The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-01
CAMP CONDITIONS HARD
AMERICANS SPENT YESTERDAY
RECONNOITERING.
GENEROUS USE OF RED CROSS FLAGS
The Spaniards Seem Short of Ammunition
Sickness in Camp Due TO The Heat and
Extreme Hardships The Men
Have Undergone.
Have Undergone.

Have Undergone.
Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.)
General Lawton's headquarters, five
miles east Of Santiago de Cuba, Wednes-
day, June 20, 6 p. m.,) via Kingston,
jamaica, Thursday, June 30.-7 Il. M
The American troops spent yesterday i'll
feeling for the enemy, otherwise engag-
Fling in recOnnaisances. General Shafter
in person with small escort, went al
most to Caney, small town FIVE miles
northeast of Santiago de Cuba with
which city it is connected by railroad.
Lieut. Standing and a detail of Gu
ban and American sharp-shOoters Occu-
pied small hill northwest of the Amer
itan lines and looking directly down on
both Caney and Santiago. Caney now
seems to hold only about three hundred
Spanish troops. the number reported by
the Cuban scouts, in spite of the belief
Of the Americans first here that three
thousand Spaniards driven forward by
our advance on Baiquiri and Juragua,
had all retreatcd on Caney and not on
Santiago. The small number Of troops
now at Caney indicates that the Span
iards have practically evacuated the
place and this is believed to be the
ease.
Lieut.. Standing was not mOlested dur
ing his observation, though he passed
through a camp which twentvfour
hours previously had been occupied by a
strong Spanish outpost.
Corporal Hucht, of Company d, Sew
enth United States infantry, who. with
seven men was sent on outpost duty two
miles from Santiago de Cuba yesterday
morning, and who was forgotten until
the afternoon, Was found by General
Shafter and sent into camp. The men
considered the whole affair a good joke
They had repeatedly seen the Spaniards
who did not offer to molest them. and
the Americans spent the daytas if enjoy
ing n picnic i'll the woods The cor
raj said that if he had had with him
sufficient force he could have brought
in forty Spanish prisoners.
HEAVY RAINS AND COLD NIGHTS
A detail of company of the Seventh
regiment returned here last night in n
state of great hilarity, inquiring where
they could corral captured pack
train" In the centre of the group of
soldiers was the pack train" Spanish
pony accurately described by a corporal
rs being thick as shingle and as long
as lath." The prisoner has been dedi-
Gated by the men to carrying their cap
tain's baggage.
The camp conditions continue hard
Heavy rains yesterday set everything
ahOat. Rations, however, are being serv-
ed 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
the 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 Il movement to-day to capture
Caney, which is short five miles moth
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 seriously |
harrassed on the march, an aggressive
move on the part Of the Spaniards is |
considered unlikely.
General Shafter left his ship to-day |
and took up his quarters with General |
Wheeler at the front. His appearance |
there gave rise to the rumor that an at |
tack on Santiago would occur tomorrow. |
but the staff officers tonight say it is |
impossible to get the army in shape |
to strike a blow for several days.
About 1000 troops are camped four |
miles east of the beseiged city and |
the remainder of the forces stretch along
the road from there to Juragua and |
Baiquiri.
The advance forces are in a semi
circle, the left flank resting about two
miles from those under General Chat
fee. with the extreme right under Col
Miles. about n mile to the northwest.
Beginning with the Twelfth infantry at
the exterem left. the Seventh. Seven~I
teenth. Fourteenth. Twenty Fifth and
Tenth infantry extend to the right in
the order named. Beyond them, picket
lines are established three-quarters of
mile nearer Santiago city. being in plain
sight of General Chaffee's and Colonel
Miles troops.
THE PURRISSIMA ESCAPES.
Much amusement has been caused
among the officers by the large number
of Red Cross flags flying from buildings
in Santiago. Seven such flags could be
counted to-day and it is reported that
two more were hOisted tonight. They
are all flying from the largest and most
prominent buildings, and our officers