The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-07-27
CIIEERED OUR FLAG.
Viva los Amsricanos, Shouted San
tlago Crowds.
WE OCCUPY MORRo CASTLE.

The surrender Of Santiago is now
completed, and the American flag
floats over the Spanish Governors pal
se in the heart of the city and over
Moro Castle at the entrance of the har-
Dor. The occupation of the Civil
Guards and the Orden PublicO is gone,
and the staggering Spanish officers no
longer hold the city as though it was
their own personal property.
Order is maintained by a ..lerican sol
diers, who 60 about their Work as
though it was quite the usual thing for
them TO patrol the streets of Spanish
cities. Ii IS strange experience to
these soldiers from the North to do
guIrd duty in the old Spanish city
from which COrtez started on his con-
quest of Mexico, and to stand i'm The
shadow of the ancient cathedral where
as and his fellow eonquistadores at
tended mass just prior to sailing for
the land OF the Montezumas; but there
is nothing in their behavior TO indicate
that there is anything in the work
that is novel to them.
The Americans are in complete pos
session of the city aud all the Govern
ment property In il The Spanish sol
diers have given up their arms and are
now eneamped outside the town. They
frequently walk near the American
lines and converse with our troops,
many of whom, particularly those
from the Southwest, speak Spanish
with more or less fiuency.
General Shafter sent word on Satur-
day to General Tor Il, the Spanish COM
mander, that he would take possession
of the city at . O'Clock this Sunday
morning. He left the camp shortly be-
fore that hour, accompanied by Gener-
ais LawtOn and Wheeler, Colonels
Ludlow, Ames and Kent, and eighty
other officers. The party walked slow
ly down the hill tD the road leading to
Santiago, along which they advanced
,antil they reached the tree outside the
walls under which all the negotiations
for the surrender of the city had taken
place
As they reached this spot the cannon
on every hillside and in the city itself
doomed forth a salute of twenty-one
guns, which was echoed at Siboney
and Aserradern.
The soldiers knew what the salute
meant, and cheer upon cheer arose and
ran from end TO end of the eight miles
of the American lines.
A troop OF colored cavalry and the
Twenty-fifth colOred infantry then
started to join General Shafter and his
party. The Americans waited under
the tree for ten minutes, when Cen
eraI Shafter sent word to General Toral
that he was ready TO take possession of
the town.
General Toral, in full uniform, ac-
eompanied by 200 Spanish officers,
shortly afJerward left the city and
walked to where the American Off GERS
were waiting their coming. When
they reached the tree General Shafter
and General Toral saluted each other
with grave courtesy, and salutes were
also exchanged by the other American
and Spanish officers. The officers were
then introduced to each other. After
this little ceremony the two command
ing Generals faced each other, and
General Toral, speaking in Spanish,
said:
TORAL's FINAL SURRENDER.
Through fate | am forced to sur
render to General Shafter Of the Amer
lean army the city and the strongholds
of the city of Santiago"
General ToraI's voice trembled as he
spoke the words giving up the town to
his victorious enemy. AS he finished
speaking the Spanish officers present
ed arms.
General Shafter, in reply, said:
az receive the city in the name Of
the Government of the United States"
General Toral addressed an order TO
his officers in Spanish, and rhey wheel
ei about, still presenting arms, and
General Shafter and the other Ameri-
can officers, with the cavalry and in
fantry following them, walked by the
Spaniards and passed on into the city.
The soldiers on the American line
could see ali the proceedings, and as
their commander entered the city they
again gave voice TO cheer after cheer.
The Governors palace Is situated in
the centre Of the city, fronting the
Plaza de Armas, at the other end Of |
which stands the cathedral. General
Immediately proceeded to the
palace, where crowd numbering 5000 |
persons had gathered. The Civil Gov
ernor, Leonardo r IS; Mayor Gabriel
Ferrer, Chief of Police Gutierrez and
fifty minor city officials were waiting |
in the plaza As the Americans en-
tered the little park, for such the Plaza
de Armas is, they were subjected to
running comment by the spectators,
most of whom were Spanish. There