The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-30
Artillery All Landed from the Trans
ports, and the Troops Now Trying
to Get the Guns I'm Position.
BLOODY BATTLE EXPECTED
ONE MAN IN A RIFLE PIT WORTH
ABOUT THREE IN THE OPEN,
Therefore the Spaniards Have a De-
cfded Advantage-Over 5000 Men
Marching to Linares's Assistance.

WASHINGTON, June 2e.-The opinion pre-
walls here that within a day or two at most
General Shafter will have begun his attack
on the city of Santiago proper. The i'm
portant event of the day was the generals
announcement that he could take the city
in forty-eight hours. but at considerable
less. Taken in connection with the an
nouncement contained in another dispatch
that he is going to attack without awaiting
reinforcements it win be seen that the off,
cials have ground for their expectation that
the first general engagement of the war will
begin in very short time. Numerically
the opposing armies are not very different
the estimate of the Spanish force being
placed at 1900 men. thoroughly entrenched
and behind barbed wire fences and block
Skaters command. aided by 1900 Cubans
One of the gravest elements in the problem
however, is the Spanish war ships, for un-
less Shafter is materially assisted by Samp-
the Spanish ships. their fire upon the Amer
lean advance forces would be very hard to
meet
The military authorities here say that
General Linares has shown grea. military
tact in slowly retiring during the last few
days, as he has gradually drawn our troops
away from the protection of the American
ships and brought them close to the fire OF
the Spanish ships in Santiago harbor. For
this reason 1t was with relief that the an
nouncement was received here that Shafter
had succeeded in landing all of his artillery
Including his siege train for unless Samp-
son can be relied on to force his way into
the harbor and attack the Spanish ships
these siege guns planted on heights COM
manding the bay will be the main reliance
of General Shafter in offsetting the presence
of the Spanish ironclads.
SPANISH REINFORCEMENTs
Undoubtedly General Shafter is animated
to attack as soon as possible by his knowl-
edge of the approach Of the reinforcements
for Linares from Manzanillo. for with this
additional force Skaters position would be
disagreeable, if not perilous, at least until
he had received reinforcements. The War
Department received the first definite news
to-day as to the approach of these Spanish
reinforcements. This was in an official dis
patch, stating that 5000 men. with pack
trains and droves of animals. were advanc-
ing from Manzanillo, and were fifty-four
miles from Santiago. 1t has been known
through reports from Lieutenant Joyce,
made to General Miles, that the Spaniards
have 1900 men at Manzanillo and 10000 at
Holguin, and every precaution has been
taken to guard against their advance from
either quarter. The official report to-day
showed that 5000 of those at Manzanillo had
covered half the distance to Santiago. and
it is the belief of military officials here that
General Pando is making similar advance
with his 10000 men from Holguin. These
advances now practically unopposed, are
regarded as one of the most serious phases
of the situation. The droves of cattle
which the Spanish armies bringing
Slang and the pack trains hamper a rapid
advance. but even with a bad road, the
spaniards probably will make from ten to
twenty miles a day. Much reliance had
been placed on General Garcia's Cubans to
prevent this advancement of reinforcements
from the left But it appears that Garcia's
entire force has been withdrawn from the
left and has now been landed with General
Skaters main body on the right of the
city, From the fact that General Shafter
reports that he will take the city as soon
as he can get ready to move, it is evident
that he wishes to strike the blow before
there is time for the Spanish troops from
AIanzanillo to reach the city.
VALUE OF RIFLE PITS.
There is a further element to which the
military authorities are giving careful at
tentior: that one man intrenched behind
earthworks or in rifle pits is worth three
men in the open. 1t is said that the battles
OF Charlottesville and Spottsylvania afford
ed the most direct proof on this point. 1t
was announced at the War Department that
by their reports three thousand soldiers
shoqld be leaving Tampa to-day to join
Shafter. They will be three CIR four days
on the voyage. and it is probable that it
is this force that General Shafter refers to
as likely to arrive too late for his action.
General Skaters various dispatches also
contain much information OF other features
of the military situation He expresses the
Warmest thanks for the congratulations
sent to him by the President, through Sec
rotary Alger, and those OF the commanding
general. General Miles, though he modestly