Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1898-07-02
THE CENTER OF CONFLICT
The Spanierds Have Mined All the
Approaches to Santiago.

Are Massing Within Striking Distance.
Waiting Only for the Artillery.
WITH UNITED STATES ARMY, NEAR
SANTIAGO, Sunday, via Port Antonio,
Jamaica, ay.-Although only
three or four miles of territory now
separates Gen. Skaters advance
column and the Spanish forces about
Santiago, it is likely to be several days
before the assault upon the city is made.
Owing to the bad condition of the
roads, the machine and field guns can
be hauled to the front only with great
est difficulty. Much of this day has
been devoted to this work, and the guns
now are well on the way to the advance
position held by Gen. Wheeler. The
work hardly can be completed for two
or three days, however, and the attack
cannot be made before then.
Seven thousand American troops and
5000 of Gen. Garcia's forces are en-.
camped within sight of Santiago, and
the American flag is still floating all
along the way from Baiquiri to the
outskirts of the beleagured city.
1t is apparent now that Gen. Linares
will offer no serious opposition to the
concentration of tho entire American
and Cuban forces about the city. he
abandoned his last opportunity for
making serious trouble when he or
dercd his troops to Withdraw from
Sevilla yesterday. Gen. Linares, the
American officers believe, is devoting
all his energies to strengthening the
defenses of Santiago, both by land and
sea.
Linares Has Large Force.
From several sources the information
comes that the Spanish general has a
larger force at his command than has
been supposed. Conservative leaders
in the Cuban army declare that at least
$1,000 Spaniards have been gathered in
Santiago. 1t is also asserted that the
city's defenses have been strengthened
to marked degree, and that the cap
ture of the city will not be the easy task
50 many have expected.
Thus far the Americans seem to be
more in need of artillery than of men
but it is believed that the composition
of the present land force is due to the
plan for the cooperation of the fleet
The health of all the troops is eX
cellent. All of the wounded are doing
well.
Gen. Shafter and his subordinate Off
GERS are unstinted in their praise o
both volunteers and regulars while un
der fire. Our troops have shown them
selves to be brave, cool and eager anC
the examples set by the officers have
been worthy of the highest praise.
Next Fight for Santiago.
The next fighting will be directly be
fore Santiago. Our troops have swep
all before them. They took Sevill;
sooner than they had expected to, ant
without struggle. Owing to the eX
traordinary energy of our commanding
officers in pushing the men along
coupled with the eagcrness of the troop
to advance, the American flag wa:
| Sn,-il1a I,,,inr Sptn.ID \
night. In this village, where Gen
Linares made his headquarters while
the American troops were landing,
desperate engagement was expected
Spanish troops had been Fastening t.
that point from all directions for sew
eral DAYS. 1t was the last defense be
tween Santiago and the American
troops Despite its strategic import
ance, however, the Spaniards Offered
little opposition. They fred on on
troops for some time in desultory way
but without effect. They then retire'
from the village, leaving it for tn
Americans to occupy.
Col. Wagner, who took his men tw
miles beyond Sevilla, there found th
extreme outposts of the Cubans, on tn
banks of the Seco river. This detach
ment of the American troops az
preached to within a few hundre
yards of the Spanish patrols, wh
moved along the front four miles fror
the city. He then learned that tn
main body of the Spanish army wa
within the lines, only one mile outsid
of Santiago. Gen. Skaters next order
therefore, will be to attack the enemy
trenches. These are in regular troch
form. The brush has been cleared fo
distance of 1000 yards from the lines
which consist of series of small fort!
connected by deep trenches and b
barbed wire.
Probably in Close Range Now.
1t is asserted confidently by the CT
bans that at least $4,000 Spaniards a,
now cncamped in Santiago Five hun
dred Cubans occupy a position in az
, vance of the Seventeenth Infantry, BIT
, the Fourth and Twenty-ffth Infantr
are coming along to take leading pos
tion. They started at daylight frol
the Seco river, and will go close to tn
Spanish line. At the present rate {
advance it is quite probable that tn
two armies will get within range {
, each other tomorrow. The Second Ca
! airy is going forward with horses an
: sixty pack mules.
, There is now no longer any troubl
: about furnishing the American trool
with good food and water.