The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-20
can ships, and the situation is desperate.

Famlne stricken and convinced of the ulti-
mate triumph of the American arms and
without faith in the protection of the Span
ish soldiery, the people are determined to
leave their houses in ashes behind them
and seek safety in the mountains of the
north. The scouts declare that the story
is accurate. and say that every building of
the town is being rapidly prepared for the
torch.
The situation offthe besieged is dreadful
The people are eating horses and mules,
and are securing the hills for fruits and
herbs. Occasionally brief bombardments by
the American fleet leave the helpless cit
liens terror stsicken, no preparations for
defense being made 1t is also stated that
the Spanish gunboat at Caimanera has been
loaded with inffammables and will be
burned with the city. her commander de-
claring that she will never become an
American prize
The scouts also say that the Spanish SOL
diers are in almost as complete a state of
panic as the civilians, and that they could
easily be induced to surrender. Some of the
prisoners taken by the marines also say
they believe the Spanish troops are on the
verge of surrender, owing to the lack of
food.
head, and Lieutenant Colonel Huntington,
in command of the marines. are not so sure.
however, of the reported Spanish rout. They
received information yesterday that gen.
eral attack by force of $500 Spanish SOL
diers and guerrillas on Camp McCalla is
contemplated within a night or two. Every
preparation was made last night for an
expected assault.
When the Associated Press dispatch boat
Dandy arrived in Guantanamo harbor at s
o'clock, the hills about the marine camp
were brilliant under the shifting rays of the
search lights of the Marblehead, Dolphin
and Scorpion, and the marines were lying in
the rifle pits, at the guns, ready and anx-
ious for battle, but the night passed with
out the firing of shot. The same watchful
care was exercised to-day, as Captain Nc
Gala is convinced that an attack is likely
to occur at any moment.
The Iowa joined the fleet here this morn
ing and later the admiral came over on the
flagship to inspect the forti1cations and con-
fer with Captain McCalla and Lieutenant
Colonel Huntington.
The coast in the vicinity of Guantanamo
is dotted with the bright-hued Cuban flag.
Numerous camps of the insurgents, which
have been established along the beach be-
tween Santiago and this place, are used by
the admiral as means of communication
with the Cubans in the interior. The aid
which these men have given has proved
highly valuable to the Americans. Their
stories of destitution and revolt among the
Spanish soldiery in this vicinity have been
corroborated by interviews with prisoners
captured around the camp.
General Perrejo, who is in command of
the Spanish forces here, is undoubtedly des-
perate in regard to obtaining food for his
men, The prisoners who have been cap
tured appear to have been ill-fed and are ap-
parently Indifferent to their fate.
Another body of five Spaniards was cap
tured yesterday by Ensign A. A. Pratt. Of
the Marblehead. While cruising in steam
launch outside the bay he picked up a fifty
foot sloop containing Spanish captain by
the name of Torres and four sailors. They
said they were their way to Guantanamo
to get a supply Of oil for the lighthouse at
Cape Maysi, but papers found on the sloop
proved that they had been sent to obtain.
information relative to the American forces.
The crew of the sloop asserted that they
had been ill-fed and frightfully ill-treated
by the Spanish commander Of the Cape
Maysi forces.
There was a brief bombardment of
blockhouse up the bay by the battle ship
Oregon yesterday, and it is believed that
during the firing at least score of Span
iards were killed. Scouting parties report
that the blockhouse was completely de-
stroyed, but that they were unable to dis
cover any bodies, the remains of soldiers
who had been killed probably having been
carried off by their comrades.
Late this afternoon the flagship New York
returned to the fleet off Santiago de Cuba
The marines are growing very restless, ow-
ing to the delay of the arrival of reinforce
ments of troops, but 1t is generally believed
to-day that the transports will reach SAINT
iago not later than Monday.