Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-05

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Bombardment of san Juan Quarter
saturday-spsnfsh Prisoners suIIen.
Copyright. 1895. by the Associated Press)
on THE HILL NEAR Ell PAso, BE.
FORE SANTIAGO DE CUBA. Saturday.
July 2. s p. NJ. via PORT ANTONIO.
JAMAICA, per the Associated Press Dis
patch-Boat Dauntless.-Four batteries OF
artillery. which were placed In position
this morning. began the day with bonn
harding the San Juan quarter OF San
tiago and the Spanish position in front
OF our right. After a quarter Of an
hours Smelling. General Lawton's troops,
who had been reinforced, pressed forward
upon the enemy's left flank. pouring in an
| exceedingly hot fire. which was continued
during the greater part OF the after
noon.
1t is not intended to force the fighting
| before tomorrow. the present plan being
to turn the Spanish left, taking the whole
line in enfIade, and thus obtain a speedy
entrance into the upper end of the city.
Admiral sampson's heavy guns thun-
dered at intervals all the forenoon. and
the American shells were seen to explode
with tremendous force and loud deto-
| nations beyond the San Juan barracks.
over which numerous Red-Cross flags
were flying.
AN AMERICAN BLUNDER.
The concentration of the American bat
teries on what is now dubbed Grimes's
Hill, near our left centre, was the result
of a blunder made last night In putting
our guns so near the Spanish infantry in
trenchments that they could not be pro-
perly supported. The idea of a Cross
artillery fire was. perforce, abandoned.
but the position occupied BY the bat
teries on our right was not relinquished.
The rifle firing at that point at one time
was as heavy as anywhere along the line
yesterday. The spaniards kept up voIIey
firing for fully an hour, but the deliberate
spacing Of our own shots showed that
our men. as usual. were cool and effective
in their work. Later Admiral Cervera's
feet in the harbor succeeded in getting
an approximate range angle Of our sd-
vance on the left, and sent in many
heavy shells, which exploded close to
the in~trenchments.
HARD FIGHTING EXPECTED.
1t was realized late yesterday that we
might nave hard fighting to-day. in order
to maintain this advanced position around
the large block-house, or so-called fort.
Strong Entertainments were thrown up
there during the night.
Thus far to-day the Spanish infantry
have let these works severely alone. Near
this position 200 Spanish soldiers and
sixty-two officers were captured this
morning. Both these and the 1000 prison.
ers taken yesterday on the right were
marched to the rear during the forenoon.
The expression on ali their faces was ex-
ceedlngly sullen.
SPANISH TREACHERY.
The rumor that one prisoner turned
upon a lieutenant OF the Tenth Cavalry,
who had just turned him over to the
guard. and stabbed him. the guard taking
immediate vengeance for the dastardly
act by telling the Spaniard with a. bullet
Is not confirmed. There are many evil
dences of the treacherous methods of war
fare upon the part of the Spaniards yes
terday. One of their batteries was mask
ed by a block-house over which the Red
Cross flag was flying, and the road lead
ing from General Skaters quarters. on
the Rio Sevilla, to the front, has been FOR
two days infested at various points by
~sharpshootsrs, who fired deliberately upon
our wounded. 1t was supposed they had
stolen through our lines on the right,
taking refuge In the hospital.
EXPLOSIVE CARTRIDGES.
On the trenches captured by us many
shells and explosive cartridges have been
found. The report seems to be we'll
founded that the Spanish losses will
amount to 1900 killed and wounded. The
losses of the ~Spaniards are much heavier
than ours. In some Of the trenches the
corpses lay in unbroken lines. and occa-
sionally two or three deep.
1t was not General Skaters intention
to attempt a general assault on the
Spaniards to-day, unless our lombard
ment and General Lawton's oblique fire
on our TlbuL ucfeloptu cApcStiOidl up |
portunity. The morning orders were to
confine our principal operations to the
defence of the positions we have taken. |
and achievements for the whole line
were sent forth early In the forenoon. The
second regular infantry was sent to the
right, the Ninth Massachusetts to the left, |
and the Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth
Michigan to the centre-in all about two
thousand fresh troops.
The formation of line to-day is as fol-
lows: General Lawton on the right, Gene |
raj Kent on the right centre. General
Wheeler on the left centre, and General
Bates on the left. General Garcia's main
force is thrown out to the
right.
General Lawton sent a message TO Gene !
raj Shafter, later in the afternoon, say
he was in possession OF several fine
for planting batteries to domi-
nate both the city and the outer fort'ica-
tons OF the fort.
PANDO NOT YET ARRIVED.
General Shafter says General Pando has
not vet arrived at Santiago de Cuba,
and that General Garcia is expected to
stop him, and has been asked 10 do so
all hazards.
AS the correspondent is about to leave
,rt,b thie disnatch for the seacOlst heavy