Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-06-29
IN SIGHT OF SANTIAGO.
American Troops from the Hill
tops, Can Look Down on the
Citv Four Miles Below

On the Rio Guiana, Sunday, June 26,
noon (via Kingston, Jamaica, Monday,
June u, 8 a. m.)-The advance force of
the American army rests on this stream
with the city Of Santiago de Cuba, four
and a half miles westward, in plain sight.
Last night the outposts, consisting of two
companies of the Seventh infantry, under
Maj. Coolidge, occupied positions at right
angles to the road, guarding the crossing
a mile and half beyond Sabinella, where
Gen. LawtOn's division camped with the
First Fourth and Seventeenth regulars.
The Eighth, the Second and Twenty-sec-
ond Massachusetts, with the Rough Rid
ers, Tenth cavalry, and portions of several
other regiments are strung out behind
them towards Juragua.
About 800 Cubans, under Gen. Con
zales, were camped around Gen. Law
toms headquarters, but less than five Of
them did scout duty last night.
Gen. Wheeler today, with the First,
Second and Tenth cavalry and the Rough
Riders with dynamite guns. moved up TO
where Gen. IawtOns Outposts were last
night and four batteries of the Third ar
tilIery and four Gatling guns, with a spe-
cial detail under Lieut.. Parker were
brought up and planted on the brow Of a
hill overlooking the basin in which Santi-
ago de Cuba lies.
Not shot was fired from the American
American line was not $500 yards from
the entertainments where the Spaniards
propose to combat the advance on Santa
60 de Cuba.
Three cannon shots were heard during
the night They seemed to come from
the distant Spanish batteries, or perhaps
from seward.
The top Of every hill and mountain
north and east of Santiago IS occupied
by blockhouses, whence the Spaniards
can view the movements of the American
army as it advances beyond Sabanilla,
while to the eastward of the city. gashing
every knoll and bit of hill ground, are
Spanish entertainments.
The correspondent of the Associated
press, from an elevation to the right OF
the American line today, counted thirty
four Of these entertainments, completely
fencing every approach to the city. The
trenches have been dug as the cOnfOrma-
ton of the ground admitted. The ends
of the trenches overlap where breaks in
the line occur, thus securing compare
lively safe retreat from rifle fire in case
parts OF the trenches are captured. Upon
one OF these works modern guns have
been mounted. They can be plainly seen
with the naked eye.
Spies report that inside the entrench-
ments are four parallel lines of rifle pits
shoulder deep, and in front of them arc
marked ranges and several rows OF
barbed-Wire fences.
No officer who has surveyed the field
over which the advance must be made
underestimate the task ahead of the
Americans, although our boys still ex
press the most contemptuous opinion OF
their adversaries.
The general opinion is that more ar
tillerv will be necessary before it will be-
safe to attempt to make an assault upon
the Spanish works, as the fire of the
ritepits must necessarily be deadly anc
sufficient to demoralize any force, no mat
ter how brilliant in its courage, wheI
halted by wire Instructions