The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-06-30
AT SHAFTER'S MERCY

Washington, June 29.-General Shafter
has reported two most important devel-
opments in the military situation at San
tiago: First, that he expects to take the
| city as soon as ne gets ready to move and
that he will not wait for reinforcements;
! second that Spanish reinforcements num-
| bering 5000, accompanied by pack trains
| and large droves of animals, are advanc-
ing from Manzanillo to the relief of San
! tiago. and are now fifty-four miles from
| that city.
A number of dispatches have been re-
! ceived from General Shafter covering all
the details of the military situation.
Some of them are to the secretary Of
war; others to General Miles. They cover
substantially the same ground It is evi
IDENTIFY General Skaters purpose not TO
wait for the reinforcemar IS now going
forward to him, but TO make his attack
before the 5000 Spanish troops az
preaching from the west can reach the
city. The statement that they are now
but fifty-four miles from Santiago is the
most definite information thus far re-
ceived. It is nearly 100 miles from Man
zanillo to Santiago, so that the Spanish
forces have covered about half the dis
lance at the time they were iocacel by
the American officers. This probably
was day or two ago. for General Shat
ter's dispatch was sent last night and in
the meantime the Spaniards have I'M
doubtedly advanced considerably fur
Their.
The droves Of cattle which the Spanish
army is bringing along shows a purpose
TO lay in ample fresh meat in anticipation
of a siege. This and the pack trains him
der a rapid advance. But even with a
bad road the Spaniards Will probably be
able to make from ten to twenty miles a
day. Much reliance has been placed on
/ General Garcia's Cubans to prevent this
advance of reinforcements from the wes.
But it appears hat Gaacia's entire force
has been withdrawn from the left and
has now been landed with General Shat
ter's main body on the right Of the city.
General Shafter also reports the details
I of this transfer OF Garcia's forces. He
says that the transfer Of Garcia's forces
from AcCeraderos covered fifty miles and
1900 of Garcia's troops were landed on
the right of the harbor making 1900 Gu
bans in all concentrated with the Ameri-
can troops on the right Of the city. He
dos not mention specifically whether any
/ Cubans are on the left. but the Inference
is plain from his detailed report that
most II not all of them accompanied Gar
| Cja in the transfers This move was
/ doubtless made before word had reached
General Shafter that the Spanish rein
! forcements were hfty-four miles to the
/ left Of Santiago. else it IS felt that Car
/ cia's forces would have been kept on the
/ left 70 hamper the advance Of the span
i iards and II possible 70 hold them back.
Whether this can be done now Is prob
/ lematicaL From the fact that General
E ShafteT reports that he VIII take the city
( fore reinforcements reach him. i is evil
dent that he wishes 70 strike the blow
as soon as he can set ready n move he
/ before there Is time for the Spanish rein
/ forcements from Manzaniuo 70 reach the
! city.
/ General Skaters various dispatches
/ also contain much information on other
! features Of the military situation. He
/ expresses the warmes: thanks for the
N'''-4 N't''tAo--N sent 40 Niih oN t-ie lFest-
+ dent through Secretary Alger and those
( Of the commanding general General
/ Miles though he modestiy refers - the
recent affair in which the rough riders
/ and cavalry men participated as un5ul-
F, portant. Fe says that only as 81 our
men were ergaged but il was decisive IN
our favor. the enemy retreatiug precipI-
lately. General Shsfter says thst the
lack Of cavalry was al that prevented