The record-union., 1898-07-03
Only a Brief Private Dispatch
Reaches the President.
Stated That Terrific Fighting Was In Prog
resS, That Dead and Wounded Were
Being Carried to Rear, and That
Our Losses Were Heavy.

WASHINGTON, July ?. - This has
been day of almost unparalleled sus-
pense and anxiety. From President
Mckinley down all through official
Washington everybody was under a
tremendous strain. Tidings from Shat
ter have been eagerly awaited and mo-
mentariy expected, but, save brief
word on the extent of loss yesterday,
nothing came from him during the day
concerning the progress of the action at
Santiago.
Just at the close of the day the first
bit of information coming directly tc
officials reached the President and Sec
retary Alger. 1t was a private dis
patch, not intended primarily for
them, although it came through Of
fetal channels. Briefly and express
lively it told the story of a day Of ter
rible fighting. 1t was direct from the
field of action, as late as p. M 1t
stated that the engagement had been
in progress throughout to-day; that
the dead and wounded were being car
ried to the rear. and that the Amer
team Losses were heavy.
The exact wording of the disDatcn
was not made known, but one Of the
high officials who read it said that it
conveyed to him the loss of extreme
tension of a battle in which all the
fiercest elements of warfare prevailed
Until this came the officials were Dos
itively without a word as to whether
the engagement begun yesterday was
continuing to-day. They could only
speculate. some taking the view that
the assault of yesterday had been fol-
lowed by a storming of the city itself,
others maintaining that Shafter s
yesterday, had paused to-day long
long enough to clear the field of its
dead and wounded. 1t was only by this
brief private message, which un.ler
ordinary circumstances would have re-
ceived little attention, that the Presi-
rent and his advisers were made aware
that the battle was still in progress
and still without definite issue
As il was, the few words relieved the
suspense but not the anxiety. 1t made
known only the fact that the figh. was
going on. One of the officials who read
Il said it conveyed as much hopeful in
formation as could be expected, for,
he said he had not expected a victory
Yet But others We're far less hopeful
in their views. That the battle was
still raging meant that our men were
passing through fearful ordeal hay-
ing been in action now practically for
thirty-six hours. The mere fact that
thedispatch did not chronicle a decisive
advantage by the American forces was
construed by some officials as omin-
Gus.
So far as the dispatches were con-
cerned the day was utterly devoid Of
any information bearing on the situa-
ton. Secretary Alger said at the close
OF office hours that he had not received
a word from General Shafter since the
brief dispatch at o'clock referring 70
losses yesterday. Secretary Long
said at the same hour that nothing
had come from Admiral Sampson. and
in particular the Secretary of the Navy
dismissed as groundless the rutnor that
word had reached him that MORO Cas-
tie had been demolished by the Amer
lean squadron.
General Miles was similarly without
advices. At 3 o'clock he Joined Secre-
tary Alger in the latter's Office, and
the two conferred for a long time On
the military situation. Neither the
Secretary nor the commanding Cen
eral underestimate the great task be-
fore the American army, with an en-
emy we'll entrenched in front of them,
with Cervera's guns pouring shot and
shell into our lines. and with the Iossi-
bility that Spanish reinforcements have
now swelled the ranks of the enemy I'M
Ill they are greater than the combined
forces under the American military
commander. But all that the Govern
ment in Washington can do is being
done, and done quickly. The great IS
sue remains to General Shafter aud his
forces to work out to conclusion.
his call in the early day for q large
additional force of medical officers was
quickly responded to. The hospital
ship Relief. which left New York to-
day. was given orders before sailing to
stop on her way South at Fortress Mon