The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-02
Standards Driven
From Inkr0nChnn8n&S
At One O'clock Yesterday Afternoon After Hours of Ter
rifle Fighting, the Enemy Were Forced from Their
Positions and Began Falling Back into Sant-
ago--A Brief Dispatch from Gen. Shat
ter Conveyed the First nteI-
gence to War Department.


President. carrying the original dispatch
He was back shortly, and then bulle-
tin was posted giving the dispatch YER
batim. Until then. only the higher Off
cials had known that the decisive hour
was at hand. The news spread
through the corridor and wave of awe
like agitation and expectancy took hoiC
of every one. a great crowd of CORE
spondents struggled about the bulletin
board: messenger boy dashed off witt
dispatches; the clerks. men and women
turned from their desks and gathered 81
the doorWays. General Miles, command
ing the army, received copy OF the
dispatch soon after it arrived. lie nae
anticipated it. for only II few hours be-
fore a dispatch came TO him from Gen
eral breckenridge, Inspector General OF
the army. stating that the spirit of the
troops was high, and that they We're Gag
ef and expectant of actions. General
Miles also received another dispatch
sent quite early this morning from
Shafter's headquarters, saying that the
big military balloon was now high IN the
air. and was giving opportunity for OBJ
scryation over a great sweep of coun'
try This in itself. was Of incalculable
value to our troops.
According to General Shafters report
the attack on Santiago was begun by
the Second division of the Fifth Army
Corps. commanded by Brigadier General
II. w. I4awton. This division consists
of three brigades made up as follows:
First Brigade. commanded by Col. j
Vanhorn, Eighth United States Infantry
Second Massachusetts Volunteers
Twenty-second United States Infantry
Second Brigade-commanding officer un
known. but supposed to be Col. Bates
First United States Infantry, Fourth
United States Infantry and Twenty
fifth United States Infantry.
Third Brigade, commanded by Briga
der General Chaffee, Seventeenth
Twelfth and Seventh United States In
fantry. 1t thus appears that the entire
division which opened the hostilitieS
of the day is composed entirely of reg
ular troops, seasoned and experienced
in battle with the exception of the Sec
ond Massachusetts volunteer infantry
which is regarded as one of the best
volunteer organizations of the army.
Never before since the declaration OF
war has there been such a feeling ot
intense interest and anxiety manifested
The officials here are confident that they
have done everything possible tC
strengthen Shafter's hands for the great
conflict he is waging and they have al
unlimited confidence in his discretion
his bravery and his energy. The attack
today, several days before the public
mind expected the battle, is Il tributc
to his energy as well as to his judg-
ment, according to the present lights
for he undoubtedly found it necessary
to crush the foe in detail, following Ma
poeon's favorite maxim instead of al
lowing them to consolidate and out
number him. AS the day wore along
without bringing any news the anxiet!
increased and the question was in every
ones mouth, "Why did he not reportT
Adiutant General C0rbin's response wa:
brief but pointed: "He is fighting, no
writing" and this was accepted as :
likely and sound explanation. Just be
fore o'clock came Il brief dispatch from
Playa del Este. the cable station neal
Santiago. But it was from an engi
neer officer to Gen. Miles and made NJ
reference to the progress of the battle
merely referring to certain necessary
material and live stock. On the whole
the very absence of official news was re-
garded as rather Il favorable indication
the reasoning being that this mornings
engagement was but heavy s<irmisl
and that our army was feeling the enc
| my to discover and strike at his weak
spot. IT was nearly 6 o'clock when
the signal office received the welcome
news that the enemy was retreating.
The military authorities here are fully
considering the chances Of a retreat OF
the Spanish army from Santiago and are
endeavoring so to shape events that
Gen. Shafter's force will not only take
Santiago, but will capture the 10000
Spaniards before they get away north
ward to effect juncture with Gen
Pando. Full information as to the pos
{ sible lines Of retreat has been at the
disposal of the War Department. One
Of the most interesting statements is
that of General Manager Cox, of the
Spanish-American Mining Company a
Baiquiris who is thoroughly acquainted
with all the country surrounding San
tiago. lie shows that the two possi
bic lines of retreat are, frs