The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-05

June 20, 6 p. m, via Kingston, ia
maica, Thursday, June 30, II a. M
The forces of the American army are
being modified as rapidly as possible
in the vicinity of A~guadores, four
miles from Santiago de Cuba. The
ONE the tedious task is completed
the attack on SPANS last ditch in
eastern Cuba will be begun. When
that will be, General Shafter himself
cannot say.
The troops can be moved without
serious delay and are pushing forward
rapidly, but the movement of the
pack trains, wagons, ambulances and
artillery is taxing the skill and en-
durance of the officers and men to the
utmost. From Baiquiri, where the ar
tillery was landed, to the present
point Of concentration, the road runs
through a tangle of tropical under
growth, up and down steep hillsides,
and over t~reacherous swamp bOrdered
streams, for a distance of over twelve
miles. Through this continuous thick
ct the rear guard of the army is cut
ting it's way. Engineers are at work
levelling the track and filling pits,
While a large force of regulars and
volunteers, with axes, aided by Cubans
with machetes, are hacking dOWn
trees and clearing out the brush. A
few light guns have already reached
this point. The siege guns are not
vet within five miles of the Angular
SPANIARDS RETREATING, AMER
leans ADVANCING.
General Lawton's Headquarters,
Five Miles East of Santiago de Cuba,
Wednesday, June 20, 6 p. M, via
Yin yctnn To n1ninn Thursday Iunp
80. Z a. m.-The American troops yes
terday in feeling for the enemy 9TH
erWise, engaging in reconnaissance.
General Shafter, in person, with a
small escort, went almost to Caney, a
small town five miles northeast of
Santiago de Cuba, with which it is
connected by railroad. Lieutenant
Standing and a detail of Cubans and
American sharpshOoterS occupied a
small hill northwest of the American
lines and looking directly down on
both Caney and Santiago. Caney now
seems to hold only about 300 Spanish
troops, the number reported by the
Cuban scouts, in spite of the belief OF
the Americans first here that the 5000
S~paniards driven forward by our ad-
vance on Raiquiri and Juragua had
all retired on Caney and not on San
tiago. The small numbe of troops
now at Caney indicates that the Span
fards have practically evacuated the
place and this is believed to be the
case.
Lieutenant Standing was not mo-
Tested during his observation, though
he passed through a camp which
t~Wenty-four hours previously had been
occupied by a strong Spanish out
post.
Corporal Hucht,. of Company d,
Seventh United States infantry, WHO,
with seven men, was sent on outpost
IL ~,
ba yesterday morning and who was
forgotten until the afternoon, was
found by General Shafter and sent
into camp. The men considered the
whole affair a good joke. They had
repeatedly seen the Sp~aniards, who
did not offer to modest them and the
Americans spent the day as if enjoy
ing a picnic in the woods. The corpor-
al said that if he had with him sufti-
Cient force he could have brought in
forty Spanish prisoners.
a detail of a company of the Sew
pnth regiment returned here last
night in q state of great hilarity, in
curing where they could corral d
captured pack train" In the centre
of the group of soldiers was the pack
train" \ Spanish pony, accurately
described by a corporal as being "as
thick as a shingle and as long as a
lath.' The prisoner has been dedicat-
vi ~ III AlOH ~ NdAISIiS ILlt up
tain's baggage.
CAMP CONDITIONS HARD.
The camp conditions continue hard.
Heavy rain yesterday set everything
atioat. Rations, however. are being
served out more regularly, but they
are still not plentiful. Officers and
men fare alike The latter are suffer
ing during the cold nights from lack
of the blankets thrown way on the
march. These have been appropriate
ed by the Cubans. who take every
thing in sight and do as little as pos
Sible. On the whole, they actually
fare better than our men.
The American officers generally ex.
poet a movement today to capture Ca
ney, which is a short five miles north
east of Santiago. This, however. is
not official. Such a move may draV
the Spaniards in force from Santiago
but in view of their previous retreats
when our army might have been seri.
Ously harassed on the march. an as-
gressive move upon the part of the
Spaniards is considered unlikely.
GENERAL sHAFTER AT THE
FRONT.
General Shafter left his ship TO-DAY
and took up his headquarters VIII
General Wheeler at the front. His ap-
pearance there gave rise to the ru.
NOR that an attack on Santiago woult
occur tomorrow, but the staff officer:
tonight say it is impossible to get tn
army in shape to strike a blow for sew
eral days.
About 1000 troops are Camped foul
miles east of the besieged city am
the remainder of the forces stretCl
along the road from there to Juragu;
and Baiquiri. The advance forces ar,
in a semi-circle, the left flank restin,
about two miles from those unde1
General Chaffee with the extrem,
right, unde Colonel Miles about
mile to the northwest. Beginning
with the Twelfth infantry a