The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-01
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YaiIn ~ Eagle
NJ. VI. MURDOCH. Editor.
IT MAY PROVE AWFUL.

General Shafter is not leading for
iorn hope, but he is being arrayed
against odds under trying circum-
stances and at a great disadvantage
as to time, environments and numbers.
Washington has the utmost faith IN
his judgment. The American people
believe in him and think his force in
vincible But he is confronting all the
chances Of war under most trying cir
cumseances and seemingly insur-
mountable difficulties, and the result
may prove a shock. He acknowledges
himself that he would like reinforce
ments. Yet TO wait for them is to give
the Spaniards the time and opportun-
ity for massing twenty-five thousand
regular troops additional upon his rear.
In his front is an army not only equal
ing his own in numbers, but ap army
in entertainments, backed by land bat
teries and forts and by the big and
powerful guns of Cervera's ironclads
At this distance it would seem that
the first shot will be the signal for an
awful slaughter. So far in this war
the engagements so far as the Ameri-
can army is concerned have been
bIoodless. But a thousand or two thou
sand patriotic Americans may fall in
facing the Notifications Of Santiago
1t can hardly be possible that the war
can end without a sacrifice of life far
beyond anything yet experienced, not
excepting the Maine. So far las an in
dividual soldier has fallen, his name
has been published and his heroism
acknowledged by the people and by
congress. Even brave acts involving
no loss of life have been so recognized.
But when men are swept off by the
thousands the praise comes only from
individual hearts Of the homes which
have been made to suffer. AS yet there
has been little of the horrible side to
the present conflict. In six battles of
the late war of the rebellion, not
counting the most disastrous ones, one
hundred and eighty thousand men fell,
or a greater number than the entire
enrolment for this war. Great battles
average a loss of from IL to 20 per cent
of all the men engaged. The higher
figure holds good for Shiloh, Chicka-
manga, Fredericksburg, Chancellors-
vile, Gettysburg, etc. Dewey's battle
stands unequalled in history and prob
ably never to be rivalled in the slight
loss of life. If General Skaters loss
in his attack on Santiago should equal
the average loss in the battles Of the
rebellion, three thousand six hundred
men would be the fearful cost.
Skaters fight now is inevitable I'M
less the Spanish general, Linarez
should surrender, which is not proba-
BILE or at all likely. The fight must &C.
cur, as we said, against odds, and if
not before these lines have seen the
light, then by today or tomorrow. Be
fore reinforcements coulS reach Shat
ter, Manzanillo with 10000 men, and
Pando with 1900, would be upon him
And so it will be fight TO a victory OF
capture. There is no possible chance
In the event Of defeat to retreat to the
transports and re-embark, because
there is not time enough left in which
to do so and avoid the achievements
of the enemy referred to. With OF
without aid from Sampson, General
Shafter must not only fight, but fight
quick, and fight for a victory as
against possible, if not probable, ami
hilation.