Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1898 — UNDER OUR FLAG. [ARTICLE]

UNDER OUR FLAG.

City of Santiago Now Reposes ’Neath the Folds of “Old Glory.” The Stars and Stripes Are Hoisted Over the Palace at Noon on Sunday. An Impressive Scene Marks the Ceremony Gen. McKibbon Made Military Governor. Gen- Toral’a Vanquished Army Is Rapidly Turning Over Ita Arms. Secretary Alger Declare® That th* Government "Will Retain Arms of Tomi’s Troops. Santiago de Cuba, July 18.—Amid impressive ceremonies the Spanish troops laid down their arms between the lines of the Spanish and American forces at nine o’clock Sunday morning. Gen. Shafter and the American division and brigade commanders and their staffs were escorted by a troop of cavalry, and Gen.Toral and his staff by 100 picked men. Trumpeters on both sides saluted with flourishes. Gen. Shafter returned to Gen. Toral the latter’s sword after it had been handed to the American commander. Our troops, lined up at the trenches, were eye-witnesses of the ceremony. Gen. Shafter and his escort, accompanied by Gen. Toral. rode through the city, taking formal possession. The city had been sacked before they arrived by the Spaniards. the palace elaborifte ceremonies took place. Exactly at noon the American flag was raised over the palace and was saluted by 21 guns by Capt. Capron’s battery. At the same time all the regimental bands in our lines played “The Star Spangled Banner,” after which President McKinley’s congratulatory telegram was read to each regiment. The Thirteenth and Ninth regiments of infantry will remain in the city to enforce order and exercise municipal authority. The Spanish forces are to encamp outside of our lines. Gen. McKibbon has been appointed temporary military governor. An Impressive Scene. The ceremony of hoisting the stars and stripes was worth all the blood and treasure it cost. A vast concourse of 10,000 people witnessed the stirring and thrilling scene that will live forever in the minds of all the Americans present. A finer stage setting for a dramatic episode it would be difficult to imagine. The palace, a picturesque old dwelling in the Moorish style of architecture, faces the Plaza de La Reina, the principal public square. Opposite rises the opposing Catholic cathedral? On one side is a quaint, brilliantlypainted building, with broad verandas —the club of San Carlos—on the other building of much the same description is the Case de La Venus. Across the plaza was drawn up the Ninth infantry, headed by the Sixth cavalry band. In the street facing the palace stood a picked troop of the Second cavalry, with drawn sabers, under command of Capt. Brett. Massed on the stone flagging between the band and the line of horsemen were the brigade commanders of Gen. Shafter’s division, with their staffs. On the redtiled roof of the palace stood Capt. McKittrick, Lieut. Miley and Lieut. Wheeler. Immediately above them, upon the flagstaff, the illuminated Spanish arms and the legend “Vive Alfonso XIII.” All about, pressing against the veranda rails, crowding to windows and doors and lining the roofs were the people of the town, principally women and noncombatants. Old Glory Hoisted. As the chimes of the old cathedral rang out the hour of 12 the infantry and cavalry presented arms. Every American uncovered, and Capt. McKittrick hoisted the stars and stripes. As the brilliant folds unfurled in a gentle breeze against a fleckless sky the cavalry band broke into the strains of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” making the American pulse leap and the American heart thrill with joy. At the same instant the sound of the distant booming of Capt. Capron’s battery, firing a salute of 21 guns, drifted in. When the music ceased from all directions around our line came floating across the plaza the strains of the regimental bands and the muffled, hoarse cheer of our troops. The infantry came to "Order arms” a moment later, after the flag was up, and the band played “Rally ’Round the Flag, Boys.” Instantly Gen. McKibbon called for three cheers for Gen. Shafter, which were given with great enthusiasm, the band playing Sousa's “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” The ceremony over. Gen. Shafter and his staff returned to the American lines! leaving the citv In the nossessior of the municipal authorities, subject to the control of Gen. McKibbon. Madrid Sanction* Surrender. The formal sanction bj- the Madrid government of the terms of capitulation unravelled the tangled skein of demands and counter demands between the opposing commanders, which threatened to end the negotiations and compel a return to arms. After numerous conferences had resulted In the agreement, already sanctioned by Gen.

