The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-02


more closely knit and now the Ameri-
cans and Cubans present a continuous
front from the southeast to the north of
the city.
Situation About Caney.
On the right at Caney now is Cen
eral II. W. LaWtOn with three brigades
the First under Colonel J. J. Van
A, and the Twenty United
States infantry. and the Second Mas
sachusetts, Colonel E. P. Clark com
manding.
The Second brigade is composed of the
First, Fourth and Twenty-fifth United
States infantry The Third brigade
posed of the Seventh. Twelfth and Sew
enteenth United States infantry.
General Joseph Wheeler with four
light batteries is strung out in the rear
of LaWton'S division. General S. B.
NJ. Young is attached to General Whee-
ler's command. This cavalry force is
dismOunted and is composed of eight
troops of the First cavalry. eight troops
of the Third, eight troops of the Sixth
eight troops of the Ninth and eight
troops of the Tenth.
On the left of LaWtOn, in the center
rising on the second crossing of the riv-
er Guiana, just back of SeVilla and
moving toward Aguadores is a force
composed of the First brigade, under
NIeneral H. s. Hawkins. with the Six
teenth and Sixth United States infant
". the Seventy-first New York under
Colonel Wallace DCwnes. The Second
brigade, Colonel PiersOn commanding
Second, United States infantry, Tenth
United States infantry, TWenty-fi first
United States infantry. Third brigade
Colonel Worth commanding, Ninth.
Thirteenth and Twenty third United
States Infantry.
General Bales has the Thirty-third
Michigan, Colonel Charles L. Boynton.
commanding and a battalion Of the
Thirty-fourth Michigan. Colonel John
p. PeteFman commanding.
The News at Washington.
washington. July 2.-The profoundest
concernt throughout military and official
circles marked the opening of the sec
Ond day upon which the battle of San
tiago is being fought. The desperate
character of the fighting is now fully
known TO the war department. The in
formation is in addition to the report
made by General Shafter last midnight
when ne roughly estimated his casual
| ties above 400. Later reports, official
and direct from the field, indicate that
this estimate was too low.
General Shafter had not up to II
| O'Clock this morning, placed any exact
! figure on the loss, but he made it clear
| that his first estimate at 400 was much
| short of the actual loss.
The Associated Press dispatches from
the field, giving the casualties at about
| 1000, is in line with General Skaters
! later intimatiOn, although, as stated,
4 he had set no figure. The military au-
i
/ despite the fact that they had been up
/ well through the night in anxious wait
I ing for the latest reports. Secretary
| Alger and the adjutant general of the
| army, General Corbin held a confer
! ence as soon as the secretary arrived.
/ Then Surgeon General Sternburg was
| sent 6Or and Joined in the conference.
/ It is understood that the surgeon gen
officers some 40 or so, in addition to
| tI2ase already with General Skaters
/ men. Al suitable appliances will be
! provided. Neither the secretary nor
! the adjutant general would add any
! thing to the information given out at
] midnight.
It was said, however, that the esti-
| mate of killed and wounded first made
| by Gen. Shafter was more likely to be
/ umder than over the real loss, as the
! dense growth Of chaparral in which
! the American troops fought, made it
/ we'll nigh impossible at first to learn
| the extent of the loss. An impressive
| serok1sness pervaded the military cen
| ters The news that our gallant men
! haC dressed their way. foot by foot, up
| to Il e commanding plateau of Caney
| wa Welcome indeed, but there was now
| the 4ull realization that this had been
| dor lin the face OF Withering fire IN
| steal of a skirmish the right flank,
/ as rhe reports yesterday indicated, it
| was clear that a general engagement
| and q terrific one, had been fought un-
| der The broiling tropical sun and in the
| tangled vegetation northeast of San
| tiagCl
Gen Miles and his staff were togeth-
| er III the generals Office early in the
| day Spread on the generals desk
| was a map showing the minutest de-
| LalisE every roadway. trail and eleva-
ton about Santiago. The general traced
| the line Of operations yesterday and the
| propa bic line of action now in progress.
at lad received nothing additional
from the field He spoke gravely OF
t1s fierceness of the fighting yesterday.
t1eF7 strategic point Of view, Law