Evening Star Newspaper, July 1, 1898, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR, par ddioa swale PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 310) Fenneylvania Avenue, Cor. 11th 8t., by The Evening Star Newspaper Com SH. EAUFFMAN ~ Pres) New York Ofice, 49 Potter Buildiay e op 2 certs each. By mail—anywhere fa the tes <r Caoads— postage prepaid—50 cens Per month. Saturday Quintupl- Sheet Star, $1 per year, with BA foreign postage added, d at the Po t Gifice at Washington, D. C.. (Entere mbecript to Rates of advertising ma: e £Lvening eT ee * + Sta ¢ 2:15 O'CLOCK P. M. BATTLE HAS BECO ee Assault on Santiago and Sea by American Land Forees. GEN. LAWTON CAPTURES CABONA The Vesuvius’ Dynamite Guns Are Osed With Telling Effect Upon Farts. EFFECTIVE BOMBARDMENT OF MORRO Spanish Fleet in the Harbor Fired on Our Troops Near the City. HARD FIGHTING ALL ALONG THE LINE (Copyrizht, 1898, by the Associated Press.) | PLAYA DEL ESTE, Province of Santiago de Cuba, July 1, 11:20a.m.—- A general assault on the city of San- Hago de Cuba by the land and sea forces of the United States began 7 O'clock this morning. Gen. Lawton advanced and togk possession of Cabona, a suburb of Santiago. Morro Castle and the other forts at the entrance of the harbor were bombarded by our fleet. The Vesu- vius used her dynamite guns with good effect. The Spanish fleet in the harbor fired on the American troops, who were very close to the city. Hard fighting all along the Ameri- can line was in progress at II o'clock. Nine wounded Cubans have been brought in. FIGHTING NEAR CANEY. Gen. Lawton Will Move on San- tiago. Secretary Alger this morning re- ceived the following dispatch from Gen. Shafter, dated at 9:54 a.m. to- day: CAMP AT SAVILLA, CUBA, July 1—Action now going on, but Begun on right near Caney, Lawton’s division. He will move an northeast part of town of Santiago. Will keep you continually advised of progress. (Signed) SHAFTER, Major General, commanding. ‘THE ATTACK ON MORRO CASTLE A dispatch was read in the cabinet meeting from Colonel Allen, in charge of the signal station at Playa del Este. He said that the fight was owing furious in all directions. At the time he sent the telegram eight Americans and nine Cubans had been wounded. The Spanish fleet was shelling the American forces as they advanced. Admiral Sampson was firing upon the forts and everything Spanish in sight. It is momentarily expected that Morro Castle will be taken by the firing light and desultory American forces and that Admiral Sampson will then advance through the channel and attack the Spanish fleet. The description given by Colonel Allen was a splendid one and en- thused the cabinet gathering to the greatest extent. Cabinet members pictured the battle as an awful one. “I would like to be there,” said one. “Just think of the two fleets firing and the armies engaged in combat. It must be a grand sight. Of course we are confident that the Americans will win.” It is learned that the attack of Gen. Lawton is simply a feint and that the real attack was made on the left. GETTING THE NEWS. Agitation Caused by Gen. Dispatch. The battle of Santiago has begun. Such was the startling news conveyed in the brief dispatch received from General Shaf- ter at 10 o'clock this morning, announcing that action had been begun near Santiago. Brief as it was {t told the thrilling story that the first shots of the long-expe crash of arms, probably the first great land engagement of the war, was under way. It Shafter’s Gen. H. W. Lawton. sent a thrill through official circles, from the highest to the lowest. Secretary Alger was the first to read it. He passed it to General Corbin, adjutant general of the army, and directed him to take it at once to the White House. General Corbin went to the President, carrying the original dis- patch. He was back shortly, and then a bulletin was posted giving the dispatch verbatim. Until then only the higher of- ficials had known that the decisive hour was at hand. But now the news spread through the corridor, and a wave of agita- tion and expectancy took hold of every one. A great crowd of correspondents struggled about the bulletin board; messenger boys dashed off with dispatches, the clerks, men and women, turned from their desks and gathered at the doorways. Meantime Secretary Alger remained at his desk, while the usual train of callers pushed their way forward. The Secretary has a deep personal interest in the fight, for the reason that his son, young Captain Alger, on the staff of General