Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 85, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 July 1898 — PUSHING FORWARD. [ARTICLE]

PUSHING FORWARD.

Shafter’s Army Continues Its Advance on Santiago. WITHIN THREE MILES OF THE CITY. Location of the Various Brigades— Attack May Not Be Made for Several Days Spanish Losses Last Friday. Washington, June 29. —Gen. Shatter reports that at nine o’clock Monday night the army was west of San Juan river, within three miles of Santiago, and in plain sight of the city. His position had just been abandoned by the enemy, and all is progressing well. The American Advance. At the Front, on the Rio Guaitia, Per Press Dispatch Boat Wsnda, Via Port Antonio, Jamaica. June 28. —The American front has been advanced beyond the first crossing of the Rio Guama about a mile, and a tug lies three and a half miles from the Spanish ictrenchments. Gen. Lawton’s brigade rests on the road to Santiago de Cuba. The Third brigade under Gen. Chaffee, the Seventeenth, Twelfth and Seventh regiments, holds the trench, with hia command lying across the road and river. The First brigade, the Eighth, Twentysecond and Second Massachusetts, under Gon. Evan Clarke, lies on the left flank, slightly in the rear, and s he Second brigade, the First, Fourth and Twenty-fifth, occupies the opposite position, on the right flank. Gen. Wheeler, with the cavalry, is in the rear, between Sevilla hills and the Rio Guama A strong line of outposts is maintained ahead. Caban. Engnsed. Gen. Chaffee’s brigade, with 3,000 Cubans, under Gen. Aguirra, and several hundred, under Gen. Gonzales, was skirmishing towards the city Tuesday morning. The Cubans had several slight skirmishes with the . Spaniards stationed on the hills on the American right flank, and our auxiliaries occupied the blockhouses in that vicinity, which were evacuated before daybreak by the Spaniards. The latter retreated towards Santiago de Cuba. No fatalities are reported. Have Viewed the Land. Gen. Lawton, Gen. Chaffee and Gen. Wheeler have thoroughly reconnoitred the Spanish position and, with the aid of information furnished by the Cubans, have very good maps of the roads anc] defenses of the city. Much information has also been obtained from Spanish pacificos, who have slipped out of the city and given themselves up in hope of gettingfood. They report great starvation and distress in Santiago. They say the Spanish troops are on short rations, and that all the supplies are being held for their use. Spanish Losses. The sick in the hospitals, the pacificos say, are suffering from lack of food, and they also report that 77 Spaniards were killed and that 89 were wounded as the result of the engagement on Friday last with Col. Wood’s and Young’s commands. The most startling information obtained from the pacificos is that since the advance began almost 20,000 Spanish soldiers have arrived at Santiago de Cuba. This statement is made on the authority of Gen. Lawton, and he is also of the opinion that Gen. Pando may be able to effect a junction with Gen. Linares at Santiago de Cuba. Spanish Defense.. There are two forts of considerable importance within the Spanish lines, PuDta Blanco, at the southern end of the bay, and Santa Ursula, at the southeast corner. On the road to Caney, on the north, is another fort. There are about 450 men in each of these fortifications, and stretching around the whole city are nine barbed wire fenceß, 50 yards apart, while just inside there are lines of riflepits. Outsl’de, to the eastward, about two miles beyond the American outposts, is a line of intrenchments extending from the northern extremity of the city to Morro cas- * tie. A little west of south, at a distance of about seven miles from Gen. Lawton’s headquarters, lies Morro castle. The road to within a few hundred yards of the batteries at the rear of Morro was reconnoitered on Tuesday by Gen. Lawton and several members of his staff. Moat Soon Fall. The Cubans believe that if the water supply of the city can be cut off. Santiago will have to yield at once. They say that Admiral Cervera’s entire fleet except the torpedo boat destroyer Terror, is in the harbor. General Lawton Is inclined to discredit the reports that guns have been taken from the ships to strengthen the defenses on lafftl. He says it would be impossible for Admiral Cervera to reach the position of the American army with his big guns from where the Spanish ships lie. No aggressive move by the Americans Is anticipated for several days. The road to the base of supplies must be greatly improved before the onward movement can be safely made. Spaniard. Fall to I'lghi. There were no alarms last night. • Many of our officers are amazed, as they have looked for resistance to our advance. The ground over which they have traveled could have easily been defended, but the Spanish have steadily retired, not even attempting to harrass oqr flanks, as the columns moved on through a natural ambuscading country. Apparently Gen. Linares prefers to place faith in the defenses of the city and intends to make a “last ditch fight” of A few —though only a few —•hold to the theory that he does not propose fighting at all. Llent. nine’. Latest Act. Off Santiago.de Cuba, June 27 (via Kingston, Jamaica, June 28).—Lieut. Victor Blue, of the auxiliary gunboat Buwanee, returned to the fleet to-day lrom another investigating trip aahore.

He reported that Admiral Cervera’s* ships are all in the harbor. With the exception of one torpedo bogt destroyer, they are at anchor and show nosigns of activity. Lieut, blue was able to accurately locate the position of each of Admiral Cerve'ra’s ships. ——. — Terror Badly Damaged. Washington, June 29. —The navy department Tuesday posted the following bulletin: * “Admiral Sampson reports that the Yatle arrived yesterday and discharged her troops. “Capt. Slf?sbee reparts that on Wednesday afternoon while oft San Juan, Puerto Rico, be was attacked by a Spanish unprotected cruiser and the Spanish torpedo boat destroyer Terror. The Terror made a dash, which was awaited by the St. Paul. The St. Paul hit the Terror three times, killing one officer and two men and wounding several others. The Terror dropped back under cover of the fortifications with difficulty and was towed into the harbor in a sinking condition, where she is now being repaired. Latfhr a cruiser and a gunboat started out, but remained under protection of the forts.” The Terror Disposed Of. In defeating the Terror, Capt. Sigsbee has rendered a most important service to our navy and indeed to all navies. He has not only deprived Sampson’s fleet of apprehension of an attack in the rear some dark night by this vicious little boat, but he has demonstrated that an auxiliary cruiser is amply able to take care of herself against a torpedo gunboat, showing that the offensive power of this craft has been very much overrated. The torpedo gunboat was an untried quality in naval warfare up to this time. Capt. Sigsbee has shown that with an unarmored cruiser, armed with only five-inch guns, th e torpedo gunboats are

of the battleship Maine, and Uncle Sam on top of a huge globe, which was cheered to the echo. Every residence along the line of march was lavishly decorated and brilliantly illuminated with fireworks in great profusion.