Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-07-23
GENERAL SKATER
TAKES POSSESSION
-
Old Glory Is thrown to the Breeze
Over the City Of San
tiago.
THE SPANISH FLAG COMES DOWN
Inspiring Ceremony Of Taking Pos
session Arouses the
Troops.
THE SPANISH FLAG COMES DOWN
SPANIARDS GIVE UP THEIR ARMS
Shafser Says IL Would Have Cost
Five Thousand Lives to Have
Taken the CITY by
Storm.

In Front of Santiago, July 10, Guam
tanamo Bay.-Old Glory is now float,
ing over the Notifications of Santiago
At 8 O'Clock Sunday morning
the Spanish troops under command oil
General Toral lefttheif trenches and
marched into lines, where, one by one
the regiments laid down their arms,
At the same time the Spanish flag
was hauled down and the stars and
stripes hoisted in its place.
The work of loading the Spanish
prisoners on transports preparatory
TO sending them back to Spain will
be commenced as soon as the ships arc
provided.
The authorities at Washington have
been urged TO use haste in this mat
ter. 1t has been suggested 10 use
Spanish transports for this work, fear
being expressed that the use Of Amer
lean vessels would result in rendering
them dangerous for use in moving
American troops on account Of the cN-
posure Of the Spaniards to yellow
fever.
Amid impressive ceremonies the
Spanish troops laid down their arms
between the lines Of the Spanish and
American forces at 8 o'clock yesterday
morning.
General Shafter and the American
division and brigade commanders and
their stats were escorted by Il troop
OF cavalry and General TOral and his
staff by 100 picked men.
Trumpeters on both sides saluted
with hourishes.
General Shaftcr returned to General
Torai the %latter's sword after it had
been handed to the American com
mander.
Our troops lined up the trenches
and were eye witnesses Of the