Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-06-30

SECOND CROSSlNG, IueSday, June 70, 4
p. M, PER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DISPATCH BOAT DAUNTLESS, VIA
PORT ANTONIO, JAMAICA. Wednesday.
June 90. a. M, AND KINGSTON,
JAMAICA, $50 a. m.-The preparations for
a general advance of the American troops
on Santiago de Cuba are being pushed
steadily forward, and troops of all branches
of the service are being hurried to the
front. General Kent's division, consisting
of the brigade of General Hawkins, Colo
mel Pearson and Colonel Worth. has joined
General Lawtons division, and with the
cavalry division of General Wheeler and
| four batteries of light artillery will now be
strung out in the rear of General Lawton's
| division.
] The front still rests on the crossing of
| the Rio Guiana river, on the road to Santi-
| ago de Cuba, in the rear of the crest of the
Sevilla hills. and mile and half back.
The brigade of General Bates. the Thirty
second Michigan regiment, and a battalion
of the Thirty-fourth Michigan regiment,
which were landed yesterday by the auxil-
! iary cruiser Yale, remain at Juragua or
! Siboney.
| The delay in the general forward move
merit is due TO the inability to get sub
sistence stores to the front rapidly enough.
| The advance, it is said, will not be ordered
! until every man has three days rations in
| his knapsack. This. however, is impossible
| until the roads are passable for wagon
trains. The pack trains can only convey
one days rations in a day.
The men constructing the bridge roads
have the work almost completed and this
| afternoon the first wagon train of four
| mule teams will go through. In two or
| three days more, every man will have
| three days rations in his knapsack, and
| as soon as that occurs the army will move
on the enemy.
Although the Cubans affect to have
thorough knowledge of the country and
the trails. nothing is taken for granted
| The whole country, front and flank, is be-
ing thoroughly reconnoitered, and an ac-
| curate map has been made by the en-
giHeerS. Much of the information thus
| obtained will be of :nestimable value from
strategic point Of view. Last night Cen
eral Mendonca, of General Lawton's staff,
MADE reconnaissance up to the very
trenches of the enemy, their sentries talk
ing on picket duty being plainly heard.
Corporal Dewey and nine sharpshooters
from the Seventh infantry went out at
dark last night with one days rations to-
| ward the Spanish lines and they have not
yet returned, but no fear is entertained
for their safety. 1t is believed they are
lying in the bush waiting for night.
At daylight this morning. Lieutenant
Smith, of the Fourth infantry, with a de-
tail of fifty men from the Seventh infantry
under Lieutenant Dearfoo, crossed the San
Juan and went in southeasterly direction
as far as Caney, or Ell Gaumey, as 1t is
marked on the map, without encountering
any Spanish troops, and fifty men of Com
pany A, Seventh regiment, under Captain
iount. also made reconnaissance in
force. The Spaniards have seemingly re-
tired to their intrenehments, as no pickets
or skirmishers were encountered General
Lawton. General Wheeler and General
| Chaffee have had riders out beyond our ad-
vance posts several times.
| Captain Wright, of General Bates staff,
| to-day followed the line of railroad running
| out of Juragua. to Santiago within two and
| i half miles of the city. The road ap-
proaches within half mile of our front,
and can be utilized to bring up supplies
| and siege guns. the first of which was land
ed at Baiquiri this afternoon. AS soon as
| the remaining DdttaHOnS Oh Lue lnlTty-
fourth Michigan and Eighth Massachusetts
which arrive the Harvard tomorrow
| and the $500 reinforcements sent out from
Tampa, reach here. Aguadores, town or
| the coast four miles west of Juragua, vii
be taken. The place was sheled to-day by
several ships of the fleet. Aguadores IS OF
the line of the advance of the army into
the interior. and close to the railroad. II
will then probably become the base of op
hos.
main at Juragua. Captain Wright, on hi:
reconnaissance. obtained information which
is believed 10 be reliable to the effect thai
5000 Spanish troops have been sent to re-
, inforce the garrison at Aguadores.
General Lawton will probably make d
version with his artillery, soon as il
is placed in position. Heavy rain this af
2 | ternoon made 1t impossible to move to-day
| beyond General Wheeer's headquarters
| but the road will dry quickly, the gun!
will probably be brought up tomorrow
( | and the intrenchments shelled by Colone
: | Woods dynamite guns. The shrapnel viii
be more used by the artillery. The gun
. | with shrapnel are effective at 800 yards
T | The Cubans say the Spaniards are in dead
l | ly fear of dynamite, and General Lawtol
will how he can terrify them.
simultaneously with the bombardment
General Chaffee's brigade will move forwar,
| and occupy a position of vital importanc
| in advance of our front. The correspond
t | ent of the Associated Press is not permit
4 ted at present to divulge its location.
The military telegraph line has been com
pleted as far as General Wheeer's head
quarters. thus placing the front in direc
) | communication with General Shafter VIII
t | still maintains his headquarters on boar
: the Seguranca, where he can keep in clos
: | touch with Rear Admiral Sampson. 1t j
+ probable. however, that he will establis
n his headquarters at Juragua tomorrow o
Thursday.
The tooops belonging to General Lawton'
| division are kept ready to move in ligh
e marching order while the reconnotern
e parties are out. This precaution is consid
c cred necessary in order TO avoid disaste
n in case the small parties of troops shoul
). collide with the Spaniards in force.
The Cubans under General Castillo ar
doing commendable work advance pick
y cts. They are thrown out. day and nigh
: from a half mile 10 a mile in advance c
our pickets along the front and flank.
. thus forming double Gordon about tn
y army.
There are now more than 10, 900 men at tt
: front. Drinking water for the troops d
o the front is obtained from the Rio Guam;
i a stream full OF springs, running direc
% from the mountains. The water Is remarl
ably good. and is now carefully guarde
= from pollution. The Cubans and our so
/ diers bathed in it at first. but strict order
II have been issued against this in the fl
!, | ture, and sentinels have been placed to eI
| force the order. Strict orders have been /.