Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-30
It's About to be Fought
at the City Of
Santiago.
War Department Receives
Brief Dispatch From
Gen. Shafter.
Our Troops Now Within
Three Miles of the
Doomed City.

Washington, June 20. 1t was very
late In the day when the first dispatch
within two days came to the war de-
partment from Gen. Shafter, but the
news was regarded as 80 good there
was no disposition to complain. 1t
disclosed very satisfactory rate Of
progress on the part of Gen. Shafter
towards the town OF Santiago itself
and apparently he has come within
three miles OF Santiago without suf-
ferlng any losses since the bloody
skirmish OF Friday last. Altogether
the performance Is regarded as very
gratifying to the department here.
Az near as can be gathered from the
brief dispatch the American army Is
now at n fork In the road, one branch
of which leads to Santiago and the
other to MORO castle Mt the entrance
to the harbor. Gen. Shafter Is thus
free to move In either direction ac-
cording to the demands of the cam
paign. With the 1900 men who rein
forced him Monday on the Yale and
an additional brigade that will reach
him by today, 1t may be possible to
make even more rapid progress In the
advance upon Santiago, rs these men
are relied upon to relieve the main
body of troops from the necessity of
keeping open line of communication
between Shafter and his base ut Bal
quiri. Meanwhile farther reinforce
ments are being prepared and dis
patched M rapidly ns the best energies
Of tho department can direct 1t Is
believed that several thousand men
sailed from Tampa yesterday directly
for Santiago.
The department has had In mind the
difficulties Of the campaign that are
just developing TO the public eye, such
az the use for the first time In civil
lied warfare Of barbcd wire fencing
rs means OF defense, and number
Of men OF each regiment have been
provided with wire cutters charged
with the duty of cutting down these
fences 30 as to permit an advance OF
the troops. 1t will probably be neccs-
sary TO shell out the forces defending
these wires before they can be cut.
This will involve larger use of field
artillery than would br required In
ordinary warfare,
The lines are being frightened around
Cuba and II Will soon be impossible
for even small quantities Of food or
war supplies to reach the Spantards
there. A proclamation was issued
Tuesday extending the blockade to the
south const and to San Juan, on the
south coast the Isle Of Pines viii be
cut of, stopping the supply Of cattle
and food from jamaica and Central
America by the closing of San Juan
the Spaniards Will lose their last
chance of smuggling war supplies to
Cuba and future operations of the
army and navy looking to occupation
Of the island of Porto Rico will be
materially advanced by the establish
ment of successful blockade.
There was no further word from the
Cadi2 fleet Tuesday, though it Is still
known TO be lying AT Port Said under
the prctoxt of repairing one of Its
torpedo boat destroyers
1t has been known to our govern.
ment for some time past that the
Spanish government was trying to OBJ
tain possession Of the splendid modern
armored cruiser O'lliggins, Our agents
however, have watched those uepOt In.
tions carefully and our government
has been finally satisfied that they
haze failed