The Portland daily press., 1898-11-11

the several communications and reports
of com maading officers there engaged
Gem Shafter'S cable messages TO Ahe ad-
iutant generals Office concerning opera
lions before Santiago, are given. July 4.
fien Shafter wired from the camp near
San Juan river, Playa lie Este as fol-
lows: -, 4 .-;+,
all his fleet to the upper bay OF oaintlago,
we can take the place within lew hours
TTndsr these conditions l believe the town
viii surrender. If the army IS TO take
the place I want $1,000 troopS spsesaiy;
and it is not certain they can 10 LOU ~ s7x
as it is getting stormy. N har nuio Am % now in
way is through the pay. Am ~
position to do my part. ...+;,,,s ),
"On receipt of these commu unicaoiusn ~. =
saws Gen. Miles. sit was decided ths ~ ~, :
should 20 immed lately to Santiago WIZ VA
the reinforcements already en- rouoe q -
that were being moved as raploIy as pr o
sible. / left Washington on the evenIn 3
of July z, reached Charleston IN tlnie ~
go on board the fast steamer iaie, already
loaded with 1900 troops, and, with one
steamer Columbia accompanying arrIyo
opposite the entrance of Santiago haeoor
on the morning of July H." -,
Gen. Miles arranged with Aomira.
Sampson for cooperation and then Weuo
ashore. The report continues:
ssOn the following morning, L Tooe
from Siboney to the headquarters OF 6en.
Shafter, After consulting with MIN he
sent a communication to Gen. Ioral say
ing that the commanding gener al OF Ine
American army had arrived In his camp
with reinforcements, and that1sw we desired
| to meet him between the lines at any
time sagreeable to him. He replied 6nat
| he would see us at IL O'Clock the ftsiioW-
| ing day Sat the appointed time, accom-,
panied by Brig. Gen. j. G. Gilmore ana
Lieut.. Col. Marion 3. Haus of my staff.
| Major General Shafter, two OF his staH
officers and Major General wheeler ana
Lieut.. Wheeler, aid e-de-camps met the
Spanish General Toral, with two OF his
staff officers and an interpreter. After
some conversation between Gen. Ioral
and Gen. Shafter, informed Gen. Toral
distinctively that had left Washington
six days before; that it was then the de-
termination of the government that THIS
portion of the Spanish forces must either
be destroyed or captured; that was there
with sufficient rehnforcements to accom- :
pHsh that object and that II this was not
the case any number of troops would be
brought there as fast as steamers could
bring them, if it took $4,000 men. I told
him that we offered him liberal terms,
namely, to return his troops to spain !;
and also pointed out the fact that tEls
was the only way in which his 1oross
could return, they being on an island
5000 miles away from their own country.
with no means of sNccor. He said that
under the Spanish law, he was not per-
mitted to surrender as long as he had am.
munition and food, and that he must
maintain the honor of the Spanish arms.
Nv repIy was that he had already accom-
plished that; that he must now suIren-
! dsr or take the consequences and that
would give him until Daylight the next
morning to decide. He appealed for long
| er time, saying that 1t was Impossible for
him to communicate with his superi0rs.
and upon his request granted until II
o'clock.
ssAfter thoroughly examining the en-
tire position and riding along the trenches
from right to left, returned to Gen.
Shafters headquarters.
Gen Miles describes the preparations
| for disem barking troops and gives an ac-
count of the continuing negotiations
with Gen. Toral for surrender. The Span.
ish commanders letters were addressed to
Gen, Miles On July IA, Gen. Miles ad.
dressed. this order to Gen. Shafter:
"Sir-Ihe Spanish army having sur,
rendered, the terms OF cap1tulatlon WILL
be carried into effect with as little delay
as practicable, on the understanding that
those troops will be returned to spain at
the expense of the United States,
Gable correspondence between Secretary
Alger and GeE. Miles in respect to the
departure of some of the troops and the
Porto Rican expedition and communlca-
tions between Gen. Miles and Gen. Shat
ter are given Gen Milss, through Gen.
Gilmore, addressed to zen. Shaftsr
orders to maintain strict san
| itary regulations. On July s, Gen.
Miles says he received The following mes-
sage from Gen. Shafter, dated Siboney
July 18th: aLetters and orders In ref
ererice to movement of camp received will
be carried out. No one is more anxious
than myself to get out of here. 1t seems,
from your orders given me that you re-
gard my force as part of your com .
n1and. Nothing will give me creator
pleasure than serving under you, General.
and directions, but was told by the SEQ
retary Of war that you were not to su-
persed me in command here. will furn-
ish the information Called for as to con-
dition of command to Gilmore adjutant
general ..army, headquarters.
Gen. Miles replied as follows to Gen.
Shafter: Telegram received. Have
no desire and have carefully avoided any
| appearance of superseding you. Your
command is part of the United States
army, which I have the honor to COM
mand, having been duly assigned there
| TO and give such general direction as
thought best concerning military matters
and especially directed to go to Santiago
| for a specific purpose. You will also Iio-
| tice that the order of the secretary of war
of July ID. left the matter to my discre-
tion. I should regret that any event
would cause either yourself or any part
of your command to cease to be part of
mine
Gen. Miles compliments the skill and
good generalship of the officers command
| ing the different divisions and brigades,
and mentions especially Brig. Gen. John
I. Rogers, Lieut.. Col. Wagner of the bu-
reau Of military information, and Col
James Allen of the signal corps.
Gen. Miles then says:
ssIt is gratifying to record that during
the war not a single defeat has been met
and not prisoner, color, gun or rifle has
| been captured by the enemy. In this re-
spect the war has been most remarkable
and perhaps unparalleled. Under all
| circumstances and in spite of many most
trying difficulties troops have maintained
the fortitude Of the American character
and the honor of the arms.
| "The experiences of the last few
months / trust. wild be valuable to the
/ people and the government of the United
States. The value of proper defenses for
our ports, harbors and seaport cities. of