-fought and bloody engagement." Seven Mpanlnrd* Wonntletl. An official dispateh from Havana *ays: The commander at Santiago de Cuba announces that the American squadron has commenced the bombardment, nnd is trying to disembaik at Baiquiri und at l’untn Barraco. An American wtß’ship has shelled nnd destroyed n small wooden fort near Cienfuegos. Seven Spaniards were slightly wounded. Te\n* toiler Hot Fire. Off Santiago, via Port Antonio, June 24.—While Gen. Shxfter’s army of invasion was landing at Baiquiri Wednesday the battleship Texas made a d» monstration at Matam ras, weM of Santiago. ai<4'd by a Culmr. land force of 2.000 men comr ”ded Ivy Je«us Babl. While it failed of Gen. Shafter** purpose to attract the pros of the Spanish soldiers west of Fe-tia 7i;. it brought about the finest naval Irevr’e• ; of- the war. The Texas r’vt'e silenced anti apparently destroyed a battery wh’c’ Schley’s whole division b :;1 twice fiercely but unafoiUngly bombarded. lr. nc« >m jtllshing this deed it did not go unscathed. A Spanish shell perforated the battleship anil another burst overaead. killing the sailor Blake-

ly and wounding eight of hie comrades. Ho Hews at Washington. Washington, June 24.—Up to 12:30 Thursday night neither the war nor the navy department had received any news from either the troops or the fleet in the vicinity of Santiago. The navy department had during the evening from Admiral Sampson, but all of them related to purely routine matters of no possible interest to the public. Admiral Sampson made no reference to fighting or even to skirmishing, and his silence on that point, together with the fact that nothing has been received by the war department from Gen. Shafter, is taken by the officials of both departments to mean that no engagement in the least way serious has occurred since the landing of the forces. Caman’i Fleet. London, June 24. —A dispatch from Madrid says Sagasta informed the chamber Thursday that Camara’s squadron was on its way to the Philippines. PaJmero, June 24. —The Giornale de Sicilia publishes a dispatch from the Island of Pantellaris, southwest of Sicily, announcing that Admiral Camara’s squadron, consisting of seven warships, including three torpedo boats, and convoying five transports, passed there on Tuesday. June 21, going in the direction of Suez. The LnodinK at Bniqairl. On Board the Dispatch Boat Dauntless, Off Baiquiri, Santiago de Cuba, via Playa del Este, Guantanamo Bay, June 23.—The landing of the United States troops from the transports began at Baiquiri iron pier, 12 miles east of the city of Santiago de Cuba, at ten o’clock Wednesday morning. Simultaneously the American fleet made a diversion towards Morro castle and westward. However secretly the plans were kept, the Spaniards seemingly had full warning of the hour and place for the landing of troops. The transports and their convoys assembled off shore during the night, but before dawn thejiouses of the villagers were fired, proving that Capt. Gen. Blanco’s standing orders always to burn a place before deserting it were being faithfully executed. With wonderful fatuity they burned the cottages, house and factory of the iron company, but left its pier, vital to the United States authorities directing the landing, standing and uninjured. At dawn the New Orleans, St. Louis, Detroit, Wasp. Tecumseh and Suwanee steamed vdjh'in nfle-sbet of the shore, but they were not molested. During the conflagration ashore there were several loud explosions, either from dynamite or ammunition left behind by the Spaniards. Sixty Spaniard* Killed. New York. June 24.—According to dispatches received by the Cuban junta here 60 Spaniards were killed and 16 wounded in un engagement near Guantanamo Tuesday with the Americans and Cubans. A Fence Ajovtment. London, June 24.-i-The Madrid correspondent of the Morning Post says: The government, it is reported, has authorized its agents throughout the country to ascertain the opinion of the people as to the desirability of terminating the war. Senor Sagasta will announce the result after the cortes is prorogued. The Monadnock Snll*. San Francisco, June 24.—The coast defense monitor Monadnock sailed for Manila, via Honolulu, Thursday afternoon. The collier Nero, which will nccompnny the Monadnock, went out first. The warship followed in a few minutes. Men on the Monadnock think that the ship will make the trip to Manila in about 23 days.