The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-03

bearing on the situation at San
tiago. Secretary Alger said at the close Of
Office hours he had not received anything
patch at o'clock this morning, referring to
the 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 rumor that word had reached
him that Moro Castle had been demolished
by the American squadron. General Miles
was similarly without advices At o'clock
he joined Secretary Alger in the latter's Of
flee and the two conferred for a long time
on the military situation. Neither the Sec
estimate the great task before the American
army, with an enemy well entrenched in
front of them, with Ceveras guns pouring
shot and shell into our lines, and with the
possibility that Spanish reinforcements have
now swelled the ranks of the enemy until
they are greater than the combined forces
II.
But all that the government in Washington
can do is being done, and done quickly The
great issue remains for General Shafter and
his forces to work out to a conclusion. His
call early in the day for large additional
force of medical officers was quickly re-
sponded to.
10 fa oh ofo e GoI,
now fully known to the War Department
The information is in addition to the report
made by General Shafter last midnight,
when he roughly estimated his casualties as
above four hundred. Later reports, official
and direct, from the field, indicate that this
estimate was far too low. General Shafter
had not, up till II o'clock this morning,
placed any exact figure on his loss, but he
made it clear that his first estimate of four
hundred was much short of the actual loss.
The Associated Press dispatch from the
field, giving the casualties at about one
thousand, is in line with General Skaters
later intimation. although, as stated, he sets
no figure
An impressive seriousness pervaded all
military centers. The news that our gallant
men had pressed their way foot by foot,
up the commanding plateau of Caney was
realization that this had been done in the
face of whitening fire. Instead of a skir-
mish on the right flank, as the later reports
yesterday indicated, it was now clear that
general engagement and a terrific one had
been fought under the broiling tropical sun
and in the tangled vegetation northeast of
Santiago.
General Miles and his staff were together
in the generals office early in the day.
Spread on the Generals dask was a map
showing in minutest details every roadway,
trail and elevation about Santiago. The
general traced the line of operation yester-
day and the probable line of action now in
progress. He had received nothing addi-
tional from the field. He spoke grayelyss0f
the ferceness of the fighting yesterday.
From strategic point of view, Lawtons
taking Of Caney yesterday gave an eleva-
ton on the right wing, serving the double
purpose Of diverting the enemy from the
left and opening a way to our left wing,
and also of giving our troops more COM
manding sweep Of the enemys northern
defenses. incidentally, it accomplished the
important purpose, at least to some extent,
of preventing Pandos coming down with
reinforcements from the north and turning
our right flank