Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-06-25
SPANISH SOLDIERS
ARE NUMEROUS
Troops on American Transports
viii Have Some Work
to Do
SHORE LINED WITH SPANIARDS
Patrol the Coast for Fifteen Miles
East and West Of the
Harbor.
SHORE LINED WITH SPANIARDS
MORE WORK FOR THE WARSHlPS
Transports Sent TO the Oning Until
the Warships Have Cleared
the Way For the Troops
to Land.

TO Land.
or Santiago de Cuba, Saturday, juno
Is, 10 a. m, via Kingston, Jamaica,
Jane -, 4 p. m.-(Copyright, 1898, b.
the Associated press.)-Several az
tempts 10 find landing places for the
United States troops within "A distance
of two miles Of Santiago have demon
stratcd, along with previous inquiries,
20 the eastward. that the shore for fl
teen miles Is lined with Spani"rd7'
While this will not prevent a landing
close to Santiago, it may entail con-
siderable delay, as the surrounding
country must he thoroughly shielded
and cleared before the troops can land
in safety.
When Rear admiral Sampson re
cciyed adyices that upwards of thirty
transports would be here today (Sat.
utday), he sent word that they would
stand TO the south ten miles and lie
there until a landing place had been
secured.
Yesterday at daylight the launches
of the New York and Massachusetts
were accommodating along the shore
between Cabanas, two miles west OF
! The entrance to Santiago harbor. and
Guayaganaco, two miles further west,
both Of which points lie east of the
range of mountains surrounding SAN
tiago bay.
The launches pushed their noses into
a hornets nest. The brush was fairly
| alive with Spanish troops, infantry ana
cavalry, and the fire opened upon the
launches was so fierce that their re-
ucat had to be covered by the Vixen
and the Texas.
When the Texas asked permission OF
Commodore Schley to take a hand the
commodore seized the megaphone and
shouted to Captain Philip:
Yes, go in and give 'em , Jack
The Texas landed several 4-inch
shells on the battery at Cabanas. COM
pletely demolishing it. Lieutenant
Sharpe OF the Vixen, and Lieutenant
BARLOW, in command Of the launches,
we're both complimented by Admirai
Sampson for gallantry.
The following is The abstract OF
Lieutenant Hariow's report TO the
commander Of the Vixen, dated Junc
IS:
Nothing was learned at Cabanas
bay, but at Guayaganaco it is eyideht
a landing is practicable for ships
boats. The same is true of Rancho
cruz, a small bay TO the eastward.
Both would be valuable with Cabanas,
but useless without it. | am Informed
that to the north and westward OF Ca
banas bay there is a large clearing
with plenty of grass and water.
think a simultaneous landing ut the
three places named would be practic-
able, If the ships shell the adjacent
woods. a junction would naturally
follow at the ciearings."
At Guantanamo,
Cuban scouts report today hat tie
inhabitants Of CaiInanera have streWn
the streets with straw and oil, with the
intention of destroying the city and
fleeing to the hills. Caimanera lies
four miles up the bay from Camp Nc
Gala. under the guns of the American
ships, and the situation is desperate.
Starving and famine stricken, con-
vinced Of the ultimate triumph of the
American arms, and without faith in
the protection of the Spanish soldiers,
the people are believed to have deter
Illltu W lCdNt NlNlI OhSN ~ sni'A
behind them and seek safety in the
mountains of the north. The scouts
declare that the story is accurate and
say that every building of the town is
being rapidly prepared for the torch.
The condition of the besieged is fear
full. The people are eating horses and
mules and are scouting the hills for
fruits and herbs. Occasionally brief
bombardments by the American fleet
leaves the helpless citizen terrorstrlck-
| en-, no preparations for defense being
made. 1t is also stated that the Span
ish gunboat at Caimanera has been
loaded with infiammables and will be
burned with the city, her commander
declaring that she win never hecome
an American prize.
The scouts also say that the Spanish
soldiers are in almost as complete a
state of panic as are the civilians and
that they could easily be induced to
surrender. Some of the prisoners
taken by the marines also say they be-
lieve the Spanish are on the verge of
surrender, owing to the lack of food.
Captain McCalla, of the cruiser Mar
blehead, and Lieutenant Colonel Hunt
ington, in command of the marines,
are not so sure, however, OF the report
ed Spanish rout. They received in
formation yesterday that n general at
tack by n force of $500 Spanish sol
diers and guerrillas on Camp McCalla
is contemplated within a night Or two.
Every preparation was made last night
for an expected assault.
When the Associated Press dispatch
boat Dandy arrived in Guantanamo
harbor, at s o'clock, the hills about the
marine camp were brilliant under the
shifting rays of the searchlights Of the
Marblehead, Dolphin and Scorpion,
and the marines were lying in the rife
pits at the guns, ready and anxious for
battle, but the night passed without the
firing of n shot. The same watchful
care was exercised today, as Captain
McCalla is convinced that an attack is
likely to occur at any moment.
The Iowa joined the fleet here this
morning, and later the admiral came
over on the flagship to inspect the for