Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-06-28
ON THE PICKET LINE.
Within -Four Miles of Santiago-Cubans
Said To Be No Good,

"uhin Four Miles OF Santiago-Cubans
Said To Be No Good.
On the Rio Guiana, June 26 via Kings
ton, Jamaica, June 2s.-[Copyright
1898, by Associated Press.]-The ad.
vance force Of the American army rests
on this stream with the dty Of Santiago
de Cuba four and one-half miles west
ward. in plain sight. Last night the
outposts. consisting of two companies
OF the Seventh infantry under Major
Coolidge, occupied positions at right an
giles to the road, guarding the crossinga
mile and half beyond Sabinalla, where
three regiments of General Lawton's
division camped-the First, Fourth and
Seventeenth. The Eighth, the Second
and Twenty second Massachusetts. with
the Rough Riders, Tenth cavalry. and
portions of several other regiments are
strung out behind them towards Jura-
qua About 500 Cubans under General
.Ionzales were camped around General
Lawton's headquarters. but less than
ilfty CT them did scout duty last night.
The Cubans with the advance forces
IN spite of the good behavior of their
comrades at Guantanamo seem to be
utterly worthless. All day they sit in
the shade of their palm thatched camps.
and at night they smoke cigarettes and
gorge on Uncle Sans rations, while in
slsht OF them Uncle's Sans boys with
empty stomachs and not a bit of tobac-
co fer their pipes build roads all day
unCer the blazing sun, and sleep on
their rifles under the starlit sky at
night. The SpaniarGs are using brass
sheathed lead bullets. and the brass
ripson touching and tears the flesh hor-
ribiy, while the small brass splinters
cause blood poisoning. They are prac-
ucally explosive bullets and are used
IN the Remingtons. They also cut a
small cross through the end of the Mau-
ser bullet, so that it mushrooms. on
striking, with similar result.
The outlook here is threatening. Ev-
erybocy believes a great battle is immi-
nent With the Spanish and American
advance posts almost close enough TO
see the whites of each others eyes. a
collision may occur at any moment.
Should night attack occur our SOL
diers would fare worse than did the
marines at Guantanamo. as the attack
ing force here would not be at the dis
advantage of having to charge up hill.
However gratifyingto to the nationalpride
Is the careless attitude of our enlisted
men the grave fear remains that they
may need more severe lesson than the
ambush Of the Rough Riders before
they realize the deadly possibilities of
modern warfare.
Some officers believe 1t will be neces-
sary to lay regular siege to Santiago
and advance with line of earthworks
until the rife pits can be shelled with
shrapnel by the light artillery. These
pieces have an effective shrapnel range
OF 2,S0O yards. and the Mauser rifles in
the hands Of of the Spaniards are sighted
to 1.sCO yards and kill at 2ioO yards. |
The problem now confronting the army
rs the transportation Of supplies. The
pack train is now being used The Off |
GERS and men were completely out of |
rations yesterday The Seventh received
half rations and today they receive moth |
ing. The boys are complaining bitterly. |
hut are pacified with the ASSURANCE that
the pack train will he here tnuioht