The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-28
Skaters Van Only -Four and
a Half Miles Away.
SPANISH DEFENSE STRONG.
Desperate Fighting Certain Before
ItfaIlS.

Front OF the American Line Slept
Saturday Night Only About a Mile
and a Half From the Outer En-
trenchments--A Total of "a En-
trenchments in Sight--Four ParaI-
lei Lines of Rifle Pits Shoulder
Deep inside the Lines, and in
Front OF Them Are Marked Ranges
and several Rows of Barbed Wire
Fenses.
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press.
On the Rio Guiana, Sunday, June 26. via
Kingston, jamaica, Monday, June 27, a.
m.-rhe advance force of the American
army rests on this stream, with the city
Of Santiago de Cuba four and half miles
westward in plain sight.
Last night the outposts, consisting Of
two companies Of the Seventh Infantry,
under Maj Coolidge, occupied positions
at right angles to the road, guarding the
crossing a mile and a half beyond Sa-
binana, where three regiments of Gen.
Lawton's division camped, the First,
Fourth and Seventeenth.
The Eighth Second and Second Massa-
chusetts, with the Rough Riders, Tenth
Cavalry and portions of several other reg
iments were strung out behind them to-
ward Juragua.
About 200 Cubans under Gen. Gonzales,
Il were canped around Gen. Lawton's head
quarters, but less than fifty of them did
scout duty last night
Gen. Wheeler to-day, with the First,
Second and Tenth Cavalry and the Rough
Riders with dynamite guns, moved up to
where Gen. Lawtons outposts were last
night and four batteries of the Third Ar
tillery and four Gatling guns, with spec
ial detail under Lieut.. Parker, were
brought up and planted on the brow of a
hill overlooking the basin in which San
4 tiago de Cuba lies.
Not a shot was fired from the American
side last night, though the front of the
American line was not $500 yards from
i the entertainments where the Spaniards
proposed to combat the advance on San
tiago de Cuba.
Three cannon shots were heard during
the night. They seemed to come from
the distant Spanish batteries, or perhaps
from seaward.
The top of every hill and mountain north
and east of Santiago is occupied by block
houses from whence the Spaniards can
view the movements of the American
army as it advances beyond Savanilla,
hill rl
ing every knoll and bit of high ground are
Spanish entrenchments.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press from an elevation to the right of the
American line to-day counted thrty-four
of these entertainments, completely fenc-
ing every approach to the city. The
4 trenches have been dug as the conforma-
ton of the ground admitted. The ends
of the trenches overlap where breaks in
the line.occur thus securing comparative
ly safe retreat from rifle fire in case part
OF the trenches are captured.
Upon one of these works modern guns
4 have been mounted. They can be plainly
seen with the naked eye. Spies report that
inside the entertainments are four parallel
lines of rife pits, shoulder-deep, and in
N front of them are marked ranges and sew
eral rows Of barbed wire fences.
The general opinion is that more artil-
4 lery will be necessary before 1t Will be safe
10 attempt 20 make an assault upon the
Spanish works, as the fire of the rifle pits
must necessarily be deadly and sufficient
TO demoralize any force, no matter how
brilliant in it's courage, when halted by
wire distractions.
The problem now confronting the army
Il Is the transportation Of supplies, for the
r roads 10 The front are still impossible for
wagons, but are being improved. In the
meantime, the pack train is being used
The first of these left Jaragua last night.
and others left to-day The officers
and men We're completely out of rations
N Yesterday. The Seventh received half ra-
tons and to-day they received nothing.
The Cubans with the advance forces. in
spite of the good behavior of their com
rades al Guantanamo, seems to be utterly
worthless.
All day they sit in the shade of their
nalm-thatched camps, and at night they
smoke cigarettes and gorge on Uncle
Sam's rations, while in sight of them
Uncie Sans boys, with empty stomaehs
ana not a BIZ Of tobacco for their pipes
huiid roads an day under the blazing sun
aud sleep on their rifles under the star}t
sky at night.
me outlook here is threatening Every
body believes a great battle is Imminent
With the Spanish ana Amerlchn advance
posts almost close enough 10 see M
#whites Of each others eyes, collision nns,,
occur at any moment