The Meeker herald., 1898-07-09
that it will be impossible to carry 1t py

that 1t will be impossible to carry II py
storm with my present forces.
Our losses up 10 date will appreciate
a thousand. bnt list has not yet been
made. But little sickness. outside of
exhaustion from intense hent and ex-
ertion Of the battle OF day before yes
terday and the almost constant fire
which Is kept mp on the trenches
Wagon road 10 the rear IL kept up
with some difficulty, on account of
rains. but l will be able to use 1t for
the present.
General Wheeler Is seriously Ill and
will probably have TO go to the hear to-
day. General Young Is very i'll; con-
fined to his bed General Hawkins
slightly wounded in foot during sort.e
made list night, which was handsome
ly repulsed.
The behavior of our troops was
magnificent.
General Garcia reports that he holds
the railroad from Santiago to San Luis
and has burned a bridge and removed
some rails; also that General Pando has
arrived at Palma and that the French
consul with about 400 French citizens
came into his line yesterday from San
tiago; have directed him to treat them
with every courtesy possible.
SHAFTER.
Secretary Alger sent the following
reply 10 General Shafter:
To General Shaftcr: The President
directs me to say that you have the
gratitude and thanks of the nation for
the brilliant and effect work of your
noble army on Friday, July 1st. The
stendy valor and heroism of officers
and men thrill the American people
with pride. The country mourns the
brave men who fell in battle. They
have added new names to our roll of
heroes.
tSignetD II. A. ALGER,
Secretary of War.
The dispatch speaks for itself, and,
as Adjutant General Corbin said, tells
what Il desperate fight our gallan,
troops have been in. Ii was received
at noon to-day. and after lull of near
ly thirty-six hours In the official In
formation from the field.
At first, when 1t become known that
the American commander had report
ed the defenses to he so strong II
would be impossible to carry them
with his present force. there was mo-
mentarily wave of deep apprelien-
sion. But this was not shared by the
military authorities here All their en-
ergies. all their attention. was turned
to meet the situation as presented by
General Shafter. There was neither
time nor disposition TO take account of
what had gone before, when the fact
was plain that the American army had
felt its way. inch by inch. under a
blazing sun. through II tropical vegeta-
tion, steadily advancing and beating
back the foe, taking position after po-
sition, until, rs General Shafter report
ed, the town was well invested on the
north and east by the long drawn out
line of American troops. This was Il
sufficient tribute to the valor of our
brave men, and 1t silcnced all cavil
General Shnfter.
1t was n time for action. for rein
forcements, and toward the execution
of this end every effort of the admin
istration was at once turned.
But there was other information of n
more encouraging nature at the
same time.
Shortly after 10 o'clock this morning
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Allen
left the White House hastily, and. GO
ing directly to the department. posted
the following on the bulletin board;
General Shafter telegraphs:
Playa del Este, July 3.-Early this
morning l sent a demand for the sur
render of Santiago. threatening to bonn
bard the city. l believe the place will
be surrendered
This contradicts the report that Gen
eral Shafter had fallen back.
Following the receipt of General
Shafters telegram there was hur-
ried war conference Mt the White
House. Secretary Alger. accompanied
by General Corbin, reached there few
minutes before l o'clock and were i'm
mediaiely closeted with the President.
The officials hope to rush the rein
forcements TO General Shafter, so that
there will be from $1,000 to $4,000 men
under his command within the next
ten days, and sooner IL this can he ar
ranged. This is exclusive of the insur-
gents, of whom General Garcia has
been able to bring to Skaters COM
mand approximately 1000 men. There
were about 1000 men and officers in
the expedition that set out from Tam
pa less than Il month ago. These have
since been reinforced by the troops of
Brigndier General Duffield's command
amounting to 5000 men.
Colonel Humphries Is in charge of
the transport service with Skaters
army, and lie will send back to Tampa
the vessels thar can be spared as rap
idly as possible; in fact, word has
been received that the transports had
started for the United States this
morning.
If possible. the War Department will
send $4,000 men from Tampa on these
transports. Six vessels have been re-
Gently loaded with men, ammunition.
arms, supplies, etc, and are now either
at Key West or on their way to rein
force Shafter's army. Included in this
expedition are some batteries of artiI-
lery. In all, these forces constitute
about $500 or 1900 men.