The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-12
sHAFTER's DISPATCHES.
Arrival of HeinfOrcements Reported
to the Mar DEPARTMENT.


the department closed, and though there is
| little reason to doubt that the general car
| ried out the programme of which he had
| notified the department it was regarded as
| possible that he had consented to a further
| extension under the flag of truce IN view
| of certain signs of weakening on the part
| of the Spanish commander. General Miles,
with additional reinforcements on the Yale,
| arrived at Siboney tonight. If surrender
| has not been secured by morning it is be-
| lieyed the assault on the town proper will
| be prosecuted at once with the greatest en-
ergy and determination.
Tests made recently of the naval crd-
nance gave very unsatisfactory results
| when it was attempted to project Shells
| over the high hills from the open sea into
| Santiago city. Possibly better results may
| be attained tomorrow if the attack is re-
| 'sumed then, but there is more likelihood
| that the main reliance will be- upon such
of the lighter draught vessels of Admiral
| Simpsons feet as may gu eceed IN Cattirg
closer to the shore and in better position
than the heavy battle ships. The officials
here are satisfied that what appeared to be
| delay on the part of General Shafter was
really caused by his efforts TO carry cut
strictly the Presidents injunction to pre-
vent the Spanish army from escaping from
| Santiago. He might have attacked the town
several days ago. with the result that If
| the Spanish were overcome ;hey would nave
| retreated without obstruction II the north
west beyond the reach of our soldiers to
follow. His dispatch, written late last night,
indicates clearly that he has been trying 10
complete his line of investment 50 as 10
prevent such an escape and as he appears
to feel satisfied that he has accomplished
this the final assault will not be delayed
much longer
General Shafter is disposed to save every
| life possible in the war, probably having in
mind the particularly large proportion of
killed, wounded and missing compared TO
the total strength of his army in the battle
of Caney which the official figures. promul-
gated to-day, shows was exceptional in mod
| ern warfare. 1t is to save our troops that he
desires to make free use Of artillery be-
fore the assault proper begins and also to
secure the cooperation of the navy in the
attack.
The cable communication between Wash
| ington and General Skaters headquarters
has now been got into excellent condition,
so that it has been possible to receive at the
department a message within twenty min
utes after it had been dispatched by Gen.
| Shafter. Colonel Allen, who is in charge at
General Skaters end of the line, has re-
ported to the department that he is now
engaged in laying cable from Guantanamo
to Playa del Este, which will still further
reduce the time required for the exchange
of communications
The War Department to-day made public
three dispatches from General Shafter. re-
ceived in the early hours this morning and
about l o'clock this afternoon. The follow
ing was received at 1:30 a. M:
The navy has promised, after the bom-
bardment begins, to get in close to the har-
Dor with some of their light draft boats. If
the bombardment tomorrow (to-day) is not
quickly conclusive they will make the at
tempt. AS soon as Henry's reinforcements
arrive we will surround the town and can
knock it to pieces with our light guns. Capt
Goodrich, of the st. Louis. assisted me very
ably in disembarking troops
Twenty-three minutes later the following
was received:
My plans for tomorrow are to keep up
the bombardment of the trenches and city
and complete the investment on the north
west by the troops which have just arrived
at Siboney, one regiment of which, the First
Illinois, has now reached me-"
Soon after noon, to-day the following
was received
Il regret to report that Captain Rowell.
Second Infantry, was killed yesterday after
noon."
The First Illinois Regiment, which Gen.
Shafter mentioned in his dispatch. is one
of the organizations of General Snyders di-
vision, which had been stationed at Tampa
It left there June 80 and was made up of
forty-eght officers and S96 men. 1t was one
of the most thoroughly equipped and best
organized and disciplined regiments in Sny-
der's division. The regiment had been re-
cruited up to its maximum strength of over
1900 officers and men, but for some reason
the recruits remained in Florida when the
expedition started
Arrangements are being made by the
quartermaster generals office for the trans
portation of eight hundred mules from
Charleston. S. c., on the ships scheduled to
carry the troops of the First Brigade of
Major General Wilson's division, which is
destined to go to Santiago. The wagon
transportation to be sent will be provided
from Chickamauga. The question of land
transportation for the operations of the
army in Santiago is regarded as of the fore
most Importance as the dispatches from the
front indicate that General Shafter has had
considerable difficulty in keeping the van
of his army supplied with any great amount
OF rations and other necessaries. 1t is be-
lieved that the wagons and mules to be
carried with Wilson's brigade will answer
all the immediate purposes of Skaters
army.
Secretary Long had received no dispatches
from Admiral Sampson up to o'clock to-
night. The secretary was not anticipating
any important information from the fleet
cable message was received at the Navy
Department from Commodore Schley, but
Secretary Long said it contained nothing of
public Importance and would not be given
out.
A very large package was brought to the
Navy Department to-day by Ensign Palmer
from the auxiliary ST. Louis. 1t was sup
posed that the package contained the report
of Admiral Sampson of the recent naval
engagement off Santiago. but 1t was batch
of letters written by the Spanish prisoners
to be forwarded TO their friends in Spain.
The letters will have TO be examined by the
department to see that they contain no in
formation regarding the operations of the
war which should not be communicated to
Spanish authorities.
SUNDAYS ARTILLERY DUEL.
Capt. ROweII and Private Nelson
Killed and Four Men Wounded.
WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE little artil-