The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-02

after the battle of Manila, and on the
first day of the month, like that glor-
ious engagement, began the first set
battle of the war in this hemisphere.
What the result will be was not known
at the departments close. Never since
the declaration of war has there been
such a feeling of intense interest and
anxiety manifested. The officials here
are confident that they have I)ne
everything possible to strengthen Shat
ter's hands for the great conflict he is
Wag1ng, and they have an unlimited
confidence in his discretion, his brav-
cry and his energy. The attack today.
several days before the public mind
expected the battle, is attributed to his
energy as well as to his judgment ac-
cOrding TO the present lights, for he
undoubtedly found it necessary to
crush the foe in detail, following Ma
pOleOn's favorite maxim, instead of al
lowing them to consolidate and out
number him.
As the day wore along without bring
ing any news the anxiety increased,
and the question was in every ones
mouth, why did he not EepOrt?" Ad-
jutant General COrbin's response was
brief, but pointed: He is fighting, not
writing" and this was accepted as a
on the whole this very absence of
official news was regarded as rather
a favorite indication, the reasoning
being that this mornings engagement
was but a skirmish, and that our
army was feeling the enemy to dis
cover and attack at his weak spot. 1t
was nearly 6 o'clock when the signal
officer served the welcome news that
the enemy was retreating.
Of he hor
the action of today was in the nature
Of a heavy skirmish all along the
American front, particularly on the
right, and that its main purpose was
10 develop the strength of the enemy,
and, if possible, learn the vulnerable
point along the Spanish front. This.
however was based. only on the lack
of the definite information, and Gen
eral Miles felt that any hour might
bring word of a general engagement
Brigadier General Stone was inclined
to believe that after maintaining their
stand today the Spaniards would re-
tire during the night, leaving the city
evacuated. The military authorities
here are fully considering the chances
CT such a retreat of the Spanish army
from Santiago, and are endeavOring
so to shape events that General Shat
ter's forces viii not only take San
tiagO, but will capture the $1,000 Span
iards before they get away nOrthward
to effect a jUneture with General
Pando.
LINES OF RETREAT.
Full information as to the possible
lines of retreat has been placed at the
disposal of the war department. One
Of the most interesting statements is
that of General Manager Cox of the
Spanish-American Mining company at
ed with all the country surrounding
Santiago. He shows that the two pos
sible lines of retreat are: First, by the
road to Ell CObrie; or. second. by fol-
lowing the line of the SObanillO 6, Ma
ratio railroad. The first line will be
easy for about the first ten miles, or as
lar as Ell Cobrie. but after that the
country is mountainous and barren and
would not afford subsistence, and the
pass to the central plateau of the ISL
and would be difficult. The more like
ly line of retreat will be along the line
Of the above mentioned railroad, cross
ing the Sierra Maestro at FL Cristo
pass, 600 feet above the sea, ten miles
north of Santiago, which is the lowest
pass through the Sierra Maestro for
many miles. The country back of this
is a rolling plateau of rich agricultural
land. At MANAGES, on the railroad,
two miles north of the pass, is an iron
bridge, consisting of a series of 30-foot
spans on iron trestle- bents. This point
is about two miles beyond the Cristo
summit and just beyond this bridge
he railroad divides into two branches.
The destruction of this bridge would
be the most feasible method of prevent
ing the approach of General Pando's
Spanish troops to relieve Santiago.
1t is probable that if the Spaniards
retreat by this road they will make a
stand on the plateau at FL CriSto and
hold the pass of Ell CristO. The only
Other pass through the mountains near
this point is at Escandel Summit, about
six miles in a straight line east of FL
Cristo pass. Escandel summit is 1.120
feet above the sea and is reached from
Santiago via Caney. The road from
Santiago to Caney is fairly good, be-
ug wide enough for vehicles. Between
-aney and Escandel the road, which is
no more than a trail, ascends the
and is very winding and
broken. Beyond Escandel. across the
range, the country is heavily timbered
and broken and the roads are not good.
is an ideal country for ambush. This
: probably the only pass through
s hich the Spanish position could be
urned should the Spanish troops Oc-
,upy the CristO plateau and pass.
The railroad has been fortified by
inc of block houses, protecting the
bridges, and certain zones of cultiva-
ion inclOsed between these forts have
eeen planted during all the time of
ne war. and would afford a supply for
he army for a certain time. In the
Meanwhile. sweet potatoes could be
planted, which in three months would
nature These zones of cultivation ex-
st along the road as far~aS San Luis.
t which point here is considerable
in cultivation On the other
branch, the Sabanilia branch, the zones
Il cultivation extend as far as San
iago.