Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-07-01


CoIored Volunteers - War News
and Notes.
Kingston. June 2S.-Every by-path
leading into city OF Santiago has been
mined with dynamite by the Spanish
soldiers under the direction of General
Linares. This information was con-
tanned in a letter from Santiago received
by a Cuban now in Kingston. His cor
respondent added that the Spanish Of
ficers expect to do enormous damage by
this system of mines. If they succeed in
carrying out their plans, they VIII an
nihilate the advance divisions of the
american and Cuban armies when the
assault upon Santiago begins.
The guns of the American army now
look down ON Santiago. If the siege
guns were here they could easily shoot
into the city itself, for from this emin-
ence just over the Rio Guiana, the in
trenchments of General Linares are So
near that we can see the buttons shine
on the officers uniforms, and the city
itself is not much more than four miles
away.
Cubans who have come out OF the city
of Santiago report a condition of panic
there. They say the Spanish troops are
affected and are ready to run. Tie
widest stories are out as to the size Of
the American army and its armament,
The general belief is that General Shat
Ger has between 10000 and 10000 men,
with great guns of tremendous range aud
power, dynamite throwers of miraculous
destructive force and war balloons
which drop liquid fire and deSolation
from the clouds. General Wheeler was
eager to take advantage of this panicky
feeling and make bold dash at the
enemy-barbed wire, rifle pits, batteries,
machine guns and all. Most of the Of
ficers on this fighting line were praying
that Wheeler's idea would prevail; but
Shafter said No and very deter
mined NO 1t was, too.
Barbed wire is a new feature in war
fare The Spamards nave set four sue
ceeding rows OF posts in front OF their
| intrenchments and rifle pits, and on these
posts barped wire Is heavily strung.
Between the four lines is tangle OF the
same wire. The idea Is, of course, 10
hold the American troops while the
Mausers and Remingtons the machine
guns and the great cannon shoot the
struggling men To death.
The problem confronting the Ameri-
can army Is the transportation OF sup
plies, Tor the ROADS To the 'front.' are stu
lmpasSable lof wagons but are being
improved. IN the meantime the pack
train IS belnS used. Ihe ilrst OF these
left Juragua SATURDAY night and others
left sunday. Ihe ofllcers and men We're
/ completely out OF ratlons saturday. The
| Seventh received NAN rauohs, and sun
day they received hothlhg. The boys
! are complaining plttefly' put are paclhc
| on the assurance that the pack tralh Will
be on hand shortly Should a night at
tack occur our SoldleFs would rare worse
than ana the marines at guantanamo as
the ATTACKING lorce mere WouIu not De at
| the disadvantage OF having TO charSe
up NH.
The Cubans with the advancing forces,
in spite of the good behavior of their
comrades at Guantanamo, seem to be
''''N''e''
shade of their palm matched camps, and
at night they smoke clgarets ana gorge
on Uncle sam ratlons, while in sight
of them Uncle Sans boys, with empty
stomachs and not bit of tobacco for
blazing sun ana sleep on their rifles un'
der the starlight.
The SpanlardS are using brass
sheathed lead bullets, and the brass tip
on touching tears the flesh horribly,
While the small splinters cause blood
poisoning. They are practically eX-
ploslVe bullets, and are used in their
Remlhgtons. They also cut small
cross through the end of the Mauset
bullet SO that 1t mushrooms on striking
with similar result.
The outlook is threatening. Every
body believes a great battle is immi-
nent. with the Spanish and American
advance posts close enough to see the
whites OF each others eyes colilslof
may occur at any moment some Of
hcers belleVe II VIII De necessary TO lay
"A regular siege 10 santiago ana advance
Wlth a line OF earthWorks untll the rih'
plls can be shelleu with shraphel py tht
hSht artlllery' Ihese pieces nave an Ell
1ectlVe Shraphel range OF 2ooo yarus, ahc
the Mauser rlieS III 'he hailus vi lI'
opahlafdS are slsh'eu 10 l'oo yalos' ahl
Nhey XIII at SlVV EaruS'