The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1898-07-08

American soldiers, as we StdIcu All last
issue. have continued their steady
march against Santiago. AS the enc.
nv was we'll entrenched and had the
way blocked by innumerable barbed-
wire fences, the progress of our troops
has been slow. The fighting of the
Americans has been extremely bitter
and shows conclusively that they are
the lravest men ON earth. They
rushed into a perfect hell of fire at
each breastworks and, although many
were killed and wounded, they put the
Spanish to fight and captured their
positi The Spanish loss is simply
fearful The Dons fought under cover
all the time and never exposed them
selves only when retreating. The
GOODNESS and good craftsmanship of
our men has been remarkable. Sol
diers were never required to fight un-
der greater difficulties than have our
men. The Spaniards have used the
explosive and also The poisoned bull
lets, which shows what contemplate
DEVILS they are. 1t must be said, how
ever, that they have displayed great
staying qualities.
The fighting began in earnest Fri
day. Our men stormed their breast
works all along the line. AS there
were many lines Of these fortifica-
tions, the Dons were driven back from
first one to another until they were
completely shut up in the city Of
Santiago. Up to this hour no regular
assault has been made upon the city,
but it is hourly expected.
| The much-talked-of fleet OF Cervera,
which has been bottled up in Santiago
harbor for several weeks, made an at
tempt to run the blockade of Samp-
sons feet Sunday morning. What the
Americans did to those Spanish boats
will make history which will raise
an Americans hair thousand years
hence. Just listen to this following
account of it: 1T was about nine
o'clock Sunday morning when the
flagship Infanta Maria Teresa passed
under the wall of MORO Castle and
steamed out to sea. She was followed
by the Cristobal Colon, Viscaya and
Oquendo and last by the torpedo-boat
destroyers Furor and Pluton. The
American vessels, lying ten miles of
the entrance to the harbor, sighted
them Immediately. The American
cruisers had no thought of ranything
as the Spanish fleet getting past the
sunken collier Merrimac which they
had been deluded into believing effec
tually blocked the exit. The signal
Tor full speed ahead was running from
bridge to engine room of every ship
and the entire American fleet com.
menced to move in shore toward the
Spanish and the great twelve and
thirteen-inch guns of the battleships
and the smaller batteries on the other
vessels fired shot after shot at long
range. AS the ships ran in toward
the shore it soon became evident thai
the Spaniards had not come out t.
make an aggressive fight, for they
i y
had cleared the harbor and started on
their race for safety, at the same time
sending answering shots at the Ameri
, can ships as fast as the men could load
and fire the guns. The Brooklyn, Mas
; sachusetts, Texas, Oregon and low;
were nearer the Spaniaris than any
others of the American vessels, blu
still most OF them were too far away
to get an effective range. They crowd
ed on all steam, however, in prepare
ton for the chase, never stopping
their fire for one moment For al
hour or two they followed the flying
Spaniards westward along the shore
line, sending shot after shot into thei
blazing hulls, tearing great holes il
heir steel sides and covering their
decks with the blood of the killed ant
the wounded. At no time did tn
Spaniards show any indication tina
they intended to do otherwise thar
fight to the last. They showed no sig
. nails to surrender even when theil
| oulPS SOhmCbCSo W Dim CIV eAS 3 hSo
clouds of smoke pouring from theil
J sides showed they were on fire. the.
, turned the heads of their ships toward
the shore, less than a mile away ant
ran them on the beach and rocks
, where their destruction was soon com
; pleted. The off GERS and men on board
, then escaped to the shores as well as
they could, with the assistance O
: war::and then threw themselves upon
the mercy of their captors. The Amer
leans not only extended to them the
gracious hand of chivalry, but sent
a guard to protect them from the muir
derous bands of Cuban soldiers hiding
in the bush on the hillside eager K
! rush down and attack the unarmed
: defeated, but valorous foe."
During the entire fight none of TIT
American ships were injured The
one killed was Chief Yeoman Ellis. Of
the Brooklyn. Only ten of our m n
were injured.
Out of the 243 men examined for tn,
Fourth regiment, only 25 have beer
rejected Quite a good showing fol
the mountain boys.
Secretary Alger will send to Con
gress a Recommendation that legisla
tive authority be given to the Presi
dent to enlist IS. 900 negro soldiers fol
, the volunteer army in the event HI
deems it necessary to increase the pre-
sent fighting force.