Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-02

That Since the Advance Began Twenty
Thousand Spanish Troops Have Joined
General Linares' Forces-It Is Believed
That General Pando's Army Has Arrived.
No Aggressive Move Anticipated by Our
Forces For Several Days.
Kingston, Jamaica, June ga
newspaper boat has arrived here with
the following dispatches from the
front. on the Rio Guiana:
The American front has been ad-
vanced beyond the first crossing of the
Rio Guiana about a mile and tug
lies three and half miles from the
Spanish entrenchments. General Law
tons brigade rests on the road to San
tiago de Cuba. The Third brigade,
uRder General Chaffee-the Seven
teenth, Twelfth and Seventh regi-
ments-holds the trench. with his
command lying across the road and
river. The First brigade-the Eighth,
Twenty and Second Massa-
chusetts-under General cyan Clarke,
lies on the left flank, slightly in the
rear, and the Second brigade-the
cupies the opposite position, on the
right flank. General Wheeler, with his
cavalry, is in the rear, between the
Seviila hills and the Rio Guiana. A
strong line of outposts is maintained
ahead.
General Chafrec's brigade, with 5000
Cubsns under General Aguirra and
several hundred under Colonel Con
zales. was skirmishing towards the
city Monday morning, when the dis
patch boat left.
The Cubans had slight skirmishes
with the Spaniards stationed on the
hills on the American right flank, and
our auxiliaries occupied the block
houses in that vicinity which were
evacuated before daybreak by the
Spaniards. The latter retreated to-
wards Santiago de Cuba No fatalities
are reported.
General Lawton. General Chaffee
and General Wheeler have thoroughly
reconnoitered the Spanish position,
and with the aid furnished by the Gu
bans have very good maps of the roads
and defenses.
Much information has also been OBJ
have slipped out of the city ard given
themselves up in the hope of getting
food. They report great starvation
and distress in Santiago. They say
the Spanish troops are on short ra-
tioHs, and that all the supplies are
being held for their use. The sick
in the hospitals, the pacificos say, are
suffering for lack of food, and they say
"a Spaniards were killed and 80 wound
ed as the result of the engagement on
Friday last With Colonel Woods and
YouRg's commands.
The NEST startling information OBJ
tanned from the pacificos is that since
the advance began almost 1000 Span
ish soldiers have arrived at Santiago.
This statement is made on the au-
thority of General Lawton, and he is
also OF the opinion that General Pando
has been enabled TO effect a junction
with General Linares at Santiago.
There are two forts of considerable
Importance within the Spanish lines.
Punta Blanco, at the southern end of
the bay. and Santa Ursula, at the
southeast corner. On the road to
Caney, ON the north, is another fort.
T There are about $50 men in each OF
these Notifications, and stretching
around them are nine barbed wire
l fences, so yards apart, while just in
side these are lines of rife pits.
Outside this, to the eastward. about
two miles beyond the American out
posts, is a line of entertainments ex-
tending from the northern extremity
. of the city to Moro Castle. A little
l west of south, at a distance OF about
8 seven miles from General Lawton't
: headquarters, lies MORO Castle. The
road to within a few hundred yards
of the batteries at the rear of MORO
: was reconnoitered Sunday Afternoon
! by General Chaffee and several mem
: bers of his staff
General Wheeler. who made a re
! connaisance for half a mile beyond tn,
skirmish lines Monday morning, find
ing that he was unable to secure tn,
desired view through the luxurian
+ tropical foliage, dismounted and climb
ed a tree. A major general of thu
v United States army in the forks OF
tree, surveying Spanish outpost
q through his field glasses, was a spec
tacle that gave some idea Of the won
derful energy of the dashing ex-Con
federate cavalry leader. This feat O
agility in a man of 62 years of az
= puts to blush many a young Office
of his own staff.
I No aggressive move by the Ameri
u cans is anticipated for several days
The road to the base of supplies mus
be greatly improved before the on
ward movement can be safely made
s. At present it taxes the quartermaster'
s department to the utmost to get pro
s. visions and ammunition.
~ ~ BanISruptcyBin Reaches the Presiden
IN Washington, June 29.-In the hous
d, yesterday the conference report upo