Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-06-27
ARMIES NEARLy FACE TO FACE.
Our Troops in Position in Sight of San
tiago de Cuba.

Associated Press Dispatch Boat, OF
Juragua, June %, via Kingston, ia
maica, June 27.--ICepyright. 1898. byAs-
sociated Press.1-Troops of the United
States and Spain are almost face TO face
and less than four miles apart Tonight
within hailing distance of the enemy.
1t seems certain that the battle of San
tiago must come within a week. Tie
troops are all ashore here and at Bal
quiri, with the exception of few scat
tered companies that have gone for
ward. The supplies are sufficient TO en-
able the army to sustain weeks cam
paign at both landing points. There is
continual procession of small boats
riding to the beach through the pound
ing surf and, as Cns weeks rations are
already landed it is believed the re-
CURED supplies Will all be ashore by
1Eesday
General Wheeler, in his official report,
places the pumber of dead in the en-
gagement at SFilla at twenty-five, and
the wourSed dt between seventy and
eighty. No attempt has yet been made
TO prepare an official list with the names
of the dead and wounded. The high grass
and bushes of the battle-ground make it
difficult to find the bodies. but an Off
G!al list will probably be prepared early
next week. The bodies of thirty-niEe
Sp2niards have been found. and the
Spanish loss in killed and wounded was
doubtless much heavier than the Ameri-
can. The majority of the American
troops are now here or at the front in
the vicinity of SeVi!la. The force at the
latter place. which is about nine miles
from SantiaS 20, numbers s 600 Americans
AID 1.5G0 CUbans. General Wheeler is in
command there, with Generals Young.
kawton and Chaffee. General Wheeler
will remain at Sevilla, which viii be
made a rendezvous for the troors land
iSe at Baiqtlri and at this point. the
sfNllery enc cavalry being put forward
from BaiquiIi. The cavalry have been
sent ahead to cut wagon read through
the underbrush.
I'roun tse American position at SeyHia
SaEtiaso is plainly visible ard the
fo~tific&ticns can be seen The following
rel-u-ts to5Gy to General Snafter from
generals at the font show the cordi-
tuns: I have just seen two negro
boys who left Santiago this morning.
They report that the soldiers and citi-
zens are very short of food. The SOL
Giers and officers have seized al the
food in the shons. They are killing
Young horses fer food, and in the hospi-
tails are suhsisTng on bread made of
rice -four. Three Spanish generals took
part in the fight at Sevilla yesterday
Five wagon loads of wounded were car
ried into Santiago. and many others
wounded got there On horses or afost.
We can see MORO castle and the flag
very distinctly from or position. The
Cufans confirm the reports as 70 the
fine character of the Notifications
around the city. Seven lines of barbed
wire are stretched around the trenches.
The sSanisrds have recenlydug deep
trenchss around the entire city. con-
necSrg a series of small forts" This is
signed by General Wheeler.
A report FROM General Young SAYS:
we can plainly see Santiago less than
sevsn miles away. The country is level
for six miles this siGe Of the city, ex-
cept for hills on the south, which ex-
tend to within a mile of Santiago These
hills appear deserted. The country is
fairly open and it will not be difficult
to move trot rs over it. General Chaffee
occupies Seyilia today"