The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-30
EVE0F BATTLE
PREPARATIONS ALMOST COMPLETE
FOR ATTACK ON SANTIAGO.
Thirteen Thousand United States Sol
diers Are Now Massed Near the En-
emy's Forts and Intrenchments.
SIEGE GUNS In POSITION
DYNAMITE AND sHRAPNEL TO BE
USED AGAINST sPANIARDs.
Effort to BE Made to Prevent Pando
Reaching the Beleaguered City
with ReinfOrcements.
SKATERS MEN CHEERFUL
BUT SUFFERING FOR LACK OF To-
BACCO AND FULL RATIONs.
SantiagO's Water Supply Reported Cut
Off-AguadOres to Be Occupied
"FIyfng Squadron" No More.
Effort to he Made to Prevent Pando
Reaching the Beleaguered City
with Reinforcements.
SKATERS MEN CHEERFUL
BUT SUFFERING FOR LACK OFF TO-
BACCO AND FULL RATIONs.
SantiagO's Water Supply Reported Cut
On-ASuadOres to Be Occupied
"FIyfns Squadron" No More.
Copyright. 1898. by the Associated Press,

Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press)
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, on board the
Associated Press dispatch boat Dauntless,
June 2S (nighD, via Port Antonio, Jamaica,
June % (morning), by way of Kingston, Ja-
maica, June 20, l p. m.-The flying squad
ron hitherto commanded by Commodore
Schiey, has lost its identity by an order is
sued to-day by Rear Admiral Sampson, and
it has been merged into the fleet under the
admiral. The order caused considerable
surprise on board the Brooklyn, which has
been the flagship of the flying squadron,
where it was supposed the squadron would
remain intact at least until the fall of San
tiago de Cuba. Commodore Schley has been
assigned to command the second squadron
attached to Admiral Simpsons fleet
From two Cuban officers picked up by the
Vixen to-day it has been learned that Cen
eral Pando is moving eastward from Man
zanillo with S,7OO Spanish troops for the pur-
pose of assisting the beleaguered city Of
Santiago de Cuba. The Cubans had come
to Acerraderos in small boats with dis
patches from General Rios for Admiral
Sampson and General Rab They report
that General Pando has with him seven
battalions Numbering $500 men), with cat
tie and pack train with provisions. He
left ManZanillo, province of Santiago de
Cuba, on June %, to relieve General LinareS.
The Spaniards were moving at the rate of
twelve miles day when the messengers
left, and, at their present speed, it is ex-
pected they will reach Santiago de Cuba
next Sunday July 3. The Cubans have a
small force hanging on the Spanish flank
and rear and harassing General Pando's
troops at every step. Manzanilo is 127
miles west of Santiago de Cuba, and the
roads are in bad condition.
The Cubans say that if General Pando
reaches his goal it will be with less than
half the force he started with. The Cubans
who are harassing him only number about
two hundred men, but in the passes and in
the bush they are at great advantage. 1t
is probable that immediate seps will be
taken to throw force of Americans and
Cubens between General Pando and Gen
eral Linares. Pressed as the latter is on
the east he could not spare a man for
sortie to the west.
Admiral Sampson has ascertained that
Admiral Cerveras fleet has moved into the
upper harbor of Santiago de Cuba.
General Shafter, in his dispatches to the
secretary of war, compimented the fleet for
its assistance in landing troops
With the soldiers landed from the Yale
yesterday and General Garcia's army, trans
ported from the westward, q, 900 men in all
have been disembarked in the vicinity of
Santiago de Cuba.