The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-27
THE WAR WITH SPAIN

partment, under date Of July 10, that the
number Of prisoners surrendered at Santi-
ago was 22,789. and that from 10000 to $4,000
more are in the zone OF surrender. Ten
thousand rifles had been sent in and 10000
600 rounds Of ammunition. On Saturday
General Shafter informed the department
that an officer OF the Spanish army had ar
rived from Guantanamo, having heard that
Santiago had surrendered and that the
troops there were included. Not crediting
the report the officer had come to verify the
facts. The Guantanamo contingent was
glad to accept terms Of surrender Rations
were short. There were c, 900 troops at that
place. An American officer was sent to re-
ceive the surrender at Guantanamo, and
thence to Sagua and Baracoa on similar
errand. From San Luis and Palmas 1000
prisoners were coming in. The fleet Of
transports, which had been riding out all
kinds Of weather on the open ocean along
the coast for miles east Of the entrance to
Santiago harbor, moved up into the harbor
in triumphal procession. The Suwanee
led the long line Of ships, all of which were
gayly dressed in bunting. They came to
anchor some distance below the city.
The people of Santiago take an astonish-
| ingly cheerful view of the altered circum-
stances, and manifest no regret that Is no.
ticeable at the substitution Of United States
for Spanish authority. They go about
laughing and chatting in light-hearted
way which seems to indicate that they have
not been very deeply interested in the his
tory-making events that have been going on
about them for weeks. Business is grad
ually being resumed. Some Of the stores
are being reopened, and people are again
taking possession Of the homes they had
abandoned through fear of the American
shells. These complain bitterly that in
their absence the Spanish soldiers made
use of the opportunity and laid violent
hands upon everything OF value.
The Santo Domingo, a Spanish vessel Of
5,4O0 tons, laden with cattle and other food
supplies, armed with two powerful guns
and carrying two 12-inch guns in her hold,
was destroyed off the south coast of Cuba,
July II, by the auxiliary gunboat Eagle.
The Santo Domingo had previously at
tempted to enter Havana harbor, but, dis
covering that she could not get by the ships
on guard, steered west, outrunning the
blockading vessels that pursued her. She
went to the south coast where she was
sighted by the Eagle, off Cape Francis, run.
ming close in shore. The Eagle pounded
away with her guns, but received no reply.
The crew were seen deserving the ship in
boats. A small, fat-bottomed Spanish gun
boat poked her nose out of nearby bay.
The Eagle sent a few shots at her and she
fled. A boarding party found the Spaniard
so hard aground that it was impossible to
phil her off. They shot the cattle and fired
the ship. The 12.inch guns had fallen
through the hold. She had two 5-inch guns,
which were found to be loaded and the
magazines were open, showing that the
vessel had evidently intended to fight, but
the nerve OF the crew had failed, and they
beached the vessel and fed The fact that
vessel mounting two heavy guns ran
away from the little Eagle, carrying only a
few 6-pounders, is taken to indicate that
Spain's heart Is broken, and that the Span
ish sailor prefers flight to experimenting
with American gunnery. The Eagles con-
duct in attacking so large vessel and
known to be we'll armed is considered here
very plucky.
The i'll feeling produced by General Shat
ters order, retaining for the present the
municipal government of Santiago in the
hands of the Spanish officials, eliminated
on the goth instant in a serious rupture
between General Shafter and General Gar
cia AS a consequence, General Garcia has
withdrawn his army from the outskirts Of
Santiago and sent to General Gomez his
resignation as commander OF the Cuban
army OF the east. A letter. which is now
pronounced a fake, was written to the
American by the Cuban commander, COM
planning that he and his army have been
completely ignored since the taking Of
Santiago. Garcia expressed his regrets
that Spanish agents are retained in the
civil offices Of the city and protested against
the rumor that his army would murder and
steal This letter, 1t is now said, was writ
ten by one Arms, newspaper correspond
emit of the New York Herald, and it is doubt
full II the Cuban general ever saw, or knew
Of its contents On Saturday, July %, Gen.
eral Shafter sent the following reply to
General Garcias communication:
II must say that 1 was very much sur
prised at the receipt Of your letter this
morning, and regret exceedingly that you
should regard yourself as in any way
sighted or aggrieved.
"You will remember the fact that in
vited you to accompany me into the town of
Santiago to witness the surrender, which
you declined.
This war, as you know, is between the
United States and Spain, and 1t is out Of
the question for me to take any action in
regard to your forces in connection with the
surrender, which was made solely to the
American army.
"The policy of my Government in con-
tinuing in power temporarily the persons
occupying the offices is one which am, Of
course, unable to discuss. To show you the
views held by my Government. inclose a
copy of the instructions received by me
yesterday from the President which ap-
pear to cover everything that can possibly
arise in the government OF this territory
| while 1t is held by the United States.