The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-07-12
THE ATTACK BEGUN.
Simpsons Fleet and Skaters Troops
lombard the City of Santiago.
The City Is Completely Invested and For
the Beleaguered Garrison There Is No
Possibility of Escape = Skaters
Forces Greatly Augmented.

WASHINGTON, July II. - Shot and
shell from ships and siege guns are re-
ported to be screaming over the doom
ed city of San tiagO.
The bonn bardment will not cease un-
til Santiago has fallen. Gen. Corbin
said Sunday night that the firing, once
having begun, it would stop only with
the capitulation of the city. The
town, it is now said at the war
department, is completely invested,
and for the beleaguered garrison there
is no posi- ility of escape. This does
not mean that the Spanish soldiery
must stand still within the walls and
be shot down like sheep. 1t is not i'm
possible that, like the brave and rack
less Cervera, they may be lead out to
attack the American forces on the
surrounding hills. This would be
forlorn hope, but it would offer a
chance of striking the American line
in weak spot, breaking 1T and turn
ing back one of the TANKS. 1t would
mean destruction in the end for the
Spaniards, of course, but it would give
them one last grand dash with the
glory of dying in hand-to-hand con-
| fiict.
The mbardment began about 5
o'clock. Earlier in the afternoon a
dispatch was received from Gen. Shat
ter saying that Col. Toral had de.
clined the terms of unconditional
surrender, and that the bombardment
would begin as soon after o'clock
as possible. At II o'clock Sunday
night nothing further had been re-
ceived at the war department, and the
anxiety for news from the scene of op-
erations was intense. Toral is second
in command of the Spanish troops.
and it is presumed he replied to
Skaters demand because Gen. Linares
was so seriously wounded as to be in
incapable of duty.
Gen. Shafter, the war department
says, has in place 40 8. 1-inch guns and
eight finch mortars. With the rein
forcements that arrived Sunday he
must have nearly $4,000 men.
Ohio troops it is probable will have
the honor of being present at the fall
of the first fortified town in Cuba to
be captured and perhaps of partici-
pating in the battle. A dispatch from
Gen. Shafter received early Sunday
afternoon that the St. Paul
arrived at or near Baiquiri
| Sunday afternoon. This is about 10
miles from Siboney. and three miles
from the American front. On the St.
Paul was the Sth Ohio volunteers,
called here in Washington 1.-The
Presidents Own" because it twas
recruited largely from the northeast
ern part of the state, and has
for its lieutenant Col Charles Dick,
secretary of the republican national
committee, and the presidents close
| friend. 1t would take some hours
| for the men to reach the front
from their landing place, but it
is believed at the war de-
partment Sunday night that Col. Dick
and his soldiers are now with Shat
ter's forces, perhaps participating in
the battle, or at least ready to aid in
the investment of the city when it falls.
Preparations for the Porto Rico
expedition are being FASTENED with
the utmost speed. Not the least
of the reasons for this is the
fact that an Impression is grow
ing that peace is near at hand. If
the American forces capture Porto
Rico before peace is declared, the
permanent investment of the islands
will be greatly simplified.