Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-30
SKATERS ADVANCE.
EVERY PREPARATION BEING MADE
FOR ATTACK ON SANTIAGO.
THREE DAYS RATIONS AWAITED.
This supply Must De In Every Mans
Knapsack Before Final Movement
~
is Made-Men Suffering for Want OF
Tobacco.
Tobacco.

MA, SECOND CROSSING, tuesday, June
2Sth. p. NJ, per THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS DISPATCH BOAT DAUNTLEss.
via PORT ANTONIO. JAMAICA, We'd
nesday, AND KINGSTON, JAMAICA,
$50 a. N, June 29-The preparations for
a general advance Of the American troops
on Santiago de Cuba are being pushed
steadily forward, and troops of all
branches of the service are being hurried
to the front.
General Keene's Division, consisting of
the brigades OF Colonel Hawkins. Colo
mel Pearson, and Colonel Worth, has
joined General Lawton's Division, and
with the cavalry division of General
Wheeler, and four batteries of light ar
tilIery. will now be strung out in the rear
of General bawton's Division. The front
still rests on the second crossing of the
Guiana river, on the road to Santiago de
Cuba, IN the rear of the crest Of the Sc
villa hills. and mile and a half back.
The brigade of General Bates, the
Thirty-third Michigan Regiment, and a
battalion of the Thirty-fourth Michigan
Regiment. which were landed yesterday
by the auxiliary cruiser Yale, remain at
Juragua or siboney The delay I'm the
general forward movement is due to the
inability 70 get subsistence stores TO the
front rapidly enough.
WAIT FOR RATJONS
The advance It is said will not be
ordered until every man has three days
rations in his knapsack. This. however,
Is impossible until the road is passable
for wagon-trains. The pack-trains can
only convey one days rations in n day.
The men constructing the bridges and
roads have the work almost completed,
and this afternoon the first wagon-train
of four six-muIe teams will go through.
In two or three days more every man will
have three days rations in his knapsack.
ana as soon as that occurs the army will
move upon the enemy.
The day has been utilized 10 good ad-
vantage. Although the Cubans affect to
have a thorough knowledge OF the coun-
try and the trails, nothing is taken for
granted, and the whole country, front
and flank, is beins; thoroughly recon
noitred, and an accurate map Of 1t has
been made by the engineers. Much of the
information thus obtained will be inesu-
mable value
SENTRIES'- TALKING HEARD.
Last night General Mendonca, of Gene
raj Lawton's staff, made a reconnois-
sance up to the very trenches Of the enc
my, their sentries' talking on picket duty
being plainly heard.
Corporal Dewey and nine sharpshooters
from the Seventh Infantry went out
at dark last night, with one days ra-
tious. toward the Spanish lines, and they
have not yet returned, but no fear is
entertained for their safety. 1t is be-
lieved that they are probably lying IN the
bush, waiting for night At daylight this
morning, Lieutenant Smith. Of the Fourth
Infantry with detail of fifty men from
the Seventh Infantry under Lieutenant
Dearfoe, crossed the San Juan, and went
in a northeasterly direction as far as
Caney, or El Gaumey, as II Is marked on
the maps without encountering any
Spanish troops, and fifty men Of Company
A, Seventh Regiment, under Captain
Young, also made a reconnaissance in
force.
SPANIARDS IN THEIR TRENCHES.
The Spanards have seemingly retired
to their intrenchments, as no pickets or
skirmishers were encountered. General
Lawton, General Wheeler, and General
Chaffee have had riders out beyond our
advance posts several times. Captain
Wright, Of General Bates's staff, to-day
followed the line Of the railroad running
out of Juragua towards Santiago de Cuba,
to within two and one half miles of the
city. The road approaches within mile
and one half Of our front, and can be
utilized to bring up supplies and siege
guns. The first Of which latter were land
ed at Baiquiri to-day.
As soon as the remaining battalions Of
the Thrty-fourth Michigan and Eighth
Massachusetts,, which will arrive on the
Harvard tomorrow. and the. 6,OO0 rein
forcements sent out from Tampa, reach
here, Aguadores. town on the coast
four miles west of Juragua and about the
same distance east of the harbor en-
trance, will be taken. The place was
shelled to-day by several ships Of the
feet.
Aguadores is on the line OF the advance
OF the army into the interior and close
to the railroad. 1t will then probably
become the base of operations, while the
supply base may remain at Juragua.
AGUADORES REINFORCED.
Captain Wright, on his reconnaissance,
obtained information, which IS believed TO
be reliable to the effect that S,0O0
Spanish troops have been sent 10 re-
inforce the garrison at Aguadores.
General Lawton will probably make
diversion with his artillery so soon as
it is placed in position. Heavy rain this
afternoon has made it impossible to move
beyond General Wheeler's headquarters.
but the roads will dry quickly, the guns
will probably be brought up tomorrow,
and the intrenchments will be shelled by
the artillery and by Colonel Woods's
dynamite guns.
Shrapnel fire will be more used by the
artillery. The guns are of 2-lO Inches
calibre. and with shrapneI, they
are effective at $500 yards.
SPANIARDS DREAD DYNAMITE.
The Cubans say the Spanlards are In
deadly fear OF dynamite, and general
I.awton will see how completely he can
terrify them.
simultaneously with the bombardment.
General Chaffee's Brigade will move for
ward and occupy a position OF vital i'm
portance I'm advance OF our front. The
correspondent OF the Associated Press is
not permitted at present 10 divulge It's