Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1898 — SANTIAGO IS OURS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SANTIAGO IS OURS.

General Toral Surrenders to . Shafter and Sampson. FELL WITHOUT FIGHT Spaniards Saw the Utter Futility of Further Resistance. Unconditional Capitulation Was the Demand from Washington. Naming of Terms to Be Left to the Discretion end Generosity of Vlctors-Spanlsh Commander Agrees to All the Terms Offered by the United States—The Prisoners to Be Sent Beck to Spain. Washington special: Santiago is ours. The capitulation of the city came at noon Thursday. The United States land troops under Miles and Shafter had completely surrounded the beleaguered Spanish stronghold, and Sampson’s fleet wns lined up ready to throw its terribly destructive shells right into the heart of the doomed town. General Toral saw the utter futility of further resistance, and shortly before the truce extended to the Spaniards had expired he asked for the appointment of commissioners to arrange terms of surrender. Shafter wired Total’s request to Washington, where the Spanish proposition for commissioners was promptly

' declined and the order went out that * nothing short of an unconditional surrender, and that immediately, would be considered. The conference nt the White House over General Shafter’s message regarding

snmmissioners lasted only about ten minutes before an answer to the dispatch was framed. In this dispatch General Shafter was instructed to carry out the orders last sent him—namely, to secure the surrender of Santiago by noon or to renew the attack upon the city. The dispatch to General Shafter bidding him notify Toral that be must fight or surrender unconditionally without further parley was sent from the White House within a few minutes of 12 o’clock noon. Then there was nearly two hours of anxious waiting before the news was received announcing Santiago’s fall, and that the Spanish general had concluded to quit an oonditiou that he and bis men be allowed to return to Spain. These terms were such as the American commander could accept, and the end was therefore hailed as at hand. Indeed, it had been informally decided at the conference between the President and Secretary of War earlier in the day. in the event of the capture of the garrison, to send the prisoners to Spain. This will accordingly be done as the best possible way of disposing of the Spaniards, who would otherwise be on expensive charge upon us. *• The ancient capital of Cuba is now in possession of the victorious American army under Gens. Miles and Shafter. The operations of the three weeks leading up to the sarrender are full of stirring interest. Gen. Shafter’s forces arrived off Santiago June 20, and June 23 they were safely landed at Baiquiri. The advance upon Santiago began promptly. June 24 Juragua was captured, and on the same day occurred the gallant repulse of the Spaniards at La Quasina by the regu-

lars and rough riders. June 26 Shafter occupied Sevilla, and June 27 his advance was within three miles of Santiago. June 30 Caney was taken, and July 1 and 2 there was fighting all along the front, which resulted in the capture of San Juan and the driving back of the Spaniards from their outer line of defenses. July 3 Gen. Shafter demanded the surrender of the city, and the demand was emphasized by the destruction of Cervera’s fleet in its desperate effort to escape from Santiago harbor. An armistice was arranged, which was successively extended to July 9 and 10. On the last named date Linares refused unconditional surrender, and the fleet bombarded the city. July 11 re-enforcements came up, the investment of the city was completed, and a second demand for surrender was sent. July 13 overtures were made by the Spanish general for the appointment of a commission to arrange terms of peace and the armistice was extended again to noon of July 14. On that date, convinced of the hopelessness of further resistance, Gen. Toral surrendered the city and his army. The southeastern end of Cuba, east of a line drawn from Aserradero on the south to Sagua on the north—an area of about 5,000 square miles, the capital of the province, the forts and their heavy guns, and Toral’s army, about 15,000 strong,

have passed into our possession. There still remain in the western part of the province the garrisons at Holguin and Manzanillo, about 6,000 strong, under Gen. Pando, which are outside the zone of capitulation, but there is no danger from this force. Toral’s army will be shipped to Spain, where it will be harmless to us and an object lesson to Spanish fire-eaters on the peninsula. Meanwhile it is the intention to garrison Santiago with immune regiments, and every effort will be made to get the sick into safer and more comfortable quarters. It will be a matter for congratulation that this important result has been achieved without the necessity of a general engagement and the storming of the city. Our loss of life has been comparatively small, amounting to about 250 killed, while we have about 2,000 wounded and sick in hospital. The Spaniards have suffered much more severely, a thousand of their sailors having been killed or drowned, several hundred of their soldiers killed, while a great number have died in the trenches. It is also a matter for congratulation that the Government proposes to push the expedition forward to Porto Rico with all speed. Gens. Miles and Brooke will be in command.

GENERAL JOSE TOBAL.

THE PROVINCE OF SANTIAGO DE CUBA. Map showing the part surrendered with the city of Santiago.

UNCLE SAM: “Now run along home and keep out of mischief.”