The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-06
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, July 5.-The plan OF cam
paign at Santiago is to capture the garrison
as well as the city. The navy will cooper
ate with the army. General Shafter is to be
given sufficient reinforcements to smother
the enemy, If necessary. He was advised
to-day that he could have all the men he
could have any use for, and that they would
be sent to him as fast as transportation
could be provided. He vas told that by
the end of the week troops enough would be
on the way to give him an army of not less
than forty thousand strong. and that If he
wanted them he could have forty thousand
more. AS matters now stand the enemy,
reinforced by General Pando's army of
nearly 5000 men, have something like twenty
thousand soldiers at Santiago. They have
gone into the trap voluntarily and it will be
the purpose of General Shafter to keep them
General Shafter were to attack the Span
iards with his present force he might possi-
bly, capture the city by driving them out
into the interior. His victory under such
one. It would necessitate a long and weary
pursuit Of the defeated Spanish army across
a mountainous country destitute of roads.
It. therefore, suits the war Office to let the
enemy believe that the American army in
front of Santiago is too weak to attempt an
attack upon the city. Meantime, reinforce
ments. will pour in, the Gordon around the
town be tightened and thickened and by the
time Sampson gets the harbor cleared of
torpedoes and mines, SO that his fleet can
occupy the harbor and cooperate with the
land forces. everything will be in shape for
a descent upon the enemy. The success of
this plan depends upon the Spanish garrison
remaining in Santiago. 1t could, undoubted-
". break through the thin American lines
now and escape into the interior, but the
onicials Of the administration who have to
do with the conduct of the war are of the
opinion that no such play will be under
taken by the Spanish.
General Miles will personally take charge
Df the campaign against Santiago as soon
as he can conveniently reach the scene of
action. General Shafter has been a sick
man from the day he landed in Cuba, so
that 1t is necessary TO send some one there
20 save his life He has stood the fight
with the utmost herolsm, but the President
realizes that there is limit to human en-
durance. General Miles, by reason of long
experience in torrid Arizona and New Mex
ico, considers himself immune against the
hardships of a campaign In the Cuban cli-
mate and. therefore. best fitted to take the
Geld.
The time named in the preliminary Off
cial forecasts for the Santiago campaign to
end is ''early next week" In confidence
officials of the war Office confess they do
not expect to see Santiago fail much before
three weeks. They would not be surprised
II the siege were to last forty or fifty days
OF course, unforeseen events may happen
to hasten the climax. but those who have
had experience with sieges and are ac-
quained with the history OF sieges are pre-
pared for a long wait before the white
nag goes up over the Spanish garrison.