The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-04
American Total Loss Now Placed at 1000,
Including Large Number of Officers.
Spanish Loss Twice as Heavy, with General Lnares
Seriously Wounded 900 Men May Be Sent
to Assist General SFafter

CAPT. JOHN B. RoDMAN, Twentieth
Infantry
SHAFTER, Major General.
The dispatch speaks for itself, and. as
Adjutant General Corbin said, tells what a
desperate fight our gallant troops have
been in. 1t was received at noon to-day,
after a lull of nearly thirty-six hours in
the official information from the field tAt
first, when it became known that the
American commander had reported the de-
fenses to be so strong it would be inn
possible to carry them by storm with his
present force, there was momentarily a
wave of deep apprehension. But this was
not shared by the military authorities here.
ALI their energies all their attention, was
turned to meeting the situation as pre-
sented by General Shafter. There was
neither time disposition TO take account
of what had gone before when the fact
was plain that the American army had
fought its way inch by inch, under blaz-
ing stn, through a dense tropical vegeta-
ton, steadily advancing and beating back
the foe taking position after position, until,
as General Shafter reported the town was
ell invested on the north and east by the
.ong drawn out line of American troops.
That was sufficient tribute to the valor
of our brave men, and it silenced all cavil
over the conditions now presented by Gen.
Shafter. 1t was time for action, for REIN
forcements, and towards the execution OF
this end, every effort of the administra-
tion was at once turned.
But there was other information of a
different tenor, coming about the same time.
The American army was not alone feeling
the effects of this three DAYS shock Of
arms. Definite. positive information was at
hand that Santiago had been literally torn
to pieces and that in the wreck and ruin
of demolished buildings the Spanish casual
ties numbered fully one thousand. This
was fitting offset to any qualms raised
by the reports from the American lines.
This information came from one of the
foreign consuls stationed at Santiago, who
try in Washington the fearful havoc within
the city wrought by the American army and
the fleet. The distress of the city even be-
fore the battle was clearly shown by the
action of this consul in serving out rationa
of one-half pound daily to his fellow coun-
trymen, few hundred in number. for the
last month. Evidently there was no food
to buy; the Spanish military forces had
official distribution of rations to the for
eign colony could they be kept from starva-
tion. Then came the brief, but graphic re-
cital of the terrible effect of the American
attack from land and sea. The bursting
shells from our fleet had done the greatest
damage inside of the city. Buildings were
riddled with rifle shot. and mown down with
the huge shells and solid projectiles from
the ships. Most serious of all the Spanish
commander. General Linares, occupying a
place similar to that of General Shafter in
the American army was seriously wounded
This last fact had been grudgingly admitted
rum Ndullu Dul the report reaching mere
left no room for doubt as to the seriousness
of this feature. With it was the further
fact that the Spanish casualties even be-
hind intrenchments. ran up to a thousand
and was equal to that of the fearless men
who fought in the open.
With all the lights furnished on the situa-
ticn, official and unofficial. direct and in
direct it was apparent that each side had
suffered terribly, with now and then a
period of lull for those in responsibility to
measure their conditions. bury their dead.
care for their wounded and prepare for the
graver conflict yet to come.
The President and his war advisers re-
rained calm throughout the trying expe-
riences of the day. All their attention was
directed to the work of preparation. The
future movements Of General Shafter are
well established. They had been made
known in his dispatch. but it was deemed
advisable not to make this portion public,
as 1t would serve to advise the enemy of the
American plans. 1t can only be said that
General Skaters forces will be strongly
and favorabiy located. with the guns OF the
American war ships serving as an addi-
tionsl protection TO their front. Reinforce
ments Will be hurried to them, which win
be ample Tor anv emergency. whether Il