Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-07-16

fingered anxiously, close to their places.
le1ger to begin the work Of bombarlment.
From the bridges OF the warships the
officers trained their glasses alternately
On the signal station ashore and on the
| feet Of transports off Juragua, behind
which the HIST had disappeared
| As l and o'clock passed without an
| order TO begin the bombardment, the ex-
element among the officers who knew
lhe significance OF the delay became in
tense.
| X was few minutes after o'clock
when the Hist pushed her way from be-
| hind the anchored transports and started
| on a short run from Juragua to Aqua
dores. Rolling and pitching in the rough
sea. the gallant little yacht dashed for
the flagship, signalling as she pressed
onward.
The battleship Oregon was the first yes
sci in line and the signal THE enemy has
surrendered" was first made out from
the bridge of Captain Clark's ship. A
cheer burst from she officers on the afte.
deck. ana it was echoed by the men clus-
tered forward.
At almost the same instant. the other
ships in the fleet caught the momentous
meaning of the bright-colored signal
flags which flashed at tie Hst's swayins
mas, head. and a great cheer from a host
Of American throats swept through the
squadron from ship to ship. while an
swering pennants few from each vessel
nj response to the New York's repetition
of the Hist's signals.
Eventually the Hist ran alongside the
flagship AMI delivered her dispatch 1t
contained no details. being simply a brief
message by wire to Admiral Sampson
from General Shafter. saying that the
enemy had surrendered.
The admiral has not taken an active
part in The negotiations. but he has bsrri
consulted freely - General Miiess'and
General Shafter. and undoubtedly he will
b. considered in the final details of the
surrender. lie declined TO discuss the
matter further than to express joy at the
fact tnat the taking Of Santiago was ac-
.complished without further bloodshed and
to remark that the terms Of the cdpitula-
zion were not TO be made public for some
time.
Within five minutes of the Hist's az
rival the signal officers ashore began
sending messages with the Wig-WAg
nag On The hilltop to the right Of the
rayine in which the ruins Of Aqua
dorls fort liz. This hill had been Sc
lrctod as She Signal station and from
there was telegraphed to Admiral
Sampson a confirmation of the surrcn-
der
This message was as unsatisfactory
rs was the Hist's 10 the officers of the
fleet who WArc anxious to know the
t,rms Of the surrender ana other de-
tails. while the wig-was message SIM
Is set fol IN the bare statement that
tbs surrender of Santiago de Cuba had
rcurred.
The Iowa was at once ordered .
steam west 10 MORO Castle. evidently
being sent to watch the movements 81
| The men manning the shore batteries.
Con. Toral surrendered in the nick Of
time. for had the plan of today's bat
lie been carried out Santiago would
| nave been torn to pieces be-
fore night. The fleet had the
xact range, and. although the
| hidden 10y the hills along the coast.
| Commodore Schlcy announced that
| shells could be dropped in the heart of
| the town every two minutes for as
| long a time as General Shafter thought
| 1t necessary.
Aside from the work of the fleet,
seven batteries of artillery were in po-
Sition. and So placed that three-lnch
shells could have been hurled into the
| town from all sides.
| The Spaniards however, had MADE
| earcful preparations and had even
| ,rected barbados in the streets, READY
| to fight to the very last.
| General Shafter and his officers con-
| Identity expected the American loss TO
| BE heavy if the attempt had 10 pe
made to capture the city by assault
| md elaborate hospital arrangements
| we're made in anticipation or such ii
occurrence, a large number OF tfn'H
| having been erected at Sihoney s'''ce
he buildings there were burned
GEN. BROOKE At CAPITOL.