The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-03
COULD ANNIHILATE SKATER.
Twenty Thousand Spaniards to the
North. East and West.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
Santiago de Cuba, June 80, p. ma
two days visit to the Cuban lines and
outposts by a correspondent of the As
ISOLATED Press has developed a situa-
ton which if not broken by a vigorous
and successful attack on Santiago, may
result in causing much more serious
work than has been anticipated with
the Spanish forces that have retired
from the vicinity of Acerraderos on the
west and BaiGuiri on the east to join
General Linars.
The forces in Santiago and within the
fortified defenses of the city now num-
Der 1000. 1000 regulars and 1000 vol
unteers. Concerning the latter, the
Cubans allege that they will not fight
with any heart, but will lay down
their arms. According to Spanish sol
diers captured yesterday and held in
the camp of General Perez. near Guam
tanamo, half of the force of men on
the Spanish warships had been landed,
with all the rapid fire guns. This would
make a total force in the city Of 1850
men, in addition to the protection from
the earthworks and the forts, and the
assistance of the ships in the harbor.
To meet this force. or at least to in
wade it's stronghold, the American
commanders now have Il 500 men and
1000 Cubans-the latter to prevent, If
possible, flank movements at the ex-
pense of the Americans. Now here is
the dangerous and most significant
feature of the situation. Marching
from Manzanillo, 120 miles west OF
Santiago, and having been on the road
for six days, quite well advanced now
in mis- progress. is General Pando with
seven battalions. aggregating $500 men.
To oppose him is General Jesus Rabi.
with a force of 1920 Cubans, lying in
wait II miles from Santiago and on
two roads.
Now, of course, it would be perfectly
possible for General PanGo to take his
column far to the north and make
junction with the Spanish troops sup
posed to he on the way from Holguin
and numbering, it is said, 5000 men.
This advance from the north is being
held in check by about 1.500 Cubans
under General Castillo, who claim to
hold the passes
General Castillo admitted in camp
yesterday, as he smoked his cigarette
and supped his coffee, that his method
was to do Indian fighting in the noun
tain passes. When he was asked what
his forces would do If flanked. he
gravely said he had rot thought of
that, but supposed he would have to
retire The object of the Spanish adj
vancing from Manzanillo may be to
elude Rabi and by effecting a juno
ton with the Spanish from the north
to form an army OF 17,400 men AS a
flank on the west end of the American
army facing the city, General Rabi's
forces, combined with those of General
Castillo. would only give a combating /
force of 300 Cubans and the Cubans
do not hesitate TO run before over
whelming numbers.
Nor is that all menacing. Leaving
the Guantanamo camp of marines and
plunging into the wood to the west,
the Associated Press correspondent
found a force of 500 Cubans under COM
supposed to be keeping at bay 3,4OO
Spanish troops who are in the town
of Guantanamo. ] 6 marines are near
this camp, but to the east of it, so that |
they could do nothing to prevent the |
SpaniardS from moving to the west or |
the flank of the American army. In |
other words there are to the north, |,
east and west of the army of invasion, |
fianking forces of Spaniards compris- |
ing over 10000 troops, held at bay by !
less than 5000 Cubans, whose fighting !
qualities are as yet rather enignlat-
ical.
In an interview with General Garcia, |
the correspondent called attention to |
this situation. General Garcia replied: |
Il believe that we should have been
left to the west to prevent Pando MAX |
ing a junction with Linares. We can
DO that
In spite of this warning General Gar
cia and his force were taken to the |
east and landed with the army, only
to be transported in part back again !
to prevent the very movement which j
Garcia had predicted. The solution of |
the difficulty evidently lies in a bril-
liant and quick attack.
The unrelia bility of the Cuban state
ments as to force may be better under
stood when it is known that the 1000
men Perez promised TO send to help tbs
marines numbered exactly 50, of whom
Il are on the sick list from over-eat-
ng.