The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-05
COMMANDMENT
~ TO BEGIN TODAY
Continued from First Page.)


rs follows:
Playa. $50 a. M, July 4.
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps near
Santiago.
When the news of the disaster to the
Spanish fleet reached the front, which
was during the truce, the regimental
band that had managed to keep its IN
strumcnts on the line, played the Star
Spangled Banner" and "rhere'll BE n
Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight.
Men cheering from one end of the line
to the other. Officers and men without
even shelter tents have been soaking for
five days in the afternoon rains, but all
are happy.
(Signed) SHAElElt.
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps.
"KilIed Spanish general i'll the affair
Mt Caney and large number Of Off
GERS and men who are still unburied
Gen. Linares' arm broken. My demand
for surrender Of Santiago still being
considered by the Spanish authorities.
pando has arrived near break in rail
road with his advance. / think he VIII
be stopped.
Also the following from Assistant
Adjutant General Wagner at same place
and time:
'Pando, six miles north, with 1000.
Garcia opposes with 5000. Lawton can
support Garcia and prevent Junction
Gen. Miles sent the following dispatch
to Gen. Shafter before the news of the
destruction of the fleet:
Headquarters of the Army,
Washington, July ,, 1898.
"Gen. Shafter, Playa Del Este, Cuba.
Accept my hearty congratulations on
the record made of magnificent fortitude,
galantry and sacrifice displayed in the
desperate fighting of the troops before
Santiago. | realize the hardships, diff
culties and sufferings, and am proud
that amid those terrible scenes the troops
illustrated such fearless and patriotic
devotion to the welfare of our common
country and flag. Whatever the results
to follow their unsurpassed deeds of va
lor, the past is already a gratifying
chapter of history. | expect to be with
you within one week with strong rein
forcements. MILES,
Major General Commanding.
General Skaters reply is as follows:
playa Del Este. July 4, 1898.
Major General Nelson A. Miles, Com
manding the Army of the United
States, Washington, u. c.
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, near
Santiago, July 81 thank you, in the
name of the gallant men / have the honor
to command. for the splendid tribute Of
praise which you have accorded them.
They bore themselves as American sol
diers always have. Your telegram viii
be published at the head of the regi-
ment in the morning. | feel that | am
master of the situation and can hold the
enemy for any length of time. | am de-
lighted to know that you are coming.
that you may see for yourself the OBJ
stacles which this army had to over
come. My only regret is the great num-
Der of gallant souls who have given
their lives for our country's cause.
(Sigaedl 'SHAFTER.
The pressing need of reinforcing
Shafter is no longer felt, now that the
Spanish fleet is out of the way. \ con
siderable number of men, however, are
already on the way and others will fol-
low
The changed naval station will bring
no abatement in the activity of the au-
thorities here in carrying the war direct
ly home to Spain. There is renewed de-
termination to get Commodore Watson s
Eastern Squadron away ut the earliest
moment, for the double purpose of strik-
ing a blow at the coast towns of Spain
and of pursuing Admiral Camara's fleet
which has halted ut the entrance of the
Suez Canal. Secretary Long made the
official statement to-day that the fleet
would sail at the earliest possible mo-
ment and although he did not go into
details as to its purpose it is well under
stood that it would devote its attention
to the Spanish coast and to Camara.
Thedestruction .of the Spanish fleet at
Santiago relieves Admiral Sampson from
surveillance of this squadron, and he
can readily spare the ships intended for
the attack ON the Spanish coast.
1t has been Acting Admiral Sampson
for some time, but that it will be Adj
miral Sampson in fact as well as in
name is the prevailing opinion in naval
circles as a result of the victory reported
by the American admiral. Shortly af-
ter the war broke out Captain Sampson
was made acting admiral in order to give
him rank fitting his command, al
though his actual naval rank remained
at captain. BY singular coincidence
his rank was advanced to-day to that of
commodore. owing to the retirement of
Admiral Kirkland. In the event of his
now being made an admiral, it would
advance him over the ten commodores
making up the list of that grade and
would place him just below that very ia
nous hero Of the war. Admiral Dewey.
1t is of course purely conjectural thus
far but it is a conjecture which receives
such common acceptance in naval quar-
tiers that it is most likely to be realized
The release of Hobson and the other
heroes of the Merrimac incident is likely
to be another result of the events, trans
piring to-day. 1t may now come about
either by the surrender of the city which
would include the surrender of Hobson
and other American prisoners there or
else by the eXchanlIof Hobson for Adj
mral Cervera or some other high rank
ing naval official.
The dispatch from the front stating
that there was likely to be some criticism
because of the treatment Of foreign mill