Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-02
WAR NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Commodore Watson TO Sail with q
Fleet For Spain's Coast.

Commodore Watson TO Sail with
Fleet For SPANS Coast
Washington, June 29.-On Wednes
day of last week Admiral Sampson
and General Shafter established direct
telegraphic communication with Wash
ington. having removed the cable sta
ton from Camp McCalla to Playa del
Este to be nearer the landing place OF
the invading army. AS the government
controls the cable but little news Is
allowed to slip through. Both the gen.
eral and the admiral cabled that the
landing of the army was proceeding
satisfactorily, with no resistance from
the Spaniards. Our war vessels shelled
the vicinity before the landing. A dis
patch from Havana states that Cap
tain General Blanco has not decided
against the exchange of Hobson and
the other Merrimac heroes, but he will
not consider such a proposition at
present, owing to the knowledge these
men have acquired OF Cuba's 6efenses.
Mothers Of this section who have boys
with General Lees troops In Camp
Cuba Libre. at Jacksonville. are off,
cially informed that the health OF the
camp is excellent. there being but
per cent in the hospital. and there are
no hardshfps.
I'll hNA O0cS CaAlC NHG nCWS Oh llc
landing of General Skaters full force
at Baiquiri, II miles from Santiago,
which was accomplished without the
loss of a man and with little or no re-
sistance on the part Of the Spaniards,
the landing being protected by our
warships. Two hundred Americans
and 80 Cubans had a slxirmish inland
with $50 Spaniards. The enemy's flight
was shameful. Sixty Spaniards were
killed and 16 wounded, besides 16 being
captured. including one officer. The
Cuban-American loss was two killed
and three wounded. President Nc
Kinley's nephews, J. u. Barber and j.
IT. Mckinley. have entered the army
as privates in an Ohio regiment. Eff
forts were made to have them made
second lieutenants. but the president
declined to use his authority in placing
relatives above trained soldiers. An
other expedition. 1000 men. left New
port News on the cruiser Yale to join
Skaters army. All non-combatants
who have been captured on Spanish
vessels during the war are to be turn
ed over 20 the French and German am
bassadors. who viii send them to
Spain. Arrangements have been per-
fected for promptly forwarding mail
to our soldiers in Cuba.
On Friday there was some desperate
fighting within five miles Of Santiago.
resulting in victory for our troops.
though 16 of our men were killed and
60 wounded or missing. The Spanish
loss was much heavier. Roosevelts
rough riders played a brilliant part in
the fight, and left half dozen OF their
number dead on the field. Among the
killed in that regiment was Sergeant
Hamilton Fish, Jr., a grandson of the
late Hamilton Fish. who was secretary
of state in Grants cabinet. Secretary
Long wrote a letter OF thanks to Naval
Lieutenant Victor Blue, who at great
risk exemined Santiago harbor and
located Cervera's fleet. 1t was an
ncunced that If Admiral Camaras
Spanish fleet should enter the Suez
canal, en- route for Manila, a number
of our warships would at once cross
the Atlantic and lombard Spain's prin-
cipal ports. The Spanish cortes dis
solved without the customary cheers
for the throne.
On Saturday 1t was announced that
the capture of Havana will be made BY
at least $4,000 troops The movement
will be in the nature of a peaceful
siege, which viii end in the fall OF the
citadel. There is still one cable con-
Meeting Cuba with the outside world
Senior Castelar,, the great Spanish re-
publican leader, is quoted as sayins
that Santiago's fall will mean SPANS
collapse. Three or four hundred of ne
soldiers encamped at Mobile are in the
guard houses for riotous conduct. Off,
Gals at Washington highly praise the
bravery of the Americans in attacking
a superior force of Spaniards, am
pushed in the thickets near Santiago.
Sundays dispatches gave fuller de-
tails of the fight near Santiago, and
in Washington the department officials
were busy perfecting plans to hasten
reinforcements to General Shafter
Three thousand more troops left Fort
Monroe, and may arrive on Wednes-
day. The 1900 which left last week
are undoubtedly there now. Fifteen
regiments at Chickamauga. including
the Fourth and Sixteenth PennsyIva-
MIA, are under orders to prepare fol
actual service. and it is believed they
are to be sent to Cuba Regarding thS
threat of our government to attack
; Spaln's coast a Spanish official said
Let them come; We will receive then
as they deserve"
The great news Of Monday was tn,
definite announcement that CommodOr,
: Watson had been ordered to sail at ono,
for Admiral SIMPSONS squadron Of
Santiago. Thence he Will proceed a
once with a fleet and attack Spaini
l ports. The vessels Of Commodore Wat
. sons squadron will be the flagship
Newark, cruisers Yosemite, Yankee ant
Dixie. battleships oregon and Iowa ant
golfers Scendia and Abarendo. 1t 4
probable that the fleet will leave abou
: July 4. The captured Spanish prize
at Key West were sold by auction, an,
> all brought good prices. The sieame
Argonauta was bid In by the govern
> ment for $1,000. and viii be used as
tressnart