Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-14
GENERAL LINARES' APPEAL.
Message Sent to Captain Aunon, Ask
ing Permission to Surrender
SANTIAGO.


HAVANA, Sept. 13.-The following Is n
literal translation of a cable message sent
by General Linares, on July IL, to Captain
Aunon. the Spanish minister of war, urging
the surrender of Santiago de Cuba. AS it
was sent by way of Havana, it is safe to
assume that 1t had the Endorsement of Cen
eral Blanco:
ITO the General-in-Chief; to the Minister
OF War.
Although Frustrated in bed by excessive
weakness and sharp pains, l am preoccu-
pied to such an extent by the terrible con-
dition OF these long-suffering troops that 1
consider 1t my duty to address your ex-
ceilency, the minister of war in order to
expose the true condition of affairs.
The enemy's position is very strong and
his outposts are very close to the limits
OF this city. The natural formation of
the surrounding country gives our besiegers
real advantages. Our lines extend fourteen
kilometres Our troops are attenuated
ana the proportion of sick considerable;
Dus they are not allowed to go to the
hospital, owing to the necessity of our
Keeping them in the trenches. Our horses
nave no grain or forage. Under veritable
celuge, We remained Tor twenty hours at a
stretch in the trenches and breastworks
soaked to the marrow, with no earthly
shelter or protection possible for the un-
fortunate soldiers, who eat nothing but
rice and cannot even change or dry their
clothes.
The great losses among our officers
elther dead, wounded, sick or diSappeared-
deprive our men of the necessary direc-
ton and command at critical moments
Under such conditions it would be impos-
sible to attempt to break through the
eEemys ranks, as one-third of our men
are too feeble to walk and would have to
be left behind, while the rest would be deci-
mated and routed by the superior force of
the enemy. The result of such an attempt
would be wholesale slaughter and a ma
tional disaster. which would utterly fail in
the object desired by your excellency, which
Is the salvation of these eleven thinned and
impoverished battaIions.
In order TO attempt sorte under the
protection of the Holgun division, it is,
in the first place, necessary for those forces
to break through the enemys ranks and
reinforce ours before We could move. On
the other hand, the Hoguin forces would
have ahead of them eight days forced
march and would have to bring a great
quantity of commissory supplies and
rations, which it would be impossible for
them to do. Altogether, the gravity of the
situation is appalling. The surrender of
the town is inevitable; a prolonged resist
ance would simply mean a protraction of
our death agony.
THE sacrifice would be sterile and fruit
less. The enemy appreciates our position
perfectly and, with our lines circumvented
and walled in as securely as they are, he
is able to drain and wipe out our forces
without exposing his own. as he did yester-
day: cannonading us with vertical fire,
while We could not see nor make out his
batteries. Moreover. his navy has our
| range down TO so fine point that his ships
can lombard the town by sections with
mathematical precision.
Santiago de Cuba is not Corona, which
was defended inch by inch to the last drop
of blood by women and children, by the old
and by the feeble all moved by the sacred
spirit of independence and animated and
| encouraged by the prize of relief which
they did actually receive.
Here solitude alone remains.
Inti -a1f
Spanish, has left the city. Not only have
private individuals abandoned it. but pub
well. The clergy alone remain within our
walls, and they, too. are preparing to flee
tomorrow with their prelate at their head.
and f nGf Of s1tr aSG t0da
thusiasm on campaign: they are men
who have struggled for three long years
against climatic perils, fatigue, hardships,
disease and hunger, and who to-day. when
| called to face these trying and critical con-
ditions, are wasted away body and
soul, with no earthly means or
ing without spirit or nerve They
have no sacred fire, no ideal to defend for
the very property they are called upon to
defend and protect has been abandoned be-
fore their eyes by its veritable owners
| many of whom are allied to the American
forces. strengthening those ranks against
ourselves.
1.-THE honors of arms and of war have
| limits: and / appeal to the judgment of the
government and of the whole nation to
whether these troops have not given re-
peated illustrations of courage, valor and
devotion. and whether they are to be fur
ther sacrificed for lost cause.
IF. for reasons Of which l am ignorant,
their sacrifices demand II. or If some per-
son is required who will assume the respon-
sibility for the inglorious end already pre-
| dicted in my former dispatches offer my
self totally on the altar of my country to
| assume command on the responsibility in
either case; and l will, If necessary, be
alone answerable for the surrender Of this
place. and my modest reputation is of
small value compared with the national
welfare TJNAPES