Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-30
Spaniards Forsake Out
ward FortifiCations
of Santiago.
Americans Within Three
Miles of Besieged
City.
Our Troops Surprised at
No Resistance to
Their Advance.

| At the Front, on Rio Guiana, Mon
day, per Associated Press Boat Wanda,
via Port Antonio, June 29.-The
American front has been advancing
| beyond the first crossing of the Rio
Guiana about mile and the outposts
lie three and half miles from the
Spanish intrenchments. Gen. Law
toms brigade rests on the road to San
tiago. The third brigade, under Gen.
Chaffee, the seventh, twelfth and sew
enth regiments, holds the trench, with
his command lying across the road
and river. The first brigade, eighth,
tWenty-second and second Massachus-
etts, under Gen. Clarke, lies on the
left flank, slightly in Che rear, and
the second brigade, the first, fourth
and twenty-fifth, occupies an opposite
position on the right flank. Gen.
Wheeler, with the cavalry, is in the
rear, between Sevilla and Rio Guiana.
A strong line of outposts is maintained
ahead. Chaffee's brigade, with 5000
Cubans under Gen. Aguira, and several
hundred under Colonel Gonzales, was
stretching towards the city yesterday
morning The Cubans had several
slight skirmishes with the Spaniards
stationed on the hills on the Ameri-
cans right flank, and our auXiliaries
occupied the blockhouses in that vicin-
ity which were evacuated before day
break by the Spaniards. The latter re-
treated towards Santiago. No fatali
ties are reported.
Gems. Lawton, Chaffee and Wheel
er thoroughly reconnoitered the Span
iSh position, and with the aid of in
formation furnished by the Cubans,
have very good maps OF the roads and
defenses of the city. Much informa-
ton also has been obtained from the
Spanish pacificos, who slipped out OF
the city and have given themselves up
in the hope of getting food. They re-
port great starvation and distress at
Santiago. They say thai the Spanish
troops are on short rations and all
supplies are being held for their use.
The sick in the hospitals, the paciticos
say are suffering from lack of food,
and they also report II Spaniards
killed and SO wounded as result Of
the engagement Friday with Col
| Woods and Young's commands.
The most startling information OBJ
tanned from the paciticoS was that
since the advance began most 10000
| Spanish soldiers have arrived in San
| tlagO. This statement is made on the
authority of Gen. Lawton, and he also
is of the opinion that Gen Pando may
be able t. effect a junction with Gen.
| Lnares at Santiago. There are two
| forts of considerable Importance
Within the Spanish lires, Punta Blan-
co, about at the southern end of the
bay and Santa Ursula, at the south
east corner, On the road to Caney, on
the north, is another fort. There
are about 400 men in each of these for
lihcations and stretching around the
whole city are nine barhed wire fences,
! fifty yards apart, while just outside of
these are lines of rife pits. Outside,
to the eastward about two miles be-
You'd the American OUT osts, is line
of entertainments extending from the
northern extremity of the city to
Moro castle A little west of south,
ut a distance of about seven miles
from Lawton's headquarters, lies Nor
TO castle. The road to within a few
hundred yards Of the batteries at the
rear of MORO was accommodated yes
to-day by Gen. Chaffee and several
members Of his STAFF. The Cubans be-
lieve II the water supply of the city
can be cut off, Santiago will have to
yield at once. They say Ceryera S en-
tire fleet, except the torpedo boat de-
stroyer Terror, is in the harbor. Gen.
l.awton is inclined to discredit the
reports that guns have been taken
from the ships to strengthen the dc
lenses on land. He says that it would
be impossible for Cervera to reach the
position of the American army with
his big guns from where the Spanish
ships lie. No aggressive move by the
Americans is anticipated for several
days. The road to the base of supplies
must be greatly improved before an
onward movement can be safely made
At present 1t taxes the quartermas-
ters department to the utmost to get
provisions and ammunition. Last
night one pack train arrived with sup.
plies sufficient to last until t)nish,
and as this dispatch is written another
train of ammunition was coming In
There is no high ground IN The pres.
ent position where The hotcnslliss ii
| rattliny guns conld lie ntlt in Dnsftf m
but a little further on is ground where
the guns can be mounted AMI fr IN
which an effective fire can be directed
at the Spanish entertainments.
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