The Red Cloud chief., 1898-07-15
BEGAN AT DAYLIGHT.
WAR DEPARTMENT NOTI-
FLED OF COMMANDMENT.
General shsfter Says the First Firing Was
Only = Preliminary Engagement-Af-
ter n Confer, nee sunday American Cen
erals would Have Accepted Terms.

ter a Confer' nee sunday American Gem
erai. Would Have Accepted Terms.
WAsH1yGToN, July I2.-The first shot
10 the bombardment OF Santiago was
fired yesterday afternoon. General
Shaftcr had refused to accept the con
ditional surrender proposed by the
Spanish commander, General Toral.
Dispatches received earlier stated
that General Shafter had ridden over
the American lines and found them In
a position a he termed impregnablc.
IL was gathered that he would con-
tinue the strengthening of his lines
during the night.
Twenty-three minutes later the fol-
lowing was received: MY plans for
tomorrow are to keep up the lombard.
ment of the trenches and city and com.
plete the investment upon the north
west by the troops which have just ar
rived at Siboney, one regiment of
which, the First Illinois. has just
reached me-"
Soon after noon to-day the following
was received: ~ regret TO report that
Captain Rowell, Second infantry, was
killed late yesterday afternoon"
WITH S%HAFTER's ARMY. July TO-
General Shafter held a conference with
the American generals at the front to.
day Sunday concerning the Offer made
by the Spanish commander, General
Toral, to surrender Santiago, IL the
Spanish garrison We're allowed to
march out with the side arms and nave
twenty miles start without molesta-
ton.
General Toral agreed that II this
was accepted he would not destroy the
ships in the harbor, the ammunition
in the forts or the buildings in the city.
The majority of the generals, Gen
eral Wheeler leading, were in favor of
the acceptance of these terms, upon
the ground that the .Spaniards could
march out to the westward anyhow
and burn the city and destroy all the
vessels, guns and ammunition before
leaving.
Food and water are very scarce in
Santiago. One biscuit was recently
sold for S. in gold.
At half past IL General Shaftcr mott
fed General Torai, the Spanish com.
marder, that by President McKinley's
direction the Spanish proposition to
surrender if the garrison were al
lowed to leave Santiago with it's side
arms was rejected and that the United
States would accept no terms but i'm
mediate and unconditional surrender.
General Toral, at PAS p. m, replied
in q brief note that he rejected Presi.
dent McKinley's proposal and would
consent to no other terms than those
offered by himself.
At 3:15 p. m. General Shaftcr noti-
fed General Toral that the armistic
would be terminated and hostilities
resumed at 4 o'clock. At the same
time he issued instructions to each of
the division commanders to prepare
for a fresh attack upon the Spanish
works. These orders have been pro-
mulgated from Aguandores to Ell
Caney.
When the courier left with this dis.
patch, Just before 4 o'clock, the artil-
lery was preparing to open upon the
Spaniards at the end of the armistice.
The dynamite gun had been trained
on the Spanish blockhouse with such
absolute precision that the first shot
would obliterate it.
The American soldiers will sleep in
the trenches tonight Sunday. Eight
batteries of light artillery will be in
position at midnight tonight and the
seige guns just landed will be ready
for action ut 10 o'clock tomorrow
(Monday) morning.
General Shafter said to a CORE.
~spondent: General Henry and his
division are now landing at Juragus
; and are coming up as rapidly as posi-
BILE. Our lines cannot be made more
effective, but IL the chance offers &c
increase our strength, l will take ad
vantage Of it.
! ~ shall not be surprised il we have
, Santiago in three days.
> "At Ell Caney there are 10, 900 miser
able refugees from Santiago, old men
women and children, whom the Span
!, ish have permitted to go to u line,
, to get food. The plight Of these help
! less people il heart rending. TIL
! Americans are doing all they can 70
them"
General Hawkins, commanding tn
first brigade of General Kent's divis
= ion, who was wounded in the foot dur
: ing the attack made on our lines Sat
q urday night by the spaniards, ha
!. returned to the United States. Colone
8 Theaker of the Sixteenth infantry ha
- succeeded General Hawkins in tn
! command Of the brigade, and Colone
= Wood Of the Rough Riders will sue
y coed General Young. Lieutenant Col
= onel Roosevelt will command tn
Rough Riders hereafter.