The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-07-14
DONs OPEN FIRE.
Their Light Guns, However, We're Soon
Silenced by the Americans.
Everything on the Firing Line Il Now
Ready for the Commencement of Hos.
tilities In Case the Spanish General
Does Not surrender Monday.

WASHINGTON, July 11.-Shortly after
| midnight the war department gave
out the following dispatch from Gen.
Shafter:
PLAYA DEL ESTE, July 10.
To Adjutant General, Washington:
Enemy opened fire few minutes
past with light guns which were soon
silenced by ours. Very little musketry
firing and the enemy kept entirely in
their entrenchments. Three men
slightly wounded. Will have consid-
cradle forces Monday. enough to
completely block all the roads on the
northwest. l am quite we'll
SHAFTER.
The news of the ombardment came
at the close of a iusy Sunday in the
war department Previous to the re.
ceipt of this dispatch the secretary of
war had heard twice from Gen. Shat.
ter. In the early morning came tele.
gram saying that he had ridden over
the American lines and was gratified
at their condition. second dispatch
reported that the lines were impregna.
BILE, thus removing any fear of sue.
cessful sortie bv the Spanish troops
should mantuver of this kind be at.
tempted. Both kilograms, which en-
phasized the fact that Gen. Skaters
Physical condition had greatly i'm.
''oved. were promptly shown to the
pr sident and occasioned him con.
siderable qualification. When ques-
toned as to whether he believed that
there had been a bombardment of the
city. Gen. Corbin replied: "You know
as much about it as do. l have kept
nothing back. should say, however,
that the firing Sunday was but the
preliminary to the more serious busi-
ness of Monday" This being the case
the attempt to take the city will prob
ably be made Monday.
BEFORE SANTIAGO, July 9, via Port
Antonio and Kingston, Jamaica. July
ll.-Everything on the firing line 10
now ready for the commencement Of
hostilities in case the Spanish gener.
ais do not surrender. The dynamite
gun which has been in position for
several days. is now in better working
order than at the time of the battle of
San Juan, and it is predicted that its
charges consisting of 20 pounds of gun
cotton and gelatine will work havoc
in the Spanish trenches when it opens
fire.
Twelve mortars in one battery are
mounted and ready to use and they
are relied upon to do effective work in
Smelling the city. Three batteries of
artillery are now posted on El Paso
ridge, 2,400 yards from the town, and
the Capron and Grimes. batteries are
l,5OO yards to the north of the road in
the rear of Gen. Lawton's division. In
firing. the field guns will be compelled
to she'll the town over the heads of our
own men, but the artillery officers say
it can be done safely and without in.
jury to our soldiers. The dynamite
gun has been SO placed that it will be
able to enfilade several of the Spanish
lines.
On the other hand, during the truce,
which SO far as regards the continuing
OF preparations for defense or attack
has been no truce whatever, the Span.
lards have lot been idle. They have
been mounting guns and some of these
are OF much heavier caliber than any
the American army can bring into
play. Some of their guns are of anti.
4uated pattern and not capable of
much damage, but others are differ.
ent and capable of excellent work.
One seven-inch gun, which had so per.
tect range during the battle of San
juan, of many ridges occupied by the
American troops has been located with
especial care by the American gun.
lers and it will be the recipient of
much attention when hostilities re.
open.
Gen. Bates division, which holds the
extreme left of the line, moved for.
ward Sunday to a new position, 400
yards in advance of it's former line.
t was, since the battle of San Juan,
planted along the edge of pre-.
ipitous ravine, the walls of which are
lbout 80 feet high. This ravine 10
'bout 700 yards long and about 400
,ards wide.
Ten. Bates has now moved the Goth
infantry to the side of the ravine near.
st Santiago and placed the Sd in.
antry, which with the 2Oth forms his
'rigade, at right angles to the line of
he Goth. The extreme left of his line,
which is the extreme left of tho Amer.
can army, is about opposite the upper
nd OF Santiago harbor and from four
o six miles from the coast line.
When hostilities are opened by the
'omba rdment great things are expect-
d from the navy.