Duffield, was participating in the engagement. As the Secretary started to the cabinet meeting he spoke with satisfaction of the fact that sufficient time had elapsed to permit Gen- eral Shafter to get his army well coneen- trated at the front, and thrown out into good battle formation. The Secretary felt that our forces were on the aggressive, and that the mere fact that the action was now going on showed that Shafter had bided his time and was now ready to strike a de- cisive blow. Word had come, prior to the Shafter dispatch, showing that the artil- lery which had been brought to the front was well placed. D Gen. Miles, commanding the army, re- ceited a copy of the dispatch soon after it arrived. He had expected ft, for only @ few.hours before a dispatch came to him from Qn. Breckinridge, inspector general SANTIAGO HARBOR AND VICINITY. of the army, stating that the spirit of the troops was high, and that they were eager and expectant for action. Gen. Breckin- ridge’s dispatch indicated that successful results might be expected very soon. Viewed From Balloon. Gen. Miles also received another dis- Patch, sent quite early this morning from Shafter’s headquarters, saying that the big military balloon was now high in the air and was giving orportcnity for observa- tion over a great eweep of country. This in itself was of tncalculable value to our troops. Brave reconnoissances had been made, but these were of little value com- pared to what could be seen from a bal- loon a mile or more in the air, command- ing a radius of observation of from twenty to forty miles with pcwerful telescopes. Gen. Miles had seen these war balloons in successful use at Aldershott, again during the French military maneuvers, when a six-horse wagon to which the great air- ship was anchored followed a squadron of cavalry on the dead run. He says Ger- man ships going at eighteen knots hav hauled these captive balloons along w them. At St. Petersburg also he saw them operated during maneuvers. This was the first actual use by the American arms the present war, and the commanding g y v Gen. Linares, Governor of Santiago. Bee eral sets much store on the definite infor- mation they will give as to the exact loca- tion of all the Spanish forces, their points of concentration, thé location of Cervera’s warships in the harbor, and possibly the progress of Spanish reinforcements. After the first announcement of Shafter was builetined, the time dragged wearily, with nothing from the field to answer the intense anxiety to which every one was wrought. Gen. Shafter’s assurance that he would “keep you continually advised of progress” gay2 promise of early details, and there was the keenest awaiting of these reports. It had been arranged that they should go first to the White House while the cubiret was in session, and ihen should be bulletined, so far as warrante The officials showed every disposition to keep | the p currance: « © completely advised of actual oc- . Lawton's Division. According to Gen. tha attack on Santiago was begun by the 2d Division of the 5th Army Corps, commanded | by Brig. H. W. Lawion. This divi- sion consists of three brigad nade up as follows: First Brigade, commanded by Gol. J. J. Van Hor h United States Infantry, 224 United States Infantry and 2d Massaciu- setts Infantry. Second Brigad2, commanding offcer un- known, but supposed to be Col. Bates—Ist United Stetes Infantry, 4th United States | Infantry and 25th U@ed States Infantry, Third Brigade, commanded vy Brig.,Gen. A. R, Chaffee—ith United States Infantry, 12th United States Infantry and 17th United States Infantry. It thus appears that the division which opened the hostiliues of the day is com- posed entirely of regular troops, seasoned and experienced in battle, with the excep- tion of the 2d Massachusetts Volunteer In- fantry, regarded as one of the best volun- teer organizations of the army. Gen. Lawton’s Record. General Lawton, who was chosen for the important and responsible duty of opening the battle by the capture of Caney and the interception of Spanish reinforcements now nearing Santiago, is a good fighter and a soldier of experience and ability. He served in the Union army throughout the war, having entered as sergeant of Com- pany E, 9th Indiara Volunteer Infantry, in April, 1861, and being successively pro- noted through merit on the field of battle to first Meutenant of the 30th Indiana In- fantry, in August, 1961; to captain in May, 1862, and Heutenant colonel in November, 1864. In March, 1865, he was