Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-07-07
STORY OF ENGAGEMENT FINALLY
RECEIVED.
PLAN TO ENTER THE CITY
San Juan Quarter of Santiago Sbelled
with Telling Efect-Spanish Losses
Very Reavy-More Prisoners Taken
and Sent to Rear-Disreputable
Dons.
Copyrighted by Associated Press.

llaSO Qe CuDa, saturday, VIA Port An
tonic, Jamaica, July 5.-Four batteries
OF artillery, placed in position
this morning, began the day with the
bombarding of the Sal Juan quarter Of
Santiago and the Spanish position in
front Of our right. After a quarter
hours Smelling Lawton's troops, which
had been reinforced, pressed forward
upon the enemy's left flank, pouring in
an exceedingly hot fire which was
continued during the greater part of
the afternoon. IL was not intended to
force the fighting before tomorrow
Sunday, the present plan being to
turn the Spanish left. taking the
whole line in enflade and thus obtain
a speedy entrance into the upper end
of the city. SIMPSONS heavy guns
Numbered at intervals all forenoon and
the American shells were distinctly
seen to explode with tremendous force
and loud detonations beyond the San
Juan barracks, over which numerous
Red Cross flags were flying.
The concentration of the American
battery on what is now dubbed Grimes
suit Of a blunder made last night in
posting our guns so near the Spanish
infantry entertainments that they
could not be properly supported. The
idea OF a cross artillery fire was aban-
dOned, but the position occupied by
batteries on our right was not re-
linQuished. The rife firing at that
Mt or
anywhere along the line yesterday
The Spaniards kept up volley firing
fully an hour, but the deliberate plac-
ing Of our own shots showed that our
men as usual were cool and effective
in their work. Later Cervera's feet
in the harbor succeeded in getting in
approximate range angle of our ad-
vance On the left and sent il many
heavy shells which exploded close to
the entertainments.
1t was realized late yesterday Fri
day. that we might have hard fighting
today in order to maintain the ad-
Yanced position near the large block
house. Large entertainments We're
therefore thrown up there during the
night. Thus far today the Spanish
infantry let these works severely
alone. Near this position 200 Spanish
soldiers and 62 officers were captured
this morning. Both these and the
2,00O prisoners taken yesterday on the
right were marched to the rear dur
ing the forenoon. The expression Oil
all their facts was exceedingly sul!en.
The rumor that one prisoner turned
upon lieutenant of the tenth cavalry
who had just turned him over to the
guard and stabbed him. the guard TAX
ing immediate vengeance for this
dastardly deed by telling the Spaniard
with bullet, is not confirmed.
There are many evidences of the
disreputable methods of warfare upon
One of their batteries, masked by a
blockhouse over which the Red Cross
flag is flying. and the road leading
from Skaters quarters on the Rio
SeVilla to the front, had been for two
days infested at various points by
sharpshooters who fired deliberately
upon our wounded and our men who
were engaged. 1t was supposed that
they had stolen through our lines on
the right, taking refuge in the hos
pitfalls. In the trenches secured by US
many shells and explosive cartridges
were found
The impression appears well found.
Ell that Spanish losses were especially
heavy, probably amounting to 1900 in
0H no Of
the Spaniards were much heavier than
ours. In some trenches the corpses
lay in unbroken lines and occasionally
two or three deep.
1t was not Skaters intention to at
tempt a general assault on the Span
iards today Saturday unless our
bombardment and Lawton's on our
right developed an exceptional oppor-
tunity. The morning orders were to
confine our principal operations to de-
tense of the positions that we had
taken and reinforcements for the
whole line were sent forth early in the
forenoon. The I'd regular infantry
was sent to the right, the 9Th Massa-
chusetts, 33d and Gath Michigan, to the
center, in all about 1000 fresh troops.
The formation of the line today was as
follows: Gen. Lawton on the right, |
Gen. Kent on the right-center, Gen.
left-center, Gen. Bates the !
lett. Gen. Garcias main insurgent
force was thrown out to the right. |
Lawton sent a message to Shafter later |
in the afternoon saying that he is IN |
possession Of several fine positions for |
planting batteries to dominate both |
the city and the outer Notifications !
Of the port. From his headquarters, !
Shafter examined minutely MORO |
castle and its supporting batteries on
a range facing the ocean and it has
been definitely ascertained that there
are in the port of Santiago one gun
boat, three lronclads and one trans
port. Shafter says that Gen. Pando
has not yet arrived at Santiago and
hat Garcia is expected to stop him,
and he has been asked to do so at all
AS the correspondents were
about to leave with this dispatch for
he seacoast heavy fighting had been
on our right. The sharp
Of Spanish volleys alternated
with the steady discharges of our in
antry. 1t is understood that we have
gained there substantial advantages,
commanding the Spanish tanks A
German newspaper correspondent
famed Ring was arrested by order of
'hafter last evening On the charge Of
IN hn % |