The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-01

the rear Of MORO castle was recon-
noitred yesterday afternoon by GEN
eral Chaffee and several members OF
his staff.
The Cubans believe that If the wa
ter supply OF the city can be cut OH,
Santiago viii have to yield at once
| They say that Admiral Cervera's fleet,
except the torpedo boat destroyer Ter
ror is in the harbor. General LaWton
| is inclined TO discredit the reports that
guns have been taken from the ships
| to strengthen the defences on lano
| He says it would be impossible .nr
Admiral Cervera to reach the position
Of the American army with his big
/ guns from where the Spanish ships lie.
! GENERAL JOE WHEELER UP A
TREE.
| General Wheeler, who made re-
| connaisance for half a mile beyond the
| skirmish lines this morning, finding
| that he was unable to secure the de-
| sired view through the luxuriant trop-
| ical foliage, dismounted and climbed
| tree. A major general Of the United
| States army in the forks of a tree
| surveying the Spanish outposts
| through his field glasses was a spec
| tacle that gave some idea of the Won
| derful energy of the dashing ex-con-
| federate cavalry leader. The feat OF
F. agility in a man 62 years of age, put
! d
| own staff.
General Calixto Garcia, with 800
! men, who landed yesterday, is expect
! ed to reach the front today. The Amer
leans are in excellent spirits and there
is remarkable lack of sickness. Thus
far the water supply has been good
and there have been no bad effects
D., from the changes, except few cases
Of dysentery. There was a brief rain
! squall last night
At noon today Major Colridge re-
ceived orders to clear the road beyond
the front, where the stream doubles
I back across it, for the advance of ar
! tillery. A dynamite gun and Hotch-
kiss gun viii be nut in position.
Copyright by Associated Press.)
l. At the Front on the Rio Guiana,
Second Crossing, Tuesday, June %, +
p. m, per the Associated Press Dis
patch Boat Dauntless, via Port An
tonic, ia, Wednesday, June %, Z a. H.,
and Kingston, ia, $50 a. m.-The
preparations for general advance of
the American troops on Santiago de
Cuba are being pushed steadily for
/ ward and troops Of all branches of the
service are being hurried to the front.
General Kent's division, consisting of
the brigade Of General Hawkins, Colo
mel Pearson and Colonel WORTH has
Joined General LawtOnS S division and,
with the cavalry division of General
Wheeler and four batteries of light
artillery, will now De strung out in
the rear Of General LawtoUs division.
The front still rests on the second
crossing of the Rio Gna,na river, on
the road to Santiago de Cuba, in the
rear of the crest OF the Sevilla hills
and a mile and a half back. The
brigade of General Bates. the Thirty
third Michigan regiment, and ii battal-
ion of the Thirty-fourth Michigan reg
iment which were landed yesterday
by the auxiliary cruiser Yale, remain
at Juragua or Siboney.
CAUSE OF DELAY IN ATTACK.
The delay in the general forward
movement is due to the inability to
get subsistence stores to the front
rapidly enough.
The advance, it is said, will not be
ordered until every man has three
days rations in his knapsack. This,
however, is impossible until the road
is passable for wagon trains. The pack
! trains can only convey one days ra-
tiOns in a day. The men constructing
the ridge roads have the work almost
| completed and this afternoon the first
| wagon train Of four 6-mule teams will
| go through. In two or three days more
every man will have three days ra-
tions in his knapsack and as soon as
| that occurs the army will move upon
! the enemy.
The day has been utilized to good
advantage. Although the Cubans eff
feet to have thorough knowledge of
| the country and the trails, nothing
is taken for granted and the whole
country, front and flank, is being
thoroughly reconnoitered and an accu-
! rate map has been made by the en-
gineers. Much of the information thus
obtained will be of inestimable value.
RECONNAISSANCE PARTIES.
Last night General Mendonca, of
General LawtOn's staff, made a recon-
noissance up to the very trenches of
the enemy, their sentries talking on
picket duty being plainly heard. Cor
poral Dewey and nine sharpshoOters
from the Seventh infantry went out
at dark last night, with one days ra
tions, toward the Spanish lines and
they have not yet returned, but no
, fear is entertained for their safety. It
| | is believed they are probably lying in
the bush waiting for night.
At daylight this morning, Lieuten-
ant Smith, of the Fourth infantry
: with a detail of fifty men from the
Seventh infantry, under Lieutenant
Dearfoe, crossed the San Juan and
went in a northeasterly direction as
far as Caney, or Ell Gaumey, as it is
: marked on the maps, without encoun-
tering any Spanish troops, and fifty
. ! men of company A, Seventh regiment,
under Captain Young, also made a re-
| connoissance in force. The Spaniards
have seemingly retired to their en-
trenchments, as no pickets or skir-
. mishers were encountered.
= General Lawton, General Wheeler
! and General Chaffee have had riders
out beyond our advance posts several
times
Captain Wright, of General Bates
staff, today followed the line Of the
railroad running out of Juragua, to-
ward Santiago de Cuba, to within two
! and a half miles of the city. The road
approaches within a mile and one half
| of our front and can be utilized to
bring up supplies and siege guns, the
| first OF which were landed at BaiQuiri
| this afternoon. AS soon as the re-