The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-13
sPANIARDs MAY SLIP AWAY.
Shafter May Find No Soldiers When
He Enters Santiago.

WASHINGTON, July 12.-The impression
prevailed in official circles when public bus
mess closed for the day that the flag of
truce set in the Spanish lines at Santiago
at ? o'clock yesterday afternoon was still
flying. and that negotiations continued look
ing TO surrender. The basis for these ne
gotiations naturally could not be very broad,
in view of the injunction the President laid
upon General Shafter to accept nothing less
than unconditional surrender, but it is sup
posed that time may be consumed through
the Indulgence of General Shafter in allow
ing the Spanish commander to communicate
with Captain General Blanco in the effort
to obtain his assent to the surrender. Gen.
Toral undoubtedly has before his eyes the
vindictive abuse heaped upon the unfortu-
nate naval commander Cervera for surren-
dering at all, so that he probably will be
bound by the direction of Banco in his own
case. 1t is not generally known that in re-
sponse to the manly and pathetic report by
cable to Blanco, announcing the loss of his
squadron, Cervera received a most harsh
and unsympathetic reply. but such is the
case. Blanco's purpose in this may have
been to dissuade other Spanish commanders,
military and naval, from surrendering un-
der any conditions, and in the case of Toral
preston. Nevertheless. confidence wakes IN
the speedy fall of Santiago, though many
officers fear that the nest will be found
empty and the birds flown when the Amer
lean troops make their entry into the town.
STILL should this be the case, it may be
fairly claimed that the prime object of the
movement on Santiago, namely, the destruc-
ton of the Spanish squadron, having been
achieved. the campaign as a whole has been
successful
The following dispatch from General Shat
ter, written yesterday, was received here at
$3.50 o'clock this morning:
1T has been very quiet, but little fighting.
A flag of truce has been up since O'clock
The enemy is considering proposition for
surrendering, now that have the town sur
rounded, the lines being completed at D. M
by General Ludlow, moving right down to
the bay. The line is rather thin, but will
have it strengthened in the morning by Gen.
Henry, who has just arrived at headquar-
ters. Only three or four casualties No one
killed so far as can learn. Expect to have
two of the new batteries in position to-
morrow. Great deal of suffering among the
people who have gone out of Santiago. Am
doing my best to relieve it, but not entirely
successful
was given out this afternoon. AS stated the
main source of apprehension to-day was
that the Spaniards may have succeeded to
a considerable degree in evacuating the
town before the American lines of invest
ment were completed. so that when the
American troops entered it would be found
empty, with, perhaps, nothing more than
desperate rear guard of Spaniards left to
protect and conceal the retreat of the main
body of the troops. There were several in
dications of some such move, which is sup
posed TO have been in progress for three or
four days. General Shafter himself reported,
under date of Sunday. that the Spaniards
had evacuated small town on the west
side of the bay, one of the suburbs of Santi-
ago, while the Associated Press dispatches
of yesterday referred to the departure of
body of Spanish troops from Santiago de
Cuba towards Holguin. OF course these
facts are not conclusive that the town has
been evacuated by the Spanish army, but
the fact cannot be concealed that there is
some apprehension entertained that the
main result of the investment of Santiago.
aside from the important achievement of
driving the Spanish squadron to it's de-
struction, will be the Inheritance by Shafter
OF several thousand wounded Spanish SOL
diers and many more thousand hungry
mouths in Santiago.
General Miles. who arrived at Siboney on
the Yale, yesterday. made the following re-
port to Secretary Alger to-day:
Arrived at noon and had consultation
with Admiral Sampson and General Shafter
by telephone. Troops brought from Tampa.
Charleston and New York arrived and are