The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-02
FIRST word OF F|GHT.
Shafter Cables AIg8r at Open
ing Of Battle.
INTEREST GROWS INTENSE.
official Circles Eagerly Await the
Outcome.

Attack on the City BcEun by the
second Division of the Fifth Army
Corps Under Brig. Gen. LaVVton.
second Massachusetts the Only
Volunteer Organization In the Di-
visiOn-News That the Enemy Was
Retrenting Received at 6 O'Clock
in the Eyening-War Department
Hopes shafter VIII Capture Span
ish Army as Wen na CITY.
! Washington, July 1.-The battle has be-
| gun Just two months after the battle of
Manila and on the first day of the month,
like that glorious engagement began the
first set battle of the war in this hemi-
sphere.
This startling news was conveyed in the
following brief dispatch received from
Gen. Shafter at 10 o'clock this morning;
Secretary OF War; Washington: Camp
Near Savilla, Cuba.-Action now going on
The firing only Light and desultory. Began
on the right near Caney, Lawton's dLvis-
ion. lie will move on the northeast part
Of the town of Santiago. WIN keep you
continually advised of progress. (Signed)
| Shafter, Major General"
Brief as It was, it told the whole story
that the first shots of the long expected
crash of the army, probably the first great
land engagement of the war, was under
way. 1t sent a thrill throughout official cir
cles from the highest to the lowest
Secretary Alger wos the first 10 read it.
He passed it 10 Gen. Corbin, adjutant gem
eral of the army, and directea i'm TO take
! it at once to the White House, Gen. Cor
bin went to the President. carrying the
original dispatch
He was back shortly and then a bulle-
tin was posted, giving the dispatch ver-
batim.
Until then only the higher officials had
known that the decisive hour was at hand.
The news spread through the corridor
and a wave of awe Ike agitation and ex-
pectancy took hold of every one.
A gree fcrowd of correspondents strug-
gled dt the bulletin board; messenger
boys dashed off with dispatches; the clerks
men and women, turned from their desks
and gathered at the doorways.
Cen Miles, commanding the army, re-
oeved copy of the dispatch soon after It
arrived He had anticipated it, for only
few hours before a dispatch came to him
from Gen. Breckenridge, inspector gener-
al Of the army, stating that the spirit of
the troops was high and that they were
eager and expectant Of action.
Cen Miles also received another dis
! patch sent quite early this morning from
Gen Skaters headquarters saying that
the big military balloon was now high
in the air, and was giving opportunity for
observation over great sweep of coun-
try. Th in itself was of incalculable val
ue to our troops.
According TO Gen. Skaters report the
attack on Santiago was begun by the Sec
ond Division of the Fifth Army Corps,
commanded by Brig. Gen. II. w. Law
ton. This division consists of three brig
ades made up as follows:
First Brigade-Commanded by Col. ]. j.
| Van Horn, Eighth United States Infantry,
Twenty-second United States Infantry
and Second Massachusetts, Infantry.
Second Brgade-Commanding officer
unknown, but supposed to be Col. Bates.
First United States Infantry Fourth Uni
ted States Infantry and Twenty-hfth Uni
ted States Infantry.
Third Brigade-Commanded by Brig.
Gen. A. r. Chaffee. Seventh United
States Infantry, Twelfth United States
Infantry and Seventeenth United States
Infantry
1t thus appears that the division which
opened the hostlites or the day is COM
| posed entirely OF regular troops. seasoned
and experienced in battle with the eX-
ception of the Second Massachusetts Vol
! unteer Infantry which is regarded as
4 - no bae xro1 ,r
the army.
Never before since the declaration of
war has there been such a feeling Of in
tense interest manifested
| The officials here are confident that
| they have done everything possible 20
strengthen Gen. Skaters hands for the
great conflict he is waging, and they have
an unlimited confidence in his discretion,
his bravery and his energy.
The attack to-day, several days before
the public mind expected tho battle Is
a tribute to his energy as well as to his
judgment, according to the present lights.
for he undoubtedly found 1t necessary TO
crush the foe in detail, following Napol-
cons faVorite maxim, instead of allowing
them to consolidate and outnumber him.
As the day wore along without bring
Ing any news the anxiety increased and
the question was IN every ones mouth,
"Why does he not report?"
Adjt. Gen. Corbn's response was brief
but pointed "He is lighting, not writ
ing"
And this was accepted as a likely and
sound explanation.
Just before O'Clock came a brief dis
patch from Playa del Este the cable sta
ton near Santiago. But It was from an
engineer officer to Gen. Miles ana made
no reference to the progress Of the battle.
merely referring TO certain necessary ma
terial and live stock.
he "a rf f.f
lcontinued oil Sixth Page.)