The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-05
The Vigorous Attack of Our Soldiers on the
Spanish Lines.
THEIR EARTHWORKS CAPTURED
he dicrsA Shell
Flying Around Them Until They Drive the Enemy Out of
Their Observation-Disclosures Retreat Upon the
TherI IastTr Yester.
day.. eru Workmanship.


if not broken by vigorous and sue
cessfull attack on Santiago, may re-
suit in causing much more serious
work than has been anticipated with
the Spanish forces that have retired
from the vicinity of Azerraderes, on
the west and Baiquiri on the east, to
join General Linares.
The forces in Santiago and within
the fortified defences of the city now
lllmber 1000, 600 regulars and 1000
volunteers. Concerning the latter, the
Cubans allege that they Will not fight
with any heart, but will lay down
their arms. According to Spanish SOL
diers captured yesterday and held in
the camp of General Perez, near
Guantanamo, half of the force Of men
on the Spanish Warships had been
landed with all the rapid fire guns
This would make a total force in the
city of r. 500 men IN addition to the
protection from the earthWOrks and
forts and the assistance Of the ships
in the harbOr.
To meet this force or at least to
, invade it's stronghold, the American
commanders now have 1850 men and
1000 Cubans-the latter to prevent, if
| possible, flank movements at the eX-
! pense of the Americans. Now here is
| the dangerous and most significant
feature of the situation. Marching
| from ManzanillO, 120 miles west of
| Santiago, and having been on the road
! for six days, quite we'll advanced now
! in his progress is General Pando with
seven batallions, aggregating S,40O
men. To oppose him is General Jesus
Rabi with a force of 2,2OO Cubans, ly
| ing wait seventeen miles from Santl-
! ago and on two roads.
| OF course it would be perfectly pos
, sible for General Pando to take his
| L o1ro
! juncture with the Spanish troops sup
posed to be on the way from Holguin
, and numbering, it is said, 5000 men.
This advance from the north is being
| held in check by about $500 Cubans,
| under General Castillo, who claims to
! hold the passes.
General Castillo admitted in camp
yesterday, as he smoked his cigar and
| slipped his coffee, that his method was
| to do Indian fighting in the mountain
! passes. When he was asked what his
| forces would do if f1anked, he gravely
| said he had not thought of that, but
| he supposed he would have to retire.
| The object of the Spanish advancing
| to Manzanillo may be to elude Rabi
and effecting a junction with the
| Spanish from the north to form an
army of 17400 men. AS flank on the
| west end of the American army, facing
| the city, General Rabfs forces combin-
I ed with those of General Castillo
| would only give a combating force OF
| 3,70O Cubans, and the Cubans do not
| hesitate to run before Overwhelming
| numbers.
| Nor is that all the menaces. Leaving
| Guantanamo camp of marines and
| plunging into the wood to the west
| the Associated Press correspondent
| found force of 800 Cubans under
| command of Colonel Perez. This force
| had variously been estimated at from
| 1,S0O to $500 Cubans, but there were
| certainly not more than 500, as Colonel
| Perez admitted in the course Of con-
| versatiOn, although he had distinctly
| claimed to have about 1000 men. This
| force of 800 is supposed to be keeping
| at bay 3,400 Spanish troops who are
| in the town of Guantanamo. The ma
| rines are near this camp, but to the
| east of it, so that they could do moth
| moving to the west on the flank of the
| American army. In other words, there
! are to the northeast and west of the
| army of invasion f1anking forces OF
Spaniards, comprising over 10000
troops, held at bay by less than 5000
/ Cubans whose fighting qualities are as
yet rather enigmatica1.
! In an interview with General Garcia
| the correspondent called attention tC
this situation. General Garcia replied
Il believe that we should be left tt
the west and north to prevent PandC
making junction with Linares. We
can do that"
| Ia spite of this warning General Gar.
. cla and his force were taken to the
| east and landed with the army, only
| 10 be transported in part back again
| TO prevent the very movement which
| Garcia had predicted. The solution OF
the DIFFICULTY evidently lies in a bril-.
| hant and quick attack.
The alrelia bility of the Cuban state.
ments as to force may be better un.
| derstood when it is known that ]. .2Ot
| men Perez promised to send to helr
| the marlLes numbered exactly So OF
| whom many were on the sick list from
| over-eating.
| (CopyrigKt by Associated Press.)
Off Santiago de Cuba, July l. via
Kingston, Ja~ July 2, a. m.-Before
5 o'clock this morning the crew OF
the flagship We're astir, eating a hur-
r1ed breakfast and at $50 o'clock
"geaeral quarters was sounded and
the flagship headed in toward Aqua
dores, & bout three miles east of Morro
castle. The other ships retained their
blockading stations. Along the surf
beaten shore the smoke of an ap-
preaching train from Altares was
seen. 1t was composed IF open cars
full of General Duffield's troops. AT
the cut, mile east of Aqua >1ores, the
train stopped and tSe Cuban scouts
proceeded along the railroad track.
The troops got out of the cars and
soon formed in a long, thin line stand
ing eut Flvldly against the yellow