The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-04
SANTIAGO TOO STRONG
TO Be WON BY STORM
General Sha Reports That he Must Have Renforceents the
Forces now the Field insufficient Capture the City.

aggregate $4,000 men, though the gem
eral had no idea that such number
would by any means be necessary. The
combined American and Cuban forces
under the command of Gen. Shafter
amount approximately, he said, to %
600 men. while those available for the
Spaniards were probably $4,000 soldiers.
These included, however, the men at
Holguin. presumably about 10000, and
the force under another Spanish general
amounted to about 5000 men. Gen.
Miles did not say whether the two bod
les of men last referred to had actually
Joined Gen. LinareS. but the under
standing is here that they have not.
Col. Humphries is in charge of the trans
port service with Shafter's army, and he
will send back to Tampa the vessels
that can be spared as rapidly as possi-
bic. In fact word has been received
that the transports had started for the
United States this morning.
If possible the War Department will
send $1,000 men from Tampa on these
transports. Six vessels have recently
loaded with men, ammunition, arms, sup
plies. etc, and are now either at Key
ters army. Included in this expedition
are some batteries of artillery. In all
these forces constitute about $500 or
1900 men.
Gen. Miles. in the course Of brief
talk said to-day that Gen. Shafter might
contemplate the withdrawal of his forces
to the highlands in the direction of Sibo-
ney. where they would be near the sea.
This, however, would be temporary
expedient enabling the soldiers to rest
and prepare for the work ahead.
The officials hope to rush the rein
forcements to Gen. Shafter SO that there
will be from $4,000 to $4,000 men under
his command within the next ten days
and sooner if this can be arranged. This
is exclusive of the insurgents, of whom
Gen. Garcia has been able to bring TO
Shafter's command, approximately 4,00O
men. There We're about l0,0OO men ana
officers in the expedition that set out
from Tampa less than a month ago.
These have since been reinforced by the
troops of Brigadier General Duifield $
command amounting to 1900 men and
consisting of the Thirty-third and Thir-
ty-fourth Michigan and the Ninth Mas
sachusetts regiments. The first l,oOO
of Gen. Duffield's brigade have been
with Shafter for a week While the re-
mainder have just debarked During the
past week second expedition of large
proportions was scheduled to leave Tam
pa, carrying a good portion of Gen. 81
mon Snyder's division of the Fourth
corps as reinforcements for Gen. Shat
ter. Assistant Secretary MeikleJ0hn
said to-day that eleven transports were
available to carry Snyder's troops, ana
while without any official information
on the subject he assumed that proba-
bly, 5000 Of them were now on their
way in these transports to join those III
Santiago province. The other troops to
be sent to the aid of Gen. Shafter will,
according to the understanding here,
he the remaining portion of Gen. Sny-
der's division and such other regiments
now mt Tampa, who are best equipped
and ready for active work. Gen. Brooke,
commanding at Chickamauga, has al
ready received instructions TO have nj
teen regiments prepared for immediate
movement. Gen. Snyders DIVISION
which was under orders for Santiago
includes the following: Eleventh ana
Nineteenth infantry of the regular army,
First District Of Columbia, Second New
York, Fifth Maryland Third Pennsyi-
vania. One Hundred Fifty-seventh In
diana and First Ohio.
Gen. Garretson's brigade, now at
Camp Alger; is under orders also for
Santiago. Garretson's brigade is com
posed of the Sixth Illinois, Sixth Massa-
chusetts and the Eighth Ohio volunteer
regiments. The army officials feeling
that they have profited by the eXper-
fences in preparing the first expedition,
say better time will be made with those
to follow.
The Mohawk and the Mississippi, two
vessels Of the American transport line,
just acquired by the government, have
facilities for about 1900 men and am
mails and probably will be utilized IN
sending aid to Shafter. They are now
at New York under orders for Tampa.