Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-07-09
do not hesitate to run before over

90 nOt neSlJdUt 10 run UtlOTc ONcE-
whelming numbers.
Nor is hat all that menaces. Leav-
ing Guantanamo camp OF mai mes N
plunging into the woods to the west
the correspondent found a force OF 500
Cubans under command of Colonel
Perez. This force had variously been
estimated at from 1880 to $500 Gu
bans, but there were certainly not
more than 500, as Colonel Perez admit
ted in the course of conversation, al
though he had claimed to have 1000
men. This force of 500 men Is sup
posed to be keeping at bay about $500
Spanish troops who are in the town OF
Guantanamo. The marines are near
this camp, but TO the east of IL, so that
they could do nothing to prevent the
Spaniards from moving to the west
on the flank of the American army.
In other words there are to the
northeast and srest of the army OF in
vasion, thanking forces of Spaniards
comprising over 10000 troops, held at
bay by less than 5000 Cubans, whose
fighting qualities are as yet rather
~enigmatical.
The unreliability Of the Cuban state
ments as to their forces may be better
understood when it is known that the
1000 men Perez promised TO g 10
help the marines numbered exactly 81,
of whom 81 are on the sick list from
over eating.
The Spanish Retreat.
Jauragua, July 2.-The two possible
lines of retreat for the Spanish If they
are driven out are:
First, by road at El Cobre; second,
Inv following the line Of the Sabanillo
and Marato rilroad. The first line VIII
be easy for about the first ten miles,
or as far as III Cobre, but after that
tho county is mountainous and bar
rem and would not afford subsistence,
and the pass to reach h central
plateau of the island would be difficult.
The more likely line of retreat will be
along the line Of the above mentioned
railroad, crossing the Sierra Maestro
at IL Cristo, a pass GOO feet above the
sea. ten miles north Of Santiago, which
is the lowest pass through the Sierra
Maestro for many miles. The country
back of this is a rolling plateau of
rich agricultural land. At MANAGES,
on the railroad, two miles north of the
pass, is an iron bridge, consisting OF a
series of 30-foot spans on iron trestle
bents. This point is about two miles
beyond the Cristo summit, and just
beyond this point the railroad divides
into tho two branches. The destruc-
ton Of this bridge would be the most
feasible method of preventing the APP
proack of General Pandois Spanish
troops TO relieve Santiago. 1t is prob
able that if the Spaniards retreat by
this road they will make a stand on
the plateau at FL Cristo and hold the
pass Of FL Cristo. The only other pass
through the mountains near this point
is at Escandel summit, about six miles
in a straight line east of FL Cristo pass.
Escandel summit is 1000 feet above
sea and is reached from Santiago via
Caney. The road from Santiago to
Caney is fairly good, being wide
enough for vehicles. Between Caney
and Escandel the road, which is no
more than a trail, ascends the noun
tains and is very winding and broken.
Beyond Escandel, across the range,
the country is heavily timbered and
broken and the roads are not good. 1t
is IN ideal country for ambush. This
is probably the only pass through
which the Spanish position could be
turned should the Spanish troops oc-
cupy the Cristo plateau and pass.
The railroad has been fortified by a
line Of block houses, protecting the
bridges and certain zones of cultiva-
ton enclosed between these forts
have been planted during all the time
of the war and would afford a supply
for the army for n time.
First Official News.
Washington, July battle be
gun" This was the startling news
conveyed in u dispatch received from
General Shaftcr at 10 o'clock this
morning. Brief as IL was, it told the
whole story. The first shots of tho
long expected clash of arms and prob,
ably the first great land engagement
of tn ewar was under way. 1t sent n
thrill through official circles, from the
highest to the lowest.
Secretary Alger preserved his usual
outward calm, but those near him said
the news in the field had sent the same
thrill through the secretary that pre-
vailed everywhere, and ever more, for
there was the personal consideration
that the secretary's son, young Cap
tain Alger, now on the staff of General
Duficld. was participating in the en-
gagement. The secretary felt that our
forces were on the aggressive, for the
mere fact that the action was going on
showed that Shafter had bided his
time and was ready to strike his blow,
Word had come, prior to the Shafter
dispatch, showing that the artillery,
which had been brought to the front,
was well placed.
General Miles, commanding the
army, received a copy of the dispatch
He had anticipated it, for only a few
hours before a dispatch came to him
from General breckenridge, inspector
general of the army, stating that the
spirit Of the troops was high and that
they were eager and eXpectant of ac-
ton. Indications were that they would
soon be gratiticd.
Miles also received a dispatch early
this morning from Skaters head.
quarters saying that the big military
balloon was high in the air and was
giving opportunity for observation
over a great sweep of country. After
the first announcement from ShafteI
was bulletined the time dragged wear
lily, with nothing in the field TO answer
the intense anxiety to which every
one was wrought.
Bankruptcy BiiI Signed.