The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-06-25
HEROIC WORK OF CUBANS
ENGAGED THE SPANISH REAR
WHILE TROOPS LANDED
Probable Foundation for Spanish
Reports of Heavy Fighting-Gen.
Pando, With Ten Thousand Sol
diers, Trying to Reinforce Span
iards I'm Santiago City 80 Much
Reliance on American Guns.

WASHINGTON, June 24.-Notwith-
standing the official Spanish reports Of
heavy fighting between the American
invading army and the Spanish forces
near Santiago, army officers here are
confident that no engagement Of any
moment has occurred between those
troops.
Part Of the landing project was
movement in force by the Cubans
across the country to prevent the Span
ish forces concentrating on the beach
to oppose the landing Of the American
troops. Taken in connection with
SIMPSONS plan Of binding the Span
iards to the real location of the land
ing place by an indlscriminate lombard
ing of the coast for a distance of twen-
ty miles, this scheme worked admira-
bly,, as the American forces were land
ed without the loss Of a man.
1t is suspected, however, that the
Cubans have had to pay for this ex-
emption on the. part of the Americans
and that the engagements described In
the Spanish dispatches were really be-
tween the Cubans and Spaniards, far
back in the rear, instead of between
the Americans and Spaniards. Seeing
that the Cubans, who were almost
without clothing, have been literally
supplied by Sampson and Shafter, it
is conceivable that the spaniards might
easily mistake them for American SOL
diers, at little distance.
GEN. PANDO's PLANS.
The news coming from Jamaica that
Gen. Pando is sending heavy reinforce
ments to the Spanish Gen. Linares, in
Santiago, is likely to have the effect
OF Fastening the campaign against that
town by the Americans. Pando has
10000 soldiers at Holguin, less than 100
miles from Santiago. They are the pick
OF the Spanish army in Cuba, and their
commander is known as .'the fighting
general" Were they to combine with
the Spanish forces in Santiago, the
American campaign might be very
much prolonged, and the task set for
our troops would be much heavier.
Two factors have been relied upon
to prevent this combine. The first is
the nature of the country between
Holguin and Santiago, which would
be exceedingly difficult for troops to
cover in less than three or four days.
The second is the ability of the Gu
bans, to harass the Spaniards on the
march and retard their movements
With the force they have now in that
country the Cubans could do that very
readily, but they could not undertake
to check the whole Spanish force Of
10000 men.
SPEEDY ACTION NECESSARY.
The reports from Santiago indicate
that the Spanish admiral is using his
squadron effectively, as was antici-
pated, to defend the town from attack
by soldiers in the rear. This only en-
phasizes in the mind of army officers
the necessity for speedy action on the
part>of the invaders, for with Pando's
men to reinforce the garrison and
Cervera's squadron in full play, the
Spanish force would be, from a mill
tary point of view, much stronger
than the combined force of Americans
under Shafter, and the Cubans under
Garcia and Rabi
It is believed that considerable re-
lance must be placed upon the Amer
lean seige trains, for as soon as the
heavy guns are in place on the crest
of the hills, it is expected that the po-
sition Of the Spanish admiral below,
exposed to plunging fire, would be un-
tenable, and he would be obliged either
to surrender or to make a desperate
attempt to escape from Santiago har-