Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-07-08
AWFUL WORK AT SANTIAGO.
losses on Both Sides Were appalling
Though Americans Fought Best.

| Losses on Both Sides were 7ApPaHihs'
Though Americans Fought Best.
WASHINGTON. July 3.-From the heat
and carnage of the battlefield OF San
tiayo. where for the last three days
the American forces have pressed for
ward against an entrenched enemy.
General Shafter to-day sent the follow
ing dispatch summarizing the
situations:
PLAYA DEL ESTE. July 3.-To Sec
rotary of War, Washington: Camp,
Near Sevilla. Cuba, July &.--Wc have
the town well invested in the north
and east. but with very thin hnc.
Upon approaching it we find it OF such
u character and the defense so strong
it will be impossible to carry it by
storm with my present forces. Our
losses up to date will aggregate 1.0o2.
but the list has not yet been made.
Eut little sickness outside of eNhaus-
ton from intense heat and eHertion of
the battle of day before yesterday, and
the almost constant fire which is kept
up on the trenches. The wagon road
to the rear is kept up with some diff
Guilty on account of rains, but l will
be able to use it for the present.
General Wheeler is seriously i'll and
will probably have to 60 to the rear
to-day. General Hawkins was slightly
wounded in the foot during sortie
the enemy made last night, which was
handsomely repulsed. The behavior
of the troops was magnificent. Gen.
Garcia reported he holds the railroad
from Santiago to San Luis and has
burned IL bridge and removed some
rails: also that General Pando has
arrived at Palma and that the French
consul with about 400 French citizens
came into his line yesterday from San
tiago. Have directed him to treat
them with every courtesy possible.
SnAFTEE, Ma jor General.
Secretary Alger sent the following
reply to General Shafter:
The president directs me to say
that you have the gratitude and thanks
of the nation for the brilliant and eff
fective work of your noble army on
Friday, July l. The steady valor and
heroism of officers ana men thrill the
American people with pride. The
country mourns the brave men who
fell in battle. They have added new
names to our roll of heroes.
Il. A. ALGER Secretary of War;
While it was quite evident from
Skaters dispatch that the American
forces were in bad shape, definite. pos
tive information was at hand that
Santiago had been literally torn to
pieces and that in the wreck and ruin
of demolished buildings the Spanish
casualties numbered fully 1000. This
information came from one of the for
eign consuls stationed at Santiago.
who reported to the representative Of
his country in Washington the fearful
havoc within the city wrought by the
American army and fleet. The distress
of the city, even before the battle, was
clearly shown by the action of this
consul in serving out rations of one
half a pound daily to his countrynen,
a few hundred in number, for the last
month. Evidently there was no food
to buy. The Spanish military forces
had taken every available pound.
Then came the brief but graphic
recital of the terrible effect of the
American attack from land anG sea.
The bursting shells from our feet had
done the greatest injury inside of the
city. Buildings We're riddled with
riheshot and moved down with the
huge shells and solid projectiles from
the ships. Most serious of all. the
Spanish commander. Gen. Linares, oc-
cupying a place similar to that of Gen.
Shafter in the American army, was
seriously wounded. This last fact had
been grudgingly admitted from
Madrid. but the report reaching here
left no room for doubt as the serious
ness of this feature. With it was the
further fact that the Spanish casual
ties. even behind entertainments, ran
up to thousand and was equal to
that of the fearless men who foughtin
the open. A conference was held at
the white house and it was decided to
send fifty thousand or even Sc 7enty-
five thousand men. if need be, to rein
force the troops at Santiago.
NAVAL FIGHT AT MANZANlLLO