New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-29
TROOPS CROSS RIO GAUM".
AMERICAN FRONT ADVANCES.
SEVERAL. FORCES OF GENERAL SHAF-
TER'S COMMAND DRAW CLOSER
TO SANTIAGO DE CUBA.


At the Front. on the Rio Gaumo. Cuba Mon
day. June 20 noon. via Kingston, Jamaica June
2s.-The American front has been advanced be-
yond the first crossing of the Rio Gaumo ABOUT
a mile, and tug lies three and halt miles
from the Spanish intrenchment.
General Lawtons brigade rests on the road TO
Santiago de Cuba. TIE Third Brigade, under
General Chaffee-the 18th, 18th and 9TH regi-
ments-hods the trench, with his command ~
ing across the road and river.
The First Brigade-the Sth and 22d and I'd Mas
sachusetts-und General Clarke, lies on the left
flank slightly in the rear, and the Second Bri-
gade-the 1st 4th and 25th-occupes the oppo-
site position Oh the right flank.
General Wheeler, with the cavalry Is In the
rear between Sevilla hills and the Rio Gaumo.
strong line Of outposts is maintained ahead
General Chaffee's brigade, with three tnou-
sand Cubans under General Aguirre and sew
eral hundred under Colonel Gonzales, was skir-
mishng toward the city this morning The Gu
bans had several slight skrmishes with the
Spaniards stationed on the hills on the American
right flank and our auXiliarics occupied the
blockhouses in tha; vicinity, which were evacu-
ated before daybreak by the Spaniards. The
latter retreated toward Santiago. No fatalities
reported.
General Lawton. General Chafee and General
Wheeler have thoroughly reconnOitred the span
sh position, and. with the aid Of information
furnished by the Cubans have good maps OF the
roads and defences Of the city.
INFORMATION FROM sPANIARDs.
Much information has also been obtained from
Spanish pacfcos who have slipped out OF the
city and given themselves up in the hope OF get
ting food They report great starvation and dis
the Spanish
troops are on short rations. and that all the
supplies are being held for their use. The sick
in the hospitals the pacifcos also say. are suf-
fering from want Of food. and they report that
seventy Spanards were killed and that
eighty-nine were wounded the result of the
engagement of Friday.
The most startling information obtained from
the pacihcos is that since the advance began al
most twenty thousand Spanish soldiers have ar
rived at Santiago de Cuba. This statement Is
made on the authority Of General Lawton, and
he is of the opinion that General Pando may be
able to effect junction with General Linares at
Santiago de Cuba.
There are two forts OF considerable irnpor-
tance within the Spanish lines-Punta Banco.
at the southern end Of the bay, and Santa Ur-
sula at the southeast on the road to
Caney. the north is another fort.
There are about four hundred and fifty men In
each Of these fortifications. and stretching
around the whole city are nine barbed-wire
fences. fifty yards apart. while just inside OK
these are lines of rife pits
outside. 10 the eastward, about two miles be-
yond the American outposs. is line Of in
trenchments extending from the rorthern ex-
tremity or the city To Moro Castle.
TO CUT OFF WATER SUPPLY.
%
seven miles from General Lawtons headquar-
ters lies Moro Castle. The road. 10 within a
few hundred yards OF the batteries al the rear
Of Morro, was reconnotered yesterday after
noon by General Chafiee and several members
! OF his staff
The Cubans believe that il the water supply
OF the city be cut off Santiago will have
to yield in a few dnys They say that Admiral
Cerveras entire feet except the torpedo-boat
destroyer Terror. is in the harbor. General
/ Lawton is inclined 10 discredit the reports that
guns have been taken from the ships TO
strengthen the defences on land. He said that
It would be impossible for Admiral Cervera TO
reach the position OF the American Army with
his big guns from where the Spanish ships lie.
The road to the base OF supplies must be
greatly improved before the onward movement
can be safely made by the American forces. At
present 1t taxes the Quartermasters Depart
ment TO the utmost 10 get provisions and ammu-
milton Last night one pack tain arrived with
supplies sufficient last until tonight, and as
this dispatch is being written another train Of
ammunition is coming in.
train Of ammunition has reached &c al
! Chaffee's brigade. and a battery OF Calling guns
and dynamite guns attached 10 the Rough
Riders has been moved on General Wheelers
camp.
There is no high ground in the present position
where Hotchkiss and Gatling guns could be put
into position. but little further on Is ground
where guns be mounted and from which
an effective fire can be- directed az the Spanish
| intrenchments.
GENERAL WHEELER CLIMBS A TREE.
There werA no alarms last night Many Of
the American officers are amazed they have
looked for resistance TO their advance. The
ground over which they have travelled could
easily have been defended but the Spaniards
have steadily retired.
Apparently General Linares prefers to place
faith in the defences OF the city. and Intends TO
make "last-ditch fight OF it. y few-though
only \ few-hold 10 the belief that he does not
! purpose fighting at all.
General CallxtC Garcia. with three hundred
men. who landed yesterday, is expected 10 reach
the front to-day
The Americans are in excellent spirits. ami
there is a remarkable ack OF sickness. Thus
! far the water supply has been good.
At noon to-day Major Coolidge received orders
10 clear the road beyond the front where the
stream doubles back across IT, for the advance
of artillery. A dynamite gun and Hetchkiss
gun will be put in position.
General Wheeler. who made reconnaissance
for half a mile beyond the skirrnish lines this
morning. finding that he was unable to secure