Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-07-05
FOUGHT ALL DAY.
Gen. Skaters Army Begins
! the Attack on the City of
Santiago.
The American Troops Garry and
Are in Poss sssion ofEasry's
Oatworks.
Are Now. Within About Three Quar-
tiers Of Mile Of the
Doomed City.
Gen. Lawton's Division and Gen. Bates
Brigade Effect Capture Of
Fl Caney.
The Casualties Among the Americana
Are Over 400, But 1t LIZ Thought
Not Many Are Killed.


Washington, July a.-The war de-
partment has received the following
from Gen. Shafter dated at Siboney:
Had very heavy engagement FRI
day which lasted from eight a. m. till
shutdown We have carried their out
works and are now in possession of
them There is now about three-quar-
tiers of mile of open between my
lines and the city. BY morning troops
will be entrenched and considerable
augmentation of forces will be there.
Gen. Lawton's division and Gen. Bates
brigade which have been engaged all
day in carrying El Caney, which was
accomplished at four p. ~, will be in
line in front of Santiago during the
night. l regret to say that our cas-
ualties will be above 400. OF these
mot many killed.
(Signed) "sHAFTER."
The Earlier Reports.
Washington, July "A dispatch was
received in the cabinet meeting from
Col. Allen, in charge of the. signal sta
tion at Playa del Este. He said that
the~fght was going on furiously in all
directions. At the time he sent the
telegram eight Americans and nine
iCubans had been wounded. The Span
iards were Smelling the Americans as
they advanced, and Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet was hotiy engaged. The dis
patch was received by members of the
cabinet with much enthusiasm, one
member remarking that the sight
must be Theoretically grand, and that
he would very much like that our
forces would win the day.
General Assault.
Playa del Este, Province of Santi-
ago de Cuba, July "A general assault
on the city of Santiago de Cuba by
the land and sea forces of the United
States began at seven o'clock Friday
morning.
Gen. Lawton advanced and took pos,
session of Cabona, suburb of San.
tiago. <
81 MORO castle and the other forts at
the entrance of the harbor We're bonn
barded by our feet. The Vesuvius
used her dynamite guns with~good
effect.
The Spanish feet in the harbor fred
on the American troops, who were
very close to the city.
Hard fighting all along the Amer
tcan line was in progress at II o'clock.
- Eight wounded Americans and nine
Cubans have been brought in.
Spanish Retrcnting.
Washington, July 2.-The signal of
flee has received the following from
one OF its officers at the front: Amer
ican troops driving Spanish troops
back. Wounded being brought in
right along"
Siboney, July s.-Via Playa del Este
Guantanamo Bay.--At one o'clock Fri.
day afternoon, after five hours terrific
fighting, the Spanish began to leave
their entertainments and retreat into
the city. Many Americans were
wounded and are being brought in
One man had both arms shot off anc
was wounded in the hip, but was
laughing
The Battle Begun.
Washington, July 2.-The battle has
begun. This was the startling news
conveyed in dispatch received from
Gen. Shafter at ten o'clock Friday
morning:
Secretary of War; washington.-ca
Near Sevilla, Cuba.-Action now going on
The firing only light and desultory Be
gun on the right near Caney, Lawton,
division. He VIII move on the north par
OF the town of Santiago. Will keep 20,
continually advised Of progress.
'.sHAFTER,
Major General"
Brief as it was, it told the who'll,
story that the first shots of the long
expected crash of arms, probably TIL,
first great land engagement of tn,
war, was under way. 1t sent thrill
through official circles, from the high
est to the lowest. Secretary Aige
was the first to read it. He passed i
to Gen. Corbin, adjutant general o
the army, and directed him to take i
at once to the white house. Gen. Cor
bin went to the president carrying TIL,
original dispatch. He was back short
Ay, anu luel d Duuculu was pOSte(
giving the dispatch verbatim. Unit
then only the higher officials hat
known that the decisive hour was a
hand.
Military balloon Floating.
Gen. Miles, commanding the army
received copy of the dispatch 500
after it arrived. He had anticipated il
for only a few hours before dispato
came to him from Gen. Breckenridge
inspector general of the army, Stain
that the spirit Of the troops was ilig
and that they were eager and expect
ant of action. Gen. Breckenridge
dispatch Indicated that results nigh
be expected very soon. Gen. Miles ais
received another dispatch, sent quit
early in the morning, from Shafter'
headquarters, saying that the big mil
Htary balloon was now high in the ai
hnd was giving opportunity for obser
patton over great sweep of country
This, In itself, was of incalculabl,
Falue to our troops. Brave reconnois
Eances had been made, but these wer
ut little value compared to what coul'