brevetted col- enel for gallant and meritorious services during the war. He entered the regular es- tablishment in July, 1866 as second Heuten- ant of the 41st Infantry (colored), and re- mained with that branch of the army until January, 1871, when he was transferred to the 4th Cavalry, with which he remained until September, 1888, when he was ap- pointed inspector general, with the rank of major. He was,-subsequently promoted to the rank of lIleutenant colonel, and held that rank until the opening of the present war with Spain, when the President ap- pointed him brigadier general of volun- teers, and assigned him to the command of @ ivision of the Sth Army Corps, com- manded by Ganeral Shatter, Shafter’s report, Gen. CAPTURE OF CANEY. This is the Object of the Attack Lawton's Division. (Copyright, 1808, by the Associated Press.) Off Juragua, Provinee of Santiago de Cuba, Thursday, June 30, 7 p.m., per the Associated Press dispatch boat Wanda, via Port Antonio, Jamaica, July 1, 6 am., and Kingston, Jamaica, July 1, 8:15 a.m.—Over fifteen thousand American soldiers, includ- irg all the regular troops now operating in Cuba, and three volunteer regiments, sup- ported by four thousand Cubans General Garcia, lie tonight within view of the Spanish entrenchments, north and east of Santiago de Cuba, ready for a forward movement in the morning, which may lead immediately to a general assault upon the city. The advance will be made by General Lawton’: on, forming the right wing, and if the Spaniards show signs of re- treating or circumstances otherwise war- it, General Wheeler’s division and Gereral Kent's division will doubtless join in the advance, endeavor to drive the Spaniards before them, and enter the city. While the movement may not reach this extent tomorrow its purtse is to force the 5,000 men of General Lawton’s command two miles further forward than they are now, to the little village of Caney and oc- cupy the ridge overlooking the city and harbor, from which our artillery fire can be rained upon the Spanish entrenchments in front of the city and upon the large body of Spanish soldiers holding them. by under rant A Farther Advance. It may be that they will be satisfied to accomplish this movement in one day and then postpone a further advance until the light artillery and siege ens can be placed in position on the ridge and preparations can be made to pour a Geadly fire of shell and shrapnel into the entrenchments, dis- lodging the enemy and enabling the main body of the American forces to carry the city by storm. It is believed vances General Kent's division, on the left, will attack Aguadores, on the sea coast, four miles east of Morro Castle, which would give our army a ease much nearer Santiago than the preseng one at Juragua. Until today our men gt the front have been subsisting on half gptions, but, owing to the excellent work of @olonel John Wes- ton, chief of pia Soran sup- plies have been sent to he front by pack trains with great dispateb all the day and night, and our soldiers/are no longer in want of food, Though/they have been drenched with rain forMpeveral days and have been suffering from lack of sufficient food the spirit of our svldiers is all that could be desired, and they are eager for the general attack upon the enemy's stronghold. Went to ae Ses The 3d and 20th Infanfry, the last regu- lars to remain at Juragua, went to the front today, and the 38d| Michigan and one battalion of the 34th Michigan will break camp early this morning and Jom General Kent's division on the seacoast, leaving nothing at Juragua exc¢pt supplies and a large field hospital in charge of the chief surgeon of corps, prepaged to attend the that as General Lawton ad- wounded who may be set there from the field hospitals at the frept. With our troops closing, in on the Spanish entrenchments and lying almost at the gates of Santiago, suppjrted by the great Admiral Cervera, fleet of our warships lying just outside the entrance of the harbor, prepared to demolish the Spanish shére batteries it they attempt to stop the progress of our army, the fall of the city of ‘Santiago de Cuba seems to be near at hand, and the great majority of our soldier%,-sleeping tonight on the eve of events which are to occur tomorrow, believe the American flag will float over Santiago on the nation’s birth- day, Monday next. WITH THE ARMY. BREE Seventeen Thousand Troops Five Miles East gseraich (Copyright, 1898, by the Associated. Press.) ‘With the United States Army, Five Miles WASHINGTON, D. ©, FRIDAY, JULY 1, 1898. TWO CENTS, THE STAR BY MAIL. Persons leaving the city for any period can have The Star mailed to them to any address in the United States or Canada, by ordering it at this office, in person or by letter. Terms: 13 cents per week; 25 cents for two weeks, or 50 cents per month. Invariably in advance. Sub- scribers changing their address from one Post-office to another should give the last address as well as the new one. East of Santiago de Cuba, Thursday, June 30, Noon, via Play del Este, Province of Santiago de Cuba, June 30, Evening.