Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-07-25
OUR FLAG FLOATS OVER
SANTIAGO.

governors palace. General Mck1o-
bin has been appointed temporary
military governor. The ceremony Of
hosting tn. stars and stripes Sunday
noon was worth all it cost. A con-
course of 10000 people witnessed the
stirring and thrilling scene that will
live forever in the minds of all Amer
leans present.
A finer stage setting for dramatic
episode it would be difficult to mag
inc. AS the chimes of the old ca
hedralrang out the hour of twelve the
infantry and cavalry presented arms.
Every American uncovered and Cap
tain McKittrick hoisted the stars and
stripes. AS the brilliant folds unfurl-
less sky the cavalry band broke into
the strains of ''The Star Spangled
Banner" making the American pulse
leap and the American heart thrill
| with Joy. At the same instant the
sound of the distant booming Of Cap
! tain Capron's battery firing salute
of twenty one guns, drifted in,
Previous to the ceremony occurred,
at nine O'Clock, the surrender of the
army.
General Toral and staff were attend
ed by one hundred picked men.
Trumpeters on both sides saluted with
fourishes General Shafter returned
to General Toral the latter's sword af-
ter it had been handed to the Ameri-
can commander Our troops lined
up at the trenches, were eye wit
nesses of the ceremony. General
Shafter and his escort, accompanied
by General Toral, rode through the
city, taking formal possession.
The ceremony over, General Shaft
er and his staff returned to the Amer
lean lines, leaving the city in the pos
session of the municipal authorities,
subject to the control of General Me-
Kibbin. The Thirteenth and Ninth
regiments of infantry will remain in
the city to enforce order and exercise
municipal authority. The Spanish
forces are to encamp outside Of our
lines.
While our troops were marching in
to the city the vanguard Of the defeat
ed army began to march out, the
Spanish soldiers depositing their arms
at the edge of the city. All Of the
Spanish troops are going into camp
on open ground between the former
firing lines, where it will be easy to
keep them under control until the ar
rival of the transports which are to
carry them back to Spain.
Our troops found the entrance
streets to Santiago wonderfully in
trenched, and all are thankful they
did not have to take the city by as
sault. It would have meant fearful
slaughter on both sides Across each
of the main entrance roads were four
wire entanglements and six barri-
cades. To have broken through
and carried the barbados one after
another would have meant terrible
fighting. On the San Juan road in
particular an assault would have been
disas trous. General Shafter is being
congratulated by everyone for the
capitulation he enforced. 1t certain
ly saved hundreds Of American lives.
Twenty-Five thousand refugees are
quartered at Ell Caney, 5000 at Firm
eza and 5000 at Cubitas, Eloonatio and 1
San Vincente, where they have been !
living for a fortnight. Ia one case |
500 were crowded into one building,
which was a regular pigsty. The |
docks are crowded by incoming refu- /
gees in starving condition, awaiting
the arrival in the harbor Of the Red .
Cross Society IS steamer State Of Texas,
as there are no eatables to be bought
in the city.
What will be done with General
force is not fully decided.
The physicians declare that the army,
owing to the hardships and the fever,
will not be fit for active duty for some
time to come, and General Miles is
believed to be seriously cosidering
the proposition to leave only the i'm
mune regiments to hold the conquer
ed province and return the body Of
the corps to the United States, and
sending other immunes from there to
reinforce the Santiago detachment if
necessary. Many Of the troops are
eager to participate in the Porto Rico
which, it is reported about
headquarters, will follow immediate
ly, but this is strongly opposed by the
surgeons.