Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-11
would be likely to become infected by t
travelling public.
Wanted Big Camps Divided.

wanted Big camps Dtyfdeu.
| "I also recommended that portion of
| the troops at Chickamausa be sent to
| Fernandina and also to Porto Rico. and
at the same time suggested that troops
! be stationed III the Loudoun and Shenan-
| dcah valleys. in the vicinity of Antietam.
| and on Long Island sound These recon-
mendatio3s Were in order to avoid over
| crowding the larger camps at Chickamau-
| ga and Camp Alger."
| Some correspondence is included at this
point. 10 show that General Miles had
| sought the cooperation of General Garcia
| to harass the Spanish troops and prevent
| reinforcenents getting into Santiago, which
| the Cuban genera! reacily promised. re-
| Sardng General Miles request orders.
| Coming to the operations against Santi-
| ago. the report tells briefly of the landing
| of the United States troops and quotes
| Skaters telegraphic account of the battle
| of El Caney. He says:
| Shnffer's DiscOuraging Dispatch.
| and the next day the following dispatch
| was received:
Camp Near Seville. Cuba,
| July 3, 1898.
| The Secretary of War. Washington.
I'VE have the town well invested on the
| north and east, but with very thin line.
| Upon approaching ii. We find 1t of such Il
| character. and the deienses so strong. it
| will he impossible to carry it by storm with
ms present force, and l am seriously con-
| sidering Withdrawing abcut five miles and
| taking up n new position on high ground,
| between the San Juan river and Siboney
| with our left at Sardinero. so as to get our
| supplies. to a large extent. by means of the
railroad, which We can use having engines
| and cars at Siboney.'"
| The report quotes the remainder of this
| dispatch, describing the loss of the army
| and the appeal to Admiral Sampson to
| force the harbor entrance, all of which has
| been already published in General Skaters
| report. General Miles own telegram of
| congratulation is also given, winding up
| as follows:
| Il expect to be with you within one week
| with strong reinforcements.'
| General Skaters response was that he
| was master of the situation, could hold the
enemy for any length of time. and added:
Il am delighted to know that you are
| coming. that you may see for yourself the
| obstacles which the army had to over
| come. My only regret is the great number
of gallant souls who have given their lives
| for our country's cause"
Miles Goes TO Santiago.
Then follows Skaters dispatch to Ad-
| jutant General Corbin, on July 4, saying
I
| Sampson would force an entrance. If the
| army alone was to do it. he would require
| 1000 troops. General Miles says that, on
| receipt of these communications. it was de-
| cided that he should Immediately so 10
| Santiago with reinforcements.
He proposed landing on the west side of
| the harbor, to open the entrance, or take
| the Spanish in the rear.
| Arriving off Santiago, Admiral Sampson
came aboard the Yale and cordially ac-
quiesced in the plan. Next he went ashore
| and opened communication with Shafter.
| who said he had enough troops on the east
| side. Orders were given TO land Miles re-
| inforcements. Continuing, General Miles
says that, after consulting next morning
personally with General Shafter, the lat
| ter sent a communication to General To>
| raj. saying the commanding general of the
/ American army had arrived in his camp.
! with reinforcements, land that We desired
! 10 meet him between the lines at any time
! agreeable to him. He replied that he
I would see us at u o'clock the following
| day. That evening I became apprised of
| the fact that negotiations regarding sur
render had been pending between the
commanding general and the Spanish COM
mander, but no definite conclusions had
been reached" The yellow fever had broken
1 out among the United States troops, and
General Miles cabled to Washington. sug-
! costing that, it was - case where discre-
tionary authority should be granted.
Negotiations With Toral.
He tells how he (Miles), with his staff,
| General Shafter and others met Toral and
he CIiles) told the latter that this govern
| ment was determined to capture or de-
stroy this Spanish force. if it took 900
men: that he himself had sufficient REIN
forcements to do 1t, and that he offered
him liberal terms. naming them, and CIV
ing Toral until daylight to decide. Upon
| Torals appeal, General Miles extended
this time limit until 12 o'clock noon. The
report continues:
After thoroughly examining the entire
portion of the siding along the trenches
| from right to left, returned to General
] Skaters headquarters. Before reaching
that point. received the following cable
gram from Washington. in reply to mine
Of the evening before:
| Washington. d. c.. July IL, 1898.
Major General Miles:-You may accept
and men, the officers retaining their side
arms. The officers and men. after parole
to return to Spain, the United States as
sisting. If not accepted. then assault un.
less, In your judgment. an assault would
fail. Consult with Sampson ard pursue
such course to the assault as you joint
Iy agree upon. Matter should be settled
promptly. r. A. ALGER,
Secretary of War
Left to Miles, Discretion.
This left the matter entirely TO my dis
cretion-to accept surrender. order an as
sault or withhold the same
General Miles then requested Sampson Il
be ready to cover the landing of the troop!
next day. and instructed General Henry ac
cordingiy. Everything was in readiness ir
! plain sight of the Spanish commander wher
the latter addressed letter to the "Gener
al-in-Chief of the American forces" in
closing Blanco's authorization to agree up
on capitulation on the basis of repatriation
of the Spanish troops, asking that the an
swer of the Madrid government he awited
Toral himself suggested the designation o
commissioners 10 agree upon the capitula
tion. At the following meeting Toral asked
that. before final action was taken th.
Madrid government should approve though
he was sure they would not fail to intors,
his action. General Miles was satisfied o
his sincerity. and stated that I'VE woul,
accept the surrender telegraphins Secre
tary Alger as follows:
general Tora1 formally surrendered tn.
troops of his army corps and division o
Santiago, on the terms and understandin:
, that his troops would be returned 20 Spain
General Shafter will appoint commissioner
| 10 draw up the conditions OF arrangemen
for carrying out the terms of surrender
General Shafter Praised.
This is very gratifying. and Genera
! I f,a nd .,fI.