—The American forces, now numbering nearly 17,000 men, still occupy a position, in a long line, five miles east of Santiago de Cuba, but no forward movement has been made for the past twenty-four hours, ow- ing to the difficulty experienced in forward- ing sufficient supplies .from the base at Juragua and the fact that it has not been possible to send light artillery and siege guns to the front from Baiquiri up to the present. Major General Shafter is at the front and is conducting the reconnaissance in per- son. ® American troops have made no attack as yet upon Agudores, on the coast, near the left wing of the insurgent army, where the new base may be established later. The town of Caney, which commands the land entrance into Santiago de Cuba, lies close to the American right wing, and will probably be taken without difficulty soon, as it is held by only a small guard of Spanish troops. The Plans. American scouting parties have been with- in a thousand yards of Caney without be- ing attacked, and the roads in that vicinity Gen. Garcia. have been repaired and improved by our troops, indicating that the artillery will be moved in that direction. It is believed that the investment of Santiago de Cuba will follow the capture of Caney. There are about 5,000 Cubans operating with the American army at the front, and the Spanish force defending Santiago de Cuba is estimated at from 12,000 to 20,000 men. In addition, as already cabled, Gen- Pando, the Spanish military mander in the field, is marching from Man- zanillo, some 127 miles west, with about 8,000 men, and, unless checked by the small force of Cubans holding the mountain passes, he ought to reach Santiago, in his efforts to support General Linares, in a few days. The American camps have been soaked by the recent rains, and the roads are in bad condition, but our officers and men are confident they will be able to make a gen- eral attack soon, and that Santiago will fall before them. The cable was placed in operation this morning at Juragua, Altares and Siboney, and communication is now open between the invading army and Washington. _— READY TO GO FORWARD. eral com- Preparations for the Axsault on Santi- ago This Morning. OFF JURAGUA, Thursday, June 30, 7 p.m., via Kingston, Jamaica, July 1, 8:15 a.m.—The American troops are ready for a forward movement in the morning, which may lead to a general assault upon Santi- ago de Cuba. General Lawton’s command will be push- ed two miles further forward and capture Caney, from which place the Spanish in- trenchments can be bombarded. —_ MORRO WAS SILENT. ached Within 1,700 ‘ards of the Castle. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. Siboney, Thursday Evening, June 30, via Playa del Este, July 1—A reconnoitering party started today to Aguadores by the railroad, bub can go no further, a trestle being broken. ‘The fleet is coaling at Guantanamo to its full capacity and the colliers will be sent north for complete cargoes, in order to be prepared for a long distance. Nothing further is heard of the coming of Gen. Pando's troops. The Texas last night approached within 1,00 yards of the Morro under orders and used her searchlights, but failed to attract notice. The Spanish are saving their am- munition, Admiral Sampson can reduce the outer defenses when the army is ready to have him. lt has rained again, and the military road to Siboney is muddier than ever, but re- pairs are proceeding. Cable communica- tion was established this morning by the signal corps under Allen. The army base is at Siboney, with a navy base at Playa del Este. ———E— BLANCO SCORNS CERVERA. Cool Feeling Between the Spanish Leaders in Cuba. LONDON, July 1—The Pall Mall Ga- zette’s correspondent in Madrid telegraphs from that city today saying that coldness exists between Captain General Blanco and Admiral Cervera, adding that Blanco or- dered Cervera to leave Santiago de Cuba and the admiral replied that he would be glad to leave, but his guns were dismount- ed, he was without coal and the American admiral was waiting outside. ——- EXPECTED AN ATTACK. Spanish Guards Withdrawn From Forts Outside Intrenchments, Special From a Staff Correspondent, Cuban Army Outpost Tuesday Evening, June 28, via Port Antonio.