The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-06-30
VIII Soon Be Trained Upon the
City of Santiago.
They Are Being Pushed to the
Front From Baiquiri
RAILROAD BUILDING.
American Army is Constructing
Road as 1t Goes.
General Shafter Has Headquar-
ters in the Field.

Copyright, 1898, by Associated Press)
Camp Juragua, Wednesday, June 29,
via Kingston, Jamaica, June S0.-Maj.
Gen. Shafter decided today to establish
his headquarters in the field and he will
occupy a tent tonight with Gen. Whee-
aler, until he decides upon a permanent
Flocation for his headquarters.
There is every indication that Jura-
qua will cease to be the headquarters
for the army other than for
nhe medical and commissary depart
nts, in two or three days A suffi-
force to guard the place will be
here, probably from the volunteer
of 5000 men now coming from
4fnpa, and practically the entire fight
ing force will swing into Caney or
Aguadores, making the base of opera
tions before Santiago at this place.
The railroad fran here to Santiago
IS rapidly being pushed by the engin-
eers and a large force of troops. Its
completion will greatly simplify the
movement of supplies and the pack
train will have no more arduOus work
than transporting the food and ammu-
milton from point to point at the front
last night and have started for the
front.
Spanish Retreat.
Copyright, 1898, by Associated Press.)
General Lawton's Headquarters, five
miles east of Santiago de Cuba, June
29, via Kingston, Jamaica, June 30
The American troops spent yesterday
in feeling for the enemy, otherwise in
reconnaissance. Gen. Shafter in per-
son with small escort, went almost to
Caney, small town, five miles north
east of Santiago, with which city it is
connected by rail Lieut.. Standing
and a detail of Cubans and American
sharpshooters occupied small hill
northwest of the American lines and
looking directly down on Caney and
Santiago.
800 Spanish troops, the number reported
by the Cuban scouts, in spite of the be-
lief of the Americans here that the
5000 SpaniardS driven forward by our
advance on Baiquiri and Juragua, had
all retreated on Caney and not on Santi-
ago. The small number of troops now
at Caney indicates that the Spaniards
have practically evacuated the place
and this is believed to be the case.
Lieut. Standing was not molested dur
ing his observation, though he passed
through a camp, which "a hours pre-
viously had been occupied by a strong
Spanish outpost
Corporal Hucht, of Company D, Sew
enth L. S. infantry who, with seven
men was sent out on outpost duty two
miles from Santiago yesterday morning
and was forgotten until this afternoon,
kgas found by Gen. Shafter and sent into
Amp. The men considered the whole
air good joke. They had repeat
Aseen the Spaniards who did not Of
molest them, and the Americans
the day as if enjoying a picnic in
mpds. The corporal said that if
with him sufficient force, he
Shave brought in forty Spanish
everal pacificos brought in by the
Ferican outposts profess to know lit
of what is transpiring in Santiago.
A detail of company of the Sew
zenith regiment returned here last night
Yin state Of great hilarity inquiring
where they could corral a captured
pack train In the center of the
group of soldiers was the pack train,
a Spanish pony accurately described
by a corporal as being ''as thick as a
shingle" and ''as long as a lath.'' The
prisoner has been dedicated bv the men
TO carry their captains baggage
The camp conditions continue hard.
Heavy rain yesterday set everything
afioat. Rations. however, are being
served out more regularly, but they are
still not plentiful officers and men
fare alike The latter are suffering
during the cold nights from lack of
blankets thrown away on the march
These have been appropriated by the
Cubans, who take everything in sight
and do as little as possible On the
whole they actually fare better than our
men.
The American officers generally ex-
pect a movement today to capture Ca
ney, which is a short five miles north
east of Santiago. This, however is
not official Such a move may draw
the Spaniards in force from Santiago;
but in view of their previous retreats
when our army might have been seri-
ously harassed on the march an aE-
gressive move upon the part of the
Spaniards is considered unlikely.
The Opposing Armies.
Washington, June 3O.-The opinion
prevails here that within a day or two
at most Gen. Shafter will have begun
his attack upon the city of Santiago
proper. Numerically the opposing arm
aes are not very different. The estimate
OF the Spanish force being placed at
14o0O men, thoroughly entrenched and
behind barbed wire fences and block
houses, as against about 1S,00O men un-
DER Shafters command, aided by 1000
Cubans. One of the gravest elements
In the problem, however, is the Spanish
1ally assisted by Sampson, who might
engage the full attention of the Span
fsh ships their fire upon the American
: rfadvance would. be very hard to meet
The military authorities here say that
Gen E1nareS has shown great military
tact in slowly retiring during the last
few Gays. as he has gradually drawn
our troops from the protection of the
American ships and brought them close
to the fire of the Spanish ships in San
tiago harbor- For this reason it was