Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-06-30
mo EASY
VICTORY
Our Troops to Have a
Hard Time Taking
Santiago.
Alger Satisfied With Re-
suits of First En-
gagement.
All of Skaters Troops
Landed Without Any
Casualty.

Washington, June 24.-Secretary Al
| ger and Gen. Miles were in conference
in the secretary's office at 4 o'clock
| Thursday afternoon when the first Ma
drid bulletin announcing that fighting
had begun was shown them. Secre-
/ tary Alger read it aloud with evident
satisfaction and both of them ex-
pressed themselves gratified with this
| favorable report, coming as it did,
| from the enemy. There was no sur
prise that the fighting had begun so
soon. Secretary Alger said no word
had been received up to that hour in
dicating fighting was in progress. He
had no reason to doubt, however that
our troops had encountered the Span
ish forces and given a good account
of themselves. He said that Admiral
Cervera's cable, that the situation was
"critical' and the Spaniards had been
obliged to retire, was in strange con-
trast with the Madrid claim of
Spanish victory" Gen. Miles said
that the American troops would now
push forward, aggressively driving the
Spanish, and forcing them to fight.
The impression here is that the
Spaniards will make the strongest
stand close to Santiago and the inner
harbor within the range of and pro7
lection of the guns of the big Spanish
cruisers lying there. There is 10
doubt that until these ships are re-
moved from the field of operations the
campaign against Santiago will be
conducted against odds. The guns of
the ships command the hills over
which our soldiers must come to at
tack the town to reach the bay The
naval officials here believe that when
the time comes for attack by land up
on the town Sampson will force his
way into the harbor and take part in
the engagement. They are satisfied
that the wreck of the Merrimac does
not completely block the channel and
and say that if Sampson does not
come in the Spanish fleet is likely to
make a desperate effort to get out.
The mines are to be considered in such
case, but it is believed that once
Moro castle is taken by a combined
attack of the soldiers and fleet, these
distractions can be easily removed
with the experience gained in Guiana
tanamo bay.
The only positive news coming to the
war department up to the close of Of
flee hours was a dispatch to General
Miles from one of his staff officers
with Gen. Shafter, and also brief
dispatch to Gen. Greeley from Lieu
tenant Colonel Allen. Gen. Miles
dispatch stated in substance that the
landing of troops had been completed
without any casualties, save to one
| Cuban soldier, who had his arm in
jured by the bursting of shell. The
troops of Garcia and Rabi, about $500
in number, had met the American
forces with enthusiastic greetings.
Stress was laid upon the point that
the Cubans We're well armed and well
disciplined. The dispatch to Gen.
Greeley merely stated that progress
was being made in connecting the
military forces directly with the war
department.
During the day orders were issued to
the entire division, comprising the
newly created command of Brig. Gen.
Guy V. Henry, for speedy departure
to reinforce Gen. Shafter at Santiago.
Already the thirty-third Michigan reg
iment and one battalion of the thir-
tyfOurth Michigan have started ON
this mission. Thursdays orders COW
er the balance of Gen Henry's
command. 1t includes the remaining
battalions of the thirty-fourth Mich
and ninth Massachusetts regiment.
These will complete Gen Duffield's
command. The third Virginia, which
belongs to this brigade, will not go,
as its equipment is incomplete The
orders also cover the entire brigade
Of Brig. Gen. Garretson, which in
cludes the sixth Illinois, sixth Mas
sachusetts, and the eighth and ninth
Ohio regiments. The plan is to move
all Of Gen. Henry's division On the
Harvard and Yale, the ships to make
two round trips. The first trip will
carry most, if not all of Gen. Duffield's
brigade. The war department allows
three days for the trip, two days u
unload the troops and three days to
return to Newport News, making
eight days. By that time Gen. Gar
retson's brigade will be at Newport
News ready to go on board the ships,
| and then will come the second trip
taking three days, with two days al
| lowed for Garretson's troops to unload
| in Cuba.