Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-09-15

WASHINGTON, Sept. IS. - General
Skaters report of the battle of San
tiago was made public yesterday. Much
of the account Of the battle has been
published from time to time.
He said it was nearly two weeks after
the army landed that it was possible to
place on shore three days supplies in
excess of those required for the daily
consumption. His reasons for the hur-
ried attack are given as follows:
1.-THE preparations were far from what
/ desired them to be, but we were In
sickly climate; our supplies had to be
brought forward by a narrow wagon
road, which the rains might at any time
render impossible; fear was entertained
that storm might drive the vessels
containing our stores to sea, ehus sep
aratlng us from our base of supplies,
and, lastly. it was reported that General
Pando, with 5000 reinforcements for
the enemy, was enroute from Manzan-
lilo, and might be expected i'll few
days. Under these conditions | deter
mined to give battle without delay"
He praised General Wheeler, who,
though he cad been i'll, went forward
and did gallant service.
He also praised General Hawkins
and Lieutenant John II. Parker, Thir-
teenth infantry, and the gattling gun
detachment under his command.
Regarding his own conduct he said;
my own health was impaired by
overexertion i'll the sun and intense
heat of the day before, which prevented
me from participating as actively in the
battle as l desired, but from high hill
near my headquarters l had a general
view of tho battlefield, extending from
Ell Caney on the right to the left of our
lines on San Juan hill.
Regarding the surrender, he said he
was of the opinion the Spanish would
surrender, if given little time and
thought 1t would be FASTENED, if the
men of the Spanish army were made
to understand THAT they would be well
treated, as prisoners of war. For this
reason he returned all Spanish officers
at Eel Caney, who were able to bear
transportation, as well as several pri-
Yates. He believed it produced a good
impression.
Our losses in the battles were % Off
GERS and 20S men killed and 81 officers
and 1903 men wounded; missing, 70.
The missing. with few exceptions, re-
ported later.
After speaking of Admiral Cervera's
sortie and the destruction of his fleet,
General Shafter says he again called on
the Spanish commander to surrender.
He says: "On the same date l in
formed Admiral Sampson that if he
would force his way into the harbor the
city would surrender without any
further sacrifice of life. Commodore
Watson replied that Admiral Sampson
was temporarily absent, but that in his
(Watson's) opinion, the navy should
not enter the harbor.
''Tne strength of the enemy's position
was such did not wish to assault if it
co be avoided.
An examination of the enemy's
works, made after the surrender, fully
justifies the wisdom of the course
adopted. The intrenchments could only
have been carried with very great loss
of life
General Shafter gives the varying eff
forts toward securing Il surrender, and
his reopening the engagement on the
10th, when the truce ended. On the
18th the surrender was again deman-
ded. Said he:
''By this date the sickness i'll the
army was increasing very rapidly, as
result of exposure in the trenches to the
intense heat of the sun and the heavy
raius Moreover, the dews in Cuba are
almost equal to the rains. The weak
ness of the troops was becoming so APP
parent was anxious to bring the siege
to an end, but, in common with most of
the officers of the army, did not think
an assault would be justifiable, espeei-
ally as the enemy seemed to be acting in
good faith in their preliminary propo-
sitions to surrender,
Further along he said;
July II / informed the Spanish com.
mander that Major General Miles, COM
mander-i in chief of the American army,
had Just arrived in my camp and re-
quested him to grant us personal in
terview on the following day. He re-
piled he would be pleased to meet US.
The interview took place ON the 18th,
and informed him his surrender only
could be considered and that as he was
without hope of escape he had no right
to continue the fight"
General Shafter then gives the details
OF the final surrender, his entry to the
city and the raising of the American
Gag. Further along he 1:
''Before closing my report wish to
dwell upon the natural obstacles / had
to encounter and which no foresight
could have overcome or obviated. The
rocky and precipitous coast afforded no
sheltered landing places, the roads were
mere bridlepaths, the effect of the tropi-
Cal sun and rains upon unacchmated
troops was deadly. and dread of
strange and unknown diseases had it's
effect OH the army.
"At Baiquiri the landing of the
troops and stores was made at small
wooden wharf, which the Spaniards
tried To burn. INIT unsuccessfully and