The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1898-07-07
TIE BATTLE HAS begun.
Gen. Shafter Sends Dispatch That
the Move on Santiago Is
Under Way.
PREPARATIONS 70 CAPTURE the CITY,
Over 5000 American Soldiers, Supported
by 1000 Cubsns Under Gen. Garcia,
Laid Last Night within View Of the
Spanish Intrenchr7ents Ready for the
Forward Movement the Next Day.

Forward Movement the Next Day.
WASHINGTON, July 2. The battle has
begun. This was the startling news
conveyed in dispatch received from
Gen. Shafter at ten o'clock this morn
ing.
Secretary Of War Camp Near sevilla, Cuba
Action now going on. The firing only ligh,
and desultory. Begun on the right near Caney
Lawton's division He will move on the north
part OF the town Of Santiago Win keep yot
continually advised OF progress.
SHAFTER, Major General
Brief as IL was, 1t told the whole
story that the first shots of the long
expected crash of arms, probably the
first great land engagement of the
war, was under way. 1t sent a thrill
through official circles, from the high
est to the lowest. Secretary Alge,
was the first to read IL. He passed II
to Gen. Corbin, adjutant general OF
the army, and directed him to take II
at once to the white house. Gen. Cor
bin went to the president carrying
the original dispatch. He was back
shortly and then bulletin was posted
giving the dispatch verbatim. Until
then only the highest officials had
known that the decisive hour was at
hand. The news spread through the
corridor and a wave of awelike agita'
tion and expectancy took hold of every
one. A great crowd of correspondents
struggled about the bulletin board,
messenger boys dashed off with dis.
patches, the clerks. men and women,
turned from their desks and gathered
at the doorways.
Meantime Secretary Alger remained
at his desk, while the usual train Of
callers pushed their way forward. The
secretary preserved his usual outward
calm, but those near him said the news
from the field had sent the same thrill
to the secretary that prevailed every.
where, and even more, for there
was the personal consideration
that the secretary's son, young Capt.
Alger, now on the staff of Gen. DUFF.
field. was participating in the engage
ment now on. As the secretary
started to the cabinet meeting he
spoke with satisfaction of the fact that
sufficient time had elapsed to permit
Gen. Shafter to get his army we'll con-
centrated at the front and thrown out
into good battle formation. The sec.
| retary felt that our forces were on the
aggressive and that the mere fact that
the action was now going on showed
that Shafter had bided his time and
was ready to strike his blow. Word
had come, prior to the Shafter dis.
patch, showing that the artillery,
which had been brought to the front,
was we'll placed
| A dispatch was received from Col
Allen, in charge of the signal station
at Playa del Este. He said hat the
fight was growing furious in all di.
rections At tho time he sent the
| Cubans had been wounded. The
Spaniards were shelling the advanc-
ing Americans and Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet was hotly engaging the forts at
the harbor entrance.
Army and Fleet Co-Operate.
WITH SHAFTER's ARMY, PLAYA DEL
ESTE, July "A general assault on the
city of Santiago de Cuba by the land
and sea forces of the United States be-
gan at seven o'clock this morning.
Gen. Lawton advanced and took pos.
session OF Cabona, a su burb of Santiago.
Moro castle and the other forts at the
entrance of the harbor were lombard
ed by our fleet The Vesuvius used
her dynamite guns with good effect
The Spanish feet in the harbor fired
on the American troops, who were very
close to the city. Hard fighting all
along the American line was in
progress at IL O'clock. Eight wounded
Americans and nine wounded Cubans
have been brought in.
Preparations to Capture the city.
OFF JURAGUA, July /, via Kingston
Jamaica, July 2.--Over 5000 American
soldiers, including all the regula,
troops now operating in Cuba and
three volunteer regiments, supported
by 4, 600 Cubans under Gen. Garcia lie
tonight within view of the Spanish
intrenchments. north and east ot
Santiago de Cuba, ready for forward
movement in the morning which may
lead Immediately to a general assault
upon the city. The advance will be
made by Gen. Lawton's division, form
ing the right wing, and If tn,
Spaniards show signs of retreatinf
or circumstances otherwise warrant
Gen. Wheeler's division and Gen
Kents division doubtless will join il
the advance and endeavor to drive tn
Spaniard3 before them and enter tn
city. While the movement may no
reach this extent tomorrow, its pur
pose is to force the 5000 men of Gen
Lawton's command two miles furthe
forward than they are now, take tn
little village of Caney and occupy tn
ridge overlooking the city and harbor
from which our artillery fire can b
rained upon the Spanish intrench
ments in front of the city and upol
the large body Of Spanish soldier
holding them.
1t may be that the Americans ma
! be satisfied to accomplish movemen
! in one day and then postpone a fur
ther advance until the light art:ller
and siege guns can be placed in pos
tion on the ridge and preparations ca
be made to pour deadly fire of shell
and shrapnel into the intrenchment.
dislodging the enemy and enablin
the main body of the American force
to carry the city by storm. 1t Is b,
|, lieved that at the same time Gen. Law
ton advances Gen. Kent's division o
, the left will attack Aguadores on th
. coast, four miles east of Moro castle
which would give our army q bas
much nearer Santiago than the prel
ent one at Juragua.