The Monte Vista journal., 1898-07-16

Major General Siiafter. General Miles
In his dispatch which wus received
this morning, spoke Of the dificulty Of
transporting the artillery and supplies
TO the front and urged the necessity OF
having more draught animals.
He also asked for pile drivers and
appliances for building wharves. and.
Indicating the reason for the condition
Of the ronds, he said the heaviest rain
he had ever known was falling.
This IL General Shafter's first dis
patch:
Playa. via Hayti, July 12.-Heail-
quarters Of the Fifth Army Corps.
Adjutant General. Washington: II has
been very quiet: hut little lighting. A
nag Of truce up since 2 o'clock. Con-
sldering proposition for surrcndering
now. that have town surrounded on
the north. The line was completed at
8 y. m. by General Ludlow right down
to the bay. The line II rather thin, bur
will have II strengthened In the morn.
ing by General Henry. who has just
arrived at the headquarters. Only
three or four casualties: NO one killed
- far as I eau learn. Expect to have
two Of the new batteries In position to-
morrow. Great dcnl Of suffering
among the people who have gone out
of Santiago. Am doing my hest to
relieve II. but not entirely successful.
tsIgnetil sHAFTER, Major General.
General shnfter's second dispatch
was received late this evening. In It
he said that II had been impossible TO
accomplish much on account Of the
severe tropical rain storm. but he lad
succeeded In Improving his position
somewhat. He said that the i,o,niar,l.
ment Of the feet had been Ineffective.
As he spoke Of no other lombardment,
II Ii believed TINT the land forces did
not fire ON the city to-day. From his
statement TINT he had improved his
position 1t is believed that he has prob
ably strengthened his entrenchn,ents
ns much ms possible ln view Of the
storm. and that he Inns probably been
able to bring np some Of the reinforce
ments and extend his line 10 as 10
more completely invest the city.
Nothing IL said In amy OF the dis
patches about any Of the epnnlar,is
having cscnI'ed from the city. but the
officials here fenr that some Of them
inny have succeeded In getting o,,t and
escaping In the direction Of HolkuIp
or Mnnxnnillo.
The joint attack Monday morning
was answered by vollcyu oi iirr from
the enemy's trenches. Whenever snun.
ish heads appeared above the riic pits
the American troops fired at them.
From the improved position Of our
troops they were able 20 scnd an sc.
curate and deadly irr Into the encmy's
trenches and the Spanisris, with the
exception Of few d~sultory volj~rs.
soon abandoned all efforts 10 rrturn
our nrc.
To the surpriac Of the Americans the
spanlnrsis did NOT use their artillery.
although thc batteries aps,arpptiy arr
still In position. These might l,e dunn.
my guns. No sixns of life were visible
tl,erralnuts.
II Ii known that two of the eusguy's
batteries on our ieft are dummies. A
The morning. wore away the impeesaloa
became moro gensral that Toeal ~
succeeded In getting the grsatse pert
of the epaniah troops out Il A. city:
Oeneeal ehaftse ard biz subeeainats
o(bcen couid nst account fos ~ -
esuy's stranGs sllencs usAse eur Al.
IL was not chafactesistic a 0panlarAa.
One sugeeottea heard WAS thst ~
euemy might b. sunning short a ~
munition. abd that Oenefal Tosal n.
pecting a. aaaault o. ~ city. Wes
saving what anmunitioo he haa ~
% b ussd thea.