Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-29
SIEGE OF SANTIAGO.
ADVANCE or AMERICAN ARMY on
TIE DOOMED CITY.
NO ATTACK FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
Improvement of Road 20 Base of
Supplies A,ynited--OGicers Amazed
ut Lack OF Resistnncc-Wheeie
Climbs Tree to Reconnoitre.

GUIANA. Monday, June q, noon. per the
Associated Press D!spatch-Boat Wanda,
via PORT ANTONIO. JAMAICA, Tues
day. June 2S. forenoon, via KINGSTON,
JAMAICA. 1875 J.. M.-The American
front has been advanced beyond the first
crossing Of the Rio Guiana, about n mile,
and a tug lies three and q half miles
from the Spanish intrenchments.
General I.awtons Brigade rests on the
road to Santiago de Cuba. The Third
Brigade under General Chaffee. and com
posed of the Seventeenth. Twelfth, and
Seventh regiments, holds the trenches,
the command lying across the road and
river.
The First Brigade, made up Of the
Eighth, Twenty-second, and Second Mass
achusetts. under General Evan Clarke,
lies on the left flank, slightly in the rear,
and the Second Brigade-the First,
Fourth. and TVenty-ffth regments-oc-
cupies the opposite position on the right
flank.
General Wheeler with the cavalry, is
In the. rear, between the Sevilla hills and
the Rio Guiana.
A strong line of outposts is maintained
ahead.
.SKIRMISHING.
General Chaffee Brigade. with 1900
Cubans under General Aguirra. anc seve-
raj hundred under Colonel Gonzales. was
skirmishing towards the city this morn
ing.
The Cubans had several slight skirm-
shes with the Spaniards stationed on the
hills on the American right flank. ana
our auxilaries occupied the b!ock-houses
in that vicinity. which were evacuated be-
fore daysrcak by the Spanards. The lat
ter retreated towards Santiago de Cuba
No fatalities are reported
General Lawton, General Chaffee, ana
General Wheeler have thoroughly recon-
noitered the Spanish position. and, with
the aid of information furnished by the
Cubans. have very good maps OF the
roads and defences Of the city.
SANTIAGO STARVING.
Much information has also been OBJ
| tanned from Spanish paciicos. who have
slipped out Of the city and given them
selves up I'm the hope Of getting food.
! They report great starvation and distress
in Santiago. They say the Spanish troops
are on short rations, and that all
| the supplies are being held for their
use.
The sick in the hospitals, the pacificos
say, are suffering for lack OF food and
they also report that seventy-seVen
Standards were killed and eighty-nine
were wounded as the result OF the en-
gagement on Friday last with Colonies
Woods and Young's commands.
SPANISH REINFORCEMENTs.
The most startling Information obtain
ed from the pacificos IS that since the
| advance began almost twenty thousand
| Snanish soldiers have arrived at San
tfaeo de Cuba This statement is made
ON the authority Of General Lawton, ano
he Is also of the opinion that General
Pando may be able to effect junction
with General Lnares at Santiago do
| Cuba.
There are two forts Of considerable i'm
| nortance within the Spanish lines-Punt'
| Blanca. at the southern end of the bay
and Santa Ursula, at the southeast cor
rer. on the road TO Caney, on the north
is another fort.
BARBED- WIRE DEFENCES.
There are about ljO men In each of thes'
fortifcations, and stretching aroun'
the whole city are nine barbed-wir
fences. fifty yards apart. while just in
side these are lines Of rifie-pits.
Outside. to the eastward, about tw'
miles beyond the American outposts. j
line of intrenchments extending iron
the northern extremity Of the city L
Moro Castle.
little west of south, at a distanc
Of about seven miles from General Law
TOMS headquarters. lies Morro Castle
The road to within a few hundred yard
Of the batteries at the rear of Morr
was reconnoitered yesterday Afternoon
by General Chaffee and several member
OF his staff.
The Cubans believe that If the wate
supply Of the city can be cut OFF San
tiaeo will have to yield at once. The.
say that Admiral Cervera's entire fleet
except the torpedo-boat-destro Ter
ror is in the harbOr. General Lawto
Is inclined to discredit me reports tina
guns have been taken from the ships t
strengthen the defences on land.
no MOVE FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
No aggressive move by the American
: is anticipated for several days Tn
road 10 the base Of supplies must b
greatly improved before the onwar
movement can be safely made. AT pres
ent II taxes the quartermaster's depart
, ment 10 the utmost to get provision
r and ammunition Last night one pack
train arrived with supplies sufficient
= last until tonight. and as this dispatc
Is being written another train Of ammt
nition is coming in. 4 train OF ammt
] nitjon has reached General Chaffee
brigade. and battery OF Gatling gun
+ and dynamite guns attached TO II
= Rough Riders has been moved to Ger
I eral Wheeler's camp.
. There is no high ground in the preser
( nosjtion. where Hotchkiss or Gatlin
S e1,ns could be put in position. but Ii
e ! tie further on is ground where guns ca
!. ne mounted. and from which an effectiN
], fire can be directed on the Spanish II
e tfenchments.
WHY DON'T THE SPANISH FIGHT
There were no alarms last nigh
MANY OF our officers are amazed, as the
have looked for resistance to our az
vance. The ground over which the