—The Cuban Picket line has been pushed one mile ahead of the main support of American troops. No fire has yet been drawn from the ene- my within the fortifications; The main DYNAMITE ORUISER VESUVIUS, further until the artillery opens the way. Four batteries of light artillery are being placed in position here at the front of the line of pickets, and they expect attack hourly. The Spanish guards were withdrawn from the forts outside the entrenchments last night. A reconnaissance has been made close enough to hear the sentinels call to each other. The Spaniards have been using helio- graphs and searchlights. A close inspection shows that the guns taken' from the ships have been placed mainly at the northwest entrance to the city. The Spaniards still hold authority over the village of Caney. An emissary, who came from within San- tiago, arrived today and reports that the defensive force numbers 12,000, and 6,000 of the volunteers are living on rice and horse meat. The Spaniards expect an immediate attack. General Luque is reported to have arrived from Holquin with reinforcements, and forces are also reported marching from Manzanilla, but these reports are not con- firmed. PEPPER. —__>—___. RUSE OF THE SPANIARDS, Many Red Cross Flags on Santiago Buildings Lead to Suspicion. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. Siboney Anchorage, Wednesday, June 2, via Playa del Este, July 1—The first rati- road train is being made up ashore to transport Santiago. The harbor locomoiive this morning, in charge supplies toward of Capt. Fitch of the engineer corps, went | Up the track with a tender full of infantry. The roadted was all right. They passed ene bridge, approaching within five mi of Morro. They were shot upon by Spanish Gen, Jacob F, Kent. infantry, but none was hurt. It was pleas- ant to hear the engines ‘and the homelike whistle. Capt. Chandler made a reconnolssance and discovered the Spaniards busily work- ing on their entrenchments around Santi- ago. Red Cross flags were flying on many buildings and church steeples in the city. It has been suggested here that this may de a ruse to prevent cannonading. Our of- ficers declire to believe that the enemy would resort to @ subterfuge so irregular and depreciative of an emblem so sacred, but it must mean either this or that the city is a vast hospital. It certainly has many wounded. A Cuban spy reports that seventy dead were brought to it from the fight with the Rough Riders and the Ist Cavalry regulars. With the forty bodies found in the field, this would make 110 lost by the Spanish on that day. The soldiers told the spy that the Ameri- cans rushed surprisingly close, and said. “They almost caught us with their hands Several mule trains, with rations and am- munition, were zig-zasged over the hill trail toward the front today. ———— GARCIA’S DASH WESTWARD. Penetrated Nearer Santiago Defenses Than Any Other Force, Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. Sevilla, Cuba, Thursday, June 30, via Playa del Este, July 1—Garcia’s Cubans made-a dash westward this afternoon and penetrated nearer the defenses of Santiago than any hostile force yet. Led by the general they skirted Caney, a gray-hatred cluster of villas two miles from the arsenal, and passed in plain view of the Spanish Pickets, Tonight they are camped near Ly, pre- paring for an attack es soon as permission is obtained. The Cubans have rations for early advance is probable from these cir- cumstances. Many of Garcia's men formerly resided in Santiago, being driven thence by the barbarity of General Weyler, and today, when they caught a glimpse of their former homes, they gave a tremendous cheer and demanded to be led forward immediately, General Garcia and his officers restraining them with difficulty. Caney is composed of residences of the Wealthy classes, and General Garcia exe pects to occupy it without difficulty, as the Spanish evidently are disposed to abandon the town. From Caney the main road ene ters Santiago from the northeast, thus making it an important point in the pend- ing operations. General Garcia expects to have the honor of leading the grand assault, and has exe horted his men to fight desperately. — GUERRILLAS IN CANEY, Five Hundred of Them, With One Gun, in an Old Church. