The leader., 1898-06-29
N FRONT OF SANTIAGO.
our Picket Lines Within Hailing
Distance of the Enemy.
-. week WIN witness the Great Fight
for the CIty-Reports to Gen. sh.feer -
nv gems. wheeler and Young.


orr JrRAGuA, Saturday, pm, via
kingston, Jamaica, sunday,-Troops Of
=. limited states and Spain are almost
&C.. to face. and less than four miles
apart. 81
Tonight the picket lines at certain
.;n,s are within hailing distance of
..s enemy. 1t seems certain that the
Katie Of Santiago must come within
week.
The troops are all ashore here and at
p,louiri. with the exception Of a few
...ttering companies that have gone
forward. The supplies are sufficient to
enable the army to sustain weeks
campaign at both landing points. There
continual procession of small boats
riding ON the beach's sturdy waves, and
.sone week 5 rations are already landed,
nsbelicved # the required supplies will
all be ashore by Tuesday, the 2sth.
The landing If troops, horses and
sur,lie, has been extraordinary. With
only one steam barge, and compelled to
depend on treacherous small boats,
cer Sbaftcr has landed over 10000
mon. hundreds of horses and mules and
tbousands Of dollars worth of supplies
a, the exposed beaches, and only two
men have lost their lives, these by
drowning No more than fifty animals
Lave been drowned and scarcely pack
.re of supplies has been lost. The offi-
GERS generally are surprised at the
small loss of life and property. Gen.
shafter said to correspondent of the
Associated Press today: -
Gen. shafter Well Satisfied.
81 am we'll satisfied with the progress
that is being made. The disembarka-
tion is slow. but considering the limited
facilities and the exposed nature of the
landing places. the men have done well.
only await the landing of sufficient
NUnDIltS 10 btB III lllt oll Jam
,iago. am unable to say what will
take place ! am much pleased at the
gallant conduct of our men in the ac-
ton at Scvilla yesterday and with the
cool, vctcran-like work. The victory
was complete"
zen Wheeler. in his official report
places the number of dead in the en-
gagcmcnt at Seyilla at twenty-five and
the wounded at between seventy and
eighty No attempt has yet been made
TO prepare an official list with the names
Of the dead and wounded. The high
grass and bushes of the battle-ground
make il difficult to find the bodies, but
an official list will probably be prepared
by Monday. The bodies of thirty-nine
Spaniard, have been found, and the
Spanish loss in killed and wounded was
doubtless much heavier than the Amer
lean.
The majority of the Americon troops
are now here or at the front in the
vicinity of Sevilla. The force at the
latter place which Is about nine miles
from Santiago, numbers 5000 Ameri-
cans and 800 Cubans. Gen. Wheeler
is in command here, with Gems. Young,
Lawton and Chaffee. Gen. Wheeler
will remain at Sevilla, which will be
made rendezvous for the troops land
ing at Baiquiri and at this point, the
artillery and the cavalry being put for
ward from Baiquiri. The cavalry has
been sent ahead to cut wagon road
through the underbrush.
From the American position at
Sevila Santiago is visible, and the for
titicatonS can be seen.
Advance Commanders Report.
The following reports to Gen. Shafter
from generals at the front show the
conditions:
To Gen. Shafter-I have Just seen
two negro boys, who left Santiago this
morning saturday.. They report that
the soldiers and citizens are very short
OF food. The soldiers and officers have
seized all the food in the shops. They
are killing young horses for food, and
In the hospitals are subsisting on bread
made from rice flour. Three Spanish
generals took part in the fight at Sevilla
Yesterday. Five wagon loads OF
wounded were carried into Santiago
ana many others wounded got there on
horses or On foot. We can see Moro
castle and the flag very distinctly from
our positions. The Cubans confirm the
reports as to the fine character of the
lortihcations around the city. Seven
lines of barbed wire are stretched
around the trenches The Spaniards
nave recently dug deep trenches around
the entire city, connecting a series of
small forts. WHEELER
Nna'ed Saturday afternoon).
10 ten. Shafter-We can plainly
See Santiago, less than seven miles
away The country is level for six
miles this side of the city. except for
mus on the south, which extend to
within mile of Santiago. These hills
appear deserted. The country is fairly
open and 1t will not be difficult to move
our troops over it. Gen. Chaffee occu-
pies Sevilla today. YoUNe."
lat,