The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-05
FALL OF SANTIAGO
And the Movement of Gen. Miles on
Porto Rico.


On the 18th General Shafter occupied
the city. The capitulatiOn embraced the
entire eastern end of Cuba. The num-
Der of Spanish soldiers surrendered was
22,OOO all of whom We're subsequently
conveyed to Spain at the charge of the
United States. The story of this sue
cessful campaign is told in the report
of the secretary Of war which will be
laid before you. The individual ValOr
of officers and soldiers was never more
strildngly shown than in the several en-
gagements leading to the surrender of
Santiago, while the prompt movements
and successive victories won instant
and universal applause. To those who
gained this complete triumph, which
established the aScendency of the United
States on land as the fight off Santiago
had fixed our supremacy on the seas,
the earnest and lasting gratitude of the
nation is unsparingly due. Nor should
we alone remember the gallantry of
the living; the dead claim our tears,
and our losses by battle and disease
must cloud any eXultatiOn at the result
and teach US to weigh the awful cost Of
war; however rightful the cause or sig
nal the victory.
With the fall of Santiago, the Occupa-
ton of Porto Rico became the next
strategic necessity. General Miles had
previously been assigned to organize an
eXpedlIlOn Tor that purpose fortunate
ly he was already at Santiago, where
he had arrived on the 18th of July with
reinforcements for Geenra1 Skaters
army.
With these troops, consisting of 3,415
infantry and artillery, two companies
of engineers and one company of the
signal corps, General Miles left Guam
tanamO on July p, having nine trans
ports conveyed by the fleet under Cap
tain HigginSOn, with the Massachusetts
flagship, Dixie. Gloucester, Columbia
and Yale, the two latter carrying troops.
The expedition landed at Guanica July
%, which port was entered with little
opposition. Here the fleet was Joined
by the Annapolis and Wasp, while the
Puritan and Amplitude went to San
Juan and Joined the New Orleans, which
was engaged in blOckading that port.
The major general commanding was
subsequently reinforced by General
SchWdnn'S brigade of the Third army
corps, by General Wilson, with part
of his division, and also by General
Brooke, with part of his corps, num-
bering in all 1878 officers and men.
ON July Y he entered Ponce, one of
the most important ports in the island,
from which he thereafter directed op-
erations for the capture of the island.
With the exception of encounters with
the enemy at Guayama, Hermiguerez,
CoamO and XaucO, and an attack on a
force landed at Cape San Juan, there
was no serious resistance. The cam
paign was prosecuted with great vigor,
and by the 18th of August much of the
island was in our possession and the
acquisition of the remainder was only a
matter of Il short time. At most of the
points in the island, our troops were en-
Enthusiastically welcomed. Protestations
OF loyalty to the flag and gratitude for
delivery from Spanish rule met our
commanders at every stage. As
potent influence toward peace the out
come Of the Porto Rican expedition was
of great consequence, and generous
commendation is due to those who par
in it.
The last scene of the war was enacted
at Manila, its starting place. On August
Is, after a brief assault upon the works
by the land forces, in which the squad
ron assisted, the capital surrendered IN
The casualties were COM
paratively few. BY this conquest Of the