Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-08-02
PATHETIC APPEAL.
Official Report of General Linares to
the Madrid Government Concerning
the Conditions at Santiago.
Correspondence Associated Press.)

Guantanamo, Province of Santiago de
Cuba, July 25.-An official report Of
Gen. Linares to the Madrid govern
ment, transmitted on July IL, is full OF
pathos, as it tells Of SDanlards thou
sands of miles from home, striving TO
defend property which the owners have
deserted The report sent by cable on
July 10 was addressed to the minister
Of war. 1t was translated for the Asso-
ciated Press by Commodore Schley.
The text in full is as follows:
| Official cablegram, July II, 1888, to
| the minister of war, from the general
| in-chief of the division of Santiago de
| Cuba:
Although confined to my bed by great
! weakness and in much pain, the situa-
ton of the long-suffering troops here
| occupies my mind to such an extent
| that deem it my duty to address your
! excellency, that the state OF affairs
| may be explained.
Ihemy's lines very near the town
on account of the nature of the ground;
| our lines are IN run view from them.
| Troops weak; sick in considerable pro-
portion not sent to hospitals ewing to
| the necessity for keeping them in the
entertainments; horses and mules
without the usual allowance of forage
| In the midst of the wet season, with
| twenty hours daily fall of rain in the
trenches, which are simply bitches dug
| in the ground without any permanent
shelter for the men. The men have
nothing but rice to eat and no means
Of changing or drying their clothing.
Considerable losses; field officers
and company officers killed, wounded,
sick, deprive the troops Of necessary
orders in critical moments.
under these circumstances it is inn
possible to fight our way, because ON
attempting to do SO our force would
be lacking one-third of the men who
could not leave, and we would be
weakened besides by casualties caused
by the enemy, resulting finally in YER
liable disaster, without saving our
diminished battalions. In order to
get cut, protected by the Holguin di-
visoin, it would be necessary for them
to come and break the enemys line in
one place, SO that my forces may
break through them in another, both
acting in conjunction. For this oper-
alton the Holguin division will re-
quire eight days, and will have to bring
large amount Of rations, which it is
impossible to transport. The solution
of the question is ominously imposed
upon us. Surrender is inevitable, and
we can only succeed in prolonging the
agony. The sacrifice is useless, and
the enemy understands this. They see
our lines and theirs being established
close up. They tire out our men with
out exposing themselves. Yesterday
they cannonaded us on land at such an
elevation that we were unable to see
their batteries and from the sea by the
squadron, which has perfect range,
and bombarded the town in sections
with mathematical precision.
The complete exodus of inhabit-
ants, insular az well as peninsular, in
ciudes the occupants Of the public Of
fees with few exceptions. There only
remains the clergy and they to-day
started to leave the town with the
archbishop at their head.
The defenders here cannot now be-
gin campaign full Of enthusiasm and
energy. They came here three years
ago, struggling against the climate,
privations and fatigue and now they
are placed in these sad circumstances
where they have no food, no physical
IOTCe and no means VI IecupeIdtIHS.
They are defending the property of
those that now are being fed by the
American forces. The honor of arms
has its limits and l appeal to the opin
ion Of the whole nation as to whether
these long suffering troops have rot
kept it safely many times since May
IS, when they were subjected to the
first cannonading. If it is necessary
that the sacrifice be endured for rea-
sons Of which | am ignorant or that
some one shall assume the responsible
ity Of the unfortunate termination
which l have anticipated and mention
ed in number CT kilograms, faith
fully offer myself on the altar Of my
country for the one, and for the other,
/ will retain the command for the pur-
pose of signing the surrender, for my
modest reputation is OF little value as
compared with the countrys interests.
(Signed) 'LINARES."