Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-07-07
THE battle At SANTIAGO.
Later Official and Unofficial Re-
ports Show the Desperate Char
acter of the Fighting.
CASUALTIES GIVEN AT ONE THOUSAND.
Description of the Taking of San Juan
Heights by the American Troops-Gen.
Skaters Dispatch-Gen. Pando Rein
forces Gen. Linares and Enters Santi-
ago with 5000 Soldiers.

WASHINGTON. July 3.-The profound
est concern throughout military and
official circles marked the opening of
the second day upon which the battle
of Santiago is being fought The des-
perate character of the fighting is now
fully known to the war department.
The information is in addition to the
report made by Gen. Shafter Friday
midnight, when he roughly estimated
his casualties as above 400. Later re-
ports, official and direct from the field,
indicate that this estimate was far too
low. Gen. Shafter had not this morn
ing placed any exact figure on his loss,
but he made it clear that his first eSti-
mate at 400 was much short of the
actual loss. The Associated press
dispatch from the field, giving
the casualties at about LOCO,
is in line with Gen. Skaters latest
information, although. as stated,
he has set no figure. The military au-
thorities were early in the day, de-
spite the fact that they had been up
well through the night. in anxious
waiting for the latest reports. Secre-
tary Alger and the adjutant general
of the army, Gen. Corbin, held a con-
ference as soon as the secretary ar
rived. Then Surgeon General Stern
berg was sent for and Joined in the
conference. It is understood that the
surgeon general will send a large
force of medical officers. some 46 or 80,
in addition to those already with Gen.
Skaters men. All suitable appli-
ances will be provided. Neither the
secretary nor the adjutant general
would add anything to the infor-
nation given out at midnight 1t
was said, however, that the estimate
of killed and wounded first made by
Gen. Shafter was more likely to be
under than over the real loss. as the
dense growth of chaparral in which
the American troops fought made it
we'll nigh impossible at first to learn
the extent of the loss An impressive
seriousness pervaded the military CEN
ters- The news that our gallant men
had pressed their way, foot by foot. up
to the commanding plateau of Caney
was welcome indeed, but there was
now the full realization that this had
been won in the face of a whitening
fire. Instead of a skirmish on the
right flank. and as the reports
Friday indicated. it was now
clear that general engagement and
terrific one. had been fought under
the troiling tropical sun in the tan
gled vegetation northeast of Santiago
Gen. Miles and his staff were together
in the generals office early in the day.
Spread on the generals desk was a
map showing in minutest details of
every roadway, trail and elevation
about Santiago. The general traced
the line of operations yesterday and
Al IL
in progress. He had received moth
ing additional from the field. He
spoke gravely of the fierceness of the
fighting yesterday. From strategic
point of view, Lawton's taking of
Caney yesterday gave an elevation on
the right wing, serving the double
purpose of diverting the enemy from
the left and opening a way to our left
wing and also of giving our troops
more commanding sweep of the enc
my's northern defenses- Incidentally,
it accomplished the important purpose
at least to some extent, of preventing
Pando's coming down with reinforce
ments from the north and turning our
right flank.
San Juan Heights Taken.
New YORK, July 3.-A copyrighted
I'm the field. two miles from Santiago"
and ca bled from Playa del Este. says:
San Juan heights have fallen and
the way is now opened for an advance
on MORO castle. 1t was a glorious
victory, but very dearly purchased.
The place was the strongest Spanish
outpost, well-fortified and valiantly
defended. The position was an excel
Son Imam hill onI
an artillery battery was locat ID on it
1t was also occupied by barracks and
other buildings. But the American
troops stormed the heights and the
Spanish valor had to yield to the bull
dog tenacity and courage of Anglo
Saxon. As [ write our troops are
swarming up the hills and covering
it like ants. The Spaniards are de-
moralized. The fighting has been
of the hardest kind and the
American troops have suffered
severely, but the enemy's works are
in their hands and they do not count
the cost. Ell Canev is also ours. The
general advance, which began at three
o. NJ, has been successful all along
the line. After driving the enemy out
of Ell Caney the troops took posses
sion of the village and destroyed the
Spanish forts by which it had been
defended The Spaniards fed into
the city of Santiago where they now
are. The losses on both sides were
heavy. A bursting Spanish shell almost
annihilated an entire company of our
troops.
Gen. Skaters Dispatch
WASHINGTON. July Sowing to the
nanv conflicting reuorts of the losses
of the American troops in yesterdays
engagement it has been thought best
by the war department officials to
make public the text of Gen. Skaters
last dispatch, received this morning
r L. l. Ill