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. Camp of the Ist Regiment, Wednesday, June 29 (via Playa del Este), July 1.—I ace companied an advanced reconnaissance to Caney today. Five hundred Spanish guer- rillas were encamped there, entrenched be- hind a barbed wire fence and a ditch, They had one small gun, and an old church had been turned into a fort by the Spanish, There were no scouts or advanced outposts and no earthwork in the direction of Caney, This place probably will fall tomorrow General Shafter came to the front today and camped. He has stopped the wagon trains, because the wagons stuck in the mud. The heavy rains yesterday will cause further delay. Troops are on extremely short rations, on account of the difficulty of packing pro- visions to the front. Working details from many regiments are roadmaking. Our outposts are now at El Poso, five miles from Santiago. A thou- sand Cubans, under Gonzales, hover about our front, performing good scout service. THE SENATE RECEDED. Agreed to Seandry Indian Appropriation Bills. The Senate late yesterday afternoon cleared the legislative decks for what may be the final action upon the Hawaiian an- nexation resolutions. Through its action the last of the appropriation bills that has been pending in conference was disposed of and was a law before midnight. After a debat> lasting three hours the Senate finally receded from its amendments to the sundry civil and adopted the con- ference report on the Indian appropriation bill. Mr. Allison (iowa), in charge of the bills, explained that it was necessary that the reports should be agreed to last night, as that was the last of the fiscal year. He pointed out that if the bills were not by midnight they would have to be passed again by the two branches of Congress. The delay consequent upon such action would seriously embarrass the government and might force Congress to remain in ses- sion several weeks longer. In denouncing the action of the conferees for striking out the free homes provision of the Indian bill, Mr. Pettigrew (S. D.) charged the republican party with being dominated by the “monsy power” and with the election of senators by the corrupt use of money. i < Mr. Bate (Tenn.) and Mr. Tillman (S. C.) discussed at length the Hawailan annexa- tion resolutions. The latter discussed the rac> problem from the standpoint of a southern man, and was characteristicaily vigorous in his remarks. He accounted for the slight interest manifested in the Ha- waiian debate by saying that the question was fully discussed in executive session early last winter, and that it was only nat- ural that there should be a lack of interest and an unwillingness to listen to a repeti- tion of speeches delivered then. At 6:34 p.m. the Senate went Into execu- tive session, and at 6:87 adjourned. —— -- - e+ —__ WATSON JOINS SAMPSON, The Commodore Reports His Arrival Of Santingo. Commodore Watson has reported to the Navy Department his arrival off Santiago. He 1s in consultation with Admiral Samp- son respecting the details of the cruise to Spain, which it is expected will oceupy fully four months, provided the war en- dures that length of time. The delays to which the Spaniards are subject at Port Said will redound very greatly to the ad- vantage of Admiral Dewey if Camara is still in reality bound for the Philippines, for they insure the arrival of almost the whole of General Merritt's military force and almost certainly of the cruiser Charles- ton and the monitors Monterey and Mo- nadnock before the Spanish squadron could reach Manila harbor. The Wounded of Quasina. The Secretary of War has received a dis- patch from General Shafter, dated Siboney, Cuba, June 29, saying: “Edward Marshall reported better. Oli- vette should be kept here. About forty men that doctors will send back by first opportunity to Key West.” General Shafter's dispatch shows that the men wounded at the battle of Quasina will be sent to Key West as soon os possi- ble, but not by the hospital ship Olivette, which will be retained in Cuban waters to meet any emergency which may require her services. The Military Telegraph. General Greely, chief signal officer, has received a dispatch from Lieutenant Col- onel Allen, chief signal corps in Cuba, an- uncing that a telegraph and telephone tation had been established at a point within two miles of the city of Santiago, ‘This information is of the highest im- Portance to the officials of the War Depart. ment, as it to them practical a rect communication with Shatter ts