The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-06-29
Admiral Simpsons Report
to the War Department.
There has Been Considerable
Fighting Resulting Appar-
antly in American
Success.

Washington, Juoe % Secretary
Alger and General Miles we're 10 600 !.
ference 10 the secretary's Office Ct 4
o'clock this Afternoon when the FIRST
Madrid bulletin annouoing that fighting
had begen vas shown. to them The
secretary read it aloud with evident
satisfaction and both gentlemen expressed
themselves gratifed With this favorable
report. coming as it did from the enc
my. There vas no surprise that the ight.
ing had begun so soon It vas sug-
gested by the reporter that the troops
had completed their landing Only this
morning eyes bot they have gone
there to fight and are ready to begin at
once," replied Genera Miles Secre-
tary Alger said no word had been re-
eeived up to that hour indi-
eating tha; fighting Was io pro-
eress. He had no reason to doubt.
however, that our troops hsd eneounter.
ed the Spanish forces end had given 8
good account Of themselves. General
Miles said that the Americsu troops
would now push forward aggressively,
driving in the Spanish and forcing
them to fight. There vas not sug-
gestion Of apprehension or doubt,
either with Secretary Alger or
General Miles, as to whasS the
outcome would be. They had
made their plans we'll aud they were
confident that General Shafter snd bis
troops would be hsmmeripg at the gates
Of Santiago before long.
The Impression here is that the Span.
iasds will make their strongest stand
close to Santiago aud the inner h,rbor
within the range of protection Of the
guns of the big Spanish cruisers lying
there. There is no doubt that until
these ships are removed from the field
Of operations tho campaign against
Santiago will be conducted against
odds. The guns Of the ships command
the hills over which our soldiers must
come to attack the town aud reaoh the
bsg, but we will 5000 bring our owo
artillery into play. The oaval officials
here believe that when tie time comes
for an attack by land upon the town
Sampson will force bis wsy into the
hsrbor aud take par. in the engage
meos They are sasisied that the
wreck of the Merrimac does not con-
plesely block the channel, and say that
if Sampson does not come in the Span
ish feet is likely to make desperate
effort to get out. The mines are to be
considered in such case. but it is be-
lieved that once Moro Castle is taken
by she combined attack of the soldiers
and feet. these Instructions can be
easily removed with ehe experience
gained in Guantanamo bay.
The only positive news coming to the
war department. up to the close Of Office
hours was dispatch to General Miles
from one of his staff officers with Gen.
eral Shafter. aud also brief dispatch
to General GreeIy from Lieut. Col.
Allen. General Miles dispatch stated
in substance that the lsndiog Of troops
had been completed without any casual
ties. cave to one Cuban soldier. WHO
bad his armed Injured by the bursting
of shell:
The troops Of Garcia and Rabbi.
about 500 in oumber, had met the
American forces with enthusiastic
greetings. Stress was laid upon the
point that the Cubans were we'll armed
and we'll disciplined General Garcia
was confident that bis forces would be
swelled to 10000 men Az soon a. San
tiago fell. About the only need amosg