Blanco, Gen. Toral decided that the approval of the Madrid government was necessary before he should leave the city. Gen. Shafter maintained that no such approval was necessary; that when Gen. Toral agreed to surrender the province of Santiago and Gen. Blanco sanctioned it, the agreement of surrender became an accomplished fact. He insisted that Gen. Toral had either surrendered Thursday or acted in bad faith, but documentary evidence bore out the fact that Gen. Toral mentioned that he only capitulated subject to his government’s approval, and the six commissioners by whom the articles were signed at 2:10 o’clock Saturday afternoon so ruled. q The Terms. The whole matter was cleared 'up Sunday morning, however, when Gen. Toral received the necessary sanction from Madrid. The agreement consists of nine articles, as follows: First. All hostilities shall cease pending the agreement of final'’capitulation. Second. That the capitulation includes all the Spanish forces and the surrender of all war material within the prescribed limits. Third. The transportation of the troops to Spain at the earliest possible moment, each force to be embarked at the nearest port. Fourth. That the Spanish officers shall retain their side arms and the enlisted men their personal property. Fifth. That after the final capitulation the Spanish forces shall assist in the removal of all obstructions to navigation in Santiago harbor. Sixth. That after the final capitulation the commanding officers shall furnish a complete inventory of all arms and munitions of war and a roster of all the soldiers in the district. Seventh. That the Spanish general shall be permitted to take the military archives and records with him. Eighth. That all guerrillas and Spanish irregulars shall be permitted to remain in Cuba if they so elect, giving a parole that they will not again take up arms against the United States unless properly paroled. Ninth. That the Spanish forces shall be permitted to march out with all the honors of war, depositing their arms to be disposed of by the United States in the future, the American commissioners to recommend to their government that the arms of the soldiers be returned to those “who so bravely defended them.” Gen. Toral Talka. The articles were signed Saturday afternoon after a four hours’ session of the comnjissioners, who agreed that the terms of capitulation should await the sanction of the Madrid government. Gen. Toral, the white-haired commander of the Spanish forces, was present throughout the session and appeared to be utterly heartbroken. He spoke bitterly of the fate which compelled him to sue for peace, but had no word to say against the gallant men who had conquered his army. He declared that he had little chance to win. “I would not desire to see my worst enemy play with the cards I held,” he said to one of his commissioners. “Every one of my generals was killed or wounded. I have not a single colonel left and am surrounded by a powerful enemy. We have counted 67 ships off this port. And, besides,” he concluded, wearily waving his hands towards the city, “I have secret troubles there.” Speaking of the battle of the 24th of June, in which the “rough riders” and a part of Gen. Young’s command participated, Gen. Toral said that less than 2,000 Spanish troops were engaged, his loss being 265. He would not say how many Spaniards were killed at El Caney and before Santiago. “Heavy! Heavy!” he said, dejectedly. In response to an inquiry he said that transportation would be required for between 22,000 and 25,000 men, there being that much of a force in the capitulated district. He informed the officers that Santiago harbor had been again mined since Admiral Cervera left. A Dismal Sight. Since four o’clock Sunday morning a stream of refugees has been pouring into the city, some naked, and all hungry, skeletons and footsore. Many had fallen by the wayside. The town of Santiago presents a dismal sigfot. Most of the houses Lave been sacked and the stores have all been looted, and nothing to eat can be had for love or money. In the streets of the city, at the entrenchments, at the breastworks and at every 100 feet or so of the barbed wire fences were the living skeletons of Spanish soldiers. Among the arrivals Sunday were the German, Japanese and Portuguese consuls and their families. Twenty-two thousand refugees are quartered at El Caney, 5,000 at Firmeza and 5,000 at Cuabitas El Boniato and San Vincente, where they have been living for a fortnight. In one case 500 were crowded into one building, which was a regular pig-sty, with a horrible stench. They used the water from the river, where soiled clothing was washed and all manner of filth is floating. Will Not Return Arma. Washington, July 18.—The arms surrendered by the Spanish soldiers at Santiago to Gen. Shafter will be kept by the United States government. This conclusion, reached late Sunday afternoon by the president and Secretary Alger, was made public by the latter as he left his office after six o’clock Sunday night for his home. “All those who have arms will turn them over to this government. This is final.” These were the secretary’s words when asked for information on the subject. “And,” he added, in response to further inquiries and to clear any doubt that might exist on the subject, “the rifles will not be returned to Spain.” This decision, no doubt, already has been communicated to Gen. Shafter. Shafter’s Losses. Gen. Shafter’s Headquarters, Before Santiago. July 15, via Kingston, Jamaica, July 18. —The final report of casualties in the army since it landed in Cuba three weeks ago has been forwarded to Washington. It shows an aggregate qf 1,914 officers and men killed, wounded and missing. The killed number 216, of whom 21 were officers; wounded, 1,584, of whom 98 were officers, and missing 84, of whom none is an officer. Of the wounded only 68 have died. Col. Pope, the surgeon in chief, says this is a remarkably small number of fatalities, considering

the large number of wounded. In the field hospitals there has been a small number of septic bounds, and but two cases of gangrene have developed, one of which resulted fatally. Peace Prospects. Madrid, July 18.—A member of the cabinet in an interview on Sunday asserted that the government was seeking an honorable peace with the United States. El Imparcial says that a member of the ministry declares that negotiations for peace with the United States are only possible so far as the question of Cuba is concerned. To demand more would be to say that Spain must commit suicide. Thanks Shafter and Men. Washington, July 18.—The following messages were sent Saturday by President McKinley and Secretary R. A. Alger: "To Gen. Shafter, Commanding front near Santiago, Playa: The president of the United States sends to you and your brave army the profound thanks of the American people for the brilliant achievements at Santiago, resulting in the surrender of the city and all of the Spanish troops and territory under Gen. Toral. Your splendid command had endured not only the hardships and sacrifices Incident to campaign and battle, but in stress of heat and weather has triumphed over obstacles which would have overcome men less brave and determined. One and all have displayed the most conspicuous gallantry and earned the gratitude of the nation. The hearts of the people turn with tender sympathy to the sick and wounded. May the Father of Mercies protect and comfort them. “(Signed) WILLIAM M’KINLEY." "To Maj. Gen. Shafter, front, near Santiago, Playa: I cannot express in words my gratitude to you and your heroic men. Your work nas been well done. God bless you all. “(Signed) R. A. ALGER, “Secretary of War."