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

LTUOTS CUIIIIIIdLUIIg I
enemy's northern defences. Incident |
ally it accomplished the important pur- |
pose at least to some extent of prevent |
ing Pando's coming down with rein |
forcements from the north and turning |
our right flank
A Decided Victory.
Washington, July 2.-The suspense |
which followed the receipt of General |
Skaters message early yesterday
morning announcing that battle had
begun near Santiago was relieved at
1890 this morning when a preliminary
report of the days operations was re-
ceived by General Corbin from General
Shafter.
The president and the war officials
are immensely pleased at the informa-
tiOn conveyed in Shafter's message.
While they learned with sincerest re-
gret that so many of the American
troops had fallen in the fight the
ground gained by the days conflict is
regarded as a great victory.
Adjutant General Corbin put the sit
uation strongly and picturesquely this
morning while speaking briefly of the
responsiveness and tenacity of General
Shafter:
The old bull dog" said he, referring
thus half affectiOnately to the dis
tinguished commander of the Fifth
corps, lis lying right there with his
teeth in their neck, only waiting the
coming of daylight to finish the work
he has magniticently begun. The en-
gagement yesterday was very heavy
for a preliminary fight, but it scores IA
decided victory for US. 1 regret to
know that Shafter has sustained so
heavy a loss, but we hope that there
are not, as ne says, many Killed II 1S,
however, pretty certain to be true that
the loss of an army in an engagement
like that of yesterday where the bat
tie line extended over several miles
would be much heavier than is indicated
by the first reports. 1t is manifeStly
impossible in cases where the battle
has ragged all day and until dark to
| ascertain with definiteneSs the loss SuS-
tanned"
During the early night there was
much speculation concerning the rea-
sons for the delay in receiving news
from the battle. Captain Nesmith, who
is acting as chief signal officer during
! the temporary absence of General
| Greedy, feared that cable eommunlca-
| ton with Cuba might have been inter-
rupted and none of the other officials
would offer a suggestion as to the rea-
| son for the delay.
Early in the evening Secretary Alger
/ went to the White house and remained
/ with the president until the dispatch
| from General Shafter had been re-
/ ceived.
| During the evening many prominent
/ officials and mem bers of congress were
! at the White house but only a few of
them remained for a greater time than
/ a few minutes They called to ascer-
/ tain whether any news had been re-
| ceived from Cuba
Relief For the Wounded.
| Washington. July Immediately
! upon receiving Gen. Skaters telegram
! concerning the killed and wounded
! Surgeon General Sternburg Ofthe army
/ called on the surgeon general of the
| navy and the two held a long con-
/ sultation regarding the course to be
! taken. Fortunately the ambulance
/ ship SOIace is now in the vicinity of
} J7af ffer-f 9 NJ
/ utilized for any emergency cases which
/ may arise. While the SOlace is de-
/ signed primarily for the use of the fleet
| she will be put at the disposition OF
| the army whenever that may be neces-
! sary and the navy and army ships will
| be used interchangeable The Solace
is fully as well adapted for treating the
! wounded as her sister ship OF the army
and has accOmm mOdatiOnS for several
! hundred men. The last heard from the
/ SoIace she was at Guantanamo bay, a
/ short distance from the cable station
! from which the dispatches are sent.
Hurried preparations are being made
by the war department to send to Gen.
/ Shafter the assistants in the medical
| department which he asked for to at
| tend to the needs of the wounded, as a
/ result of yesterdays battle. The hos
/ pitaI ship Relief, which has been under
/ going a thorough OVerhauIlnS at New
! York is about ready to start for San
| tiago She was scheduled to have
/ sailed Yesterday but owing to some de-
I Law was unable 10 get OIL dJ lIidl llIII0
! and will leave today. The Relief has
/ been fitted out in an admirable manner
| for the treatment OF the SICK ana
| wounded and every comfort possible
/ will he provided for the unfOrtunateS-
/ There is a surgeon in charge with full
! corps of competent assistants and a
| complete outfit for surgical work IN
cases where this is necessary. accom-
| modations for probably 500 persons have
| been provided and in addition there
| has been installed in the ship car
| donating plant, and an ice manufac-
| turing apparatus which has taclIltleS
! for making a great deal more than is
| needed aboard ship. The surplus VIII
be utilized in supplying the hospltaIs
ashore in the immediate vicinity OF the
| shiDs OF course the greater nuInDer
| Of "a Sos of sickness and wounds prlm-
| arilv will be treated in the regimental
and division hospitals, while the Rehef
will be utilized to a great eNteht IN IN
bringing to the United states such
| cases of conVaIescents and the more
serious cases of sickness, which 1t IS
felt should be brought here for treat
ment.
No More Troops Now.
Secretary A1ger is authority for the
statement that no additional troops VIII
he sent from Camp Alger to Santiago
before the Sth or 9Th of the month.
The reason for this is that the auxiliary
cruisers Yale and Harvard, which were
| selected for the purpose of transporting
the troops to Cuba will not be ready to
start on the next trip for that island
before the date mentioned. This is a
| change in the original arrangement un-
der which it was expected that the Yale
would be ready to sail from Newport
News by the third or fourth with a de-
| tachment of Gen. Henry's division for
the reinforcement of Gen. Shafter's
army in Cuba. The change was neces-
STATED by reason of the fact that in
stead of returning direct to Newport
News. it was found expedient to have
the Yale go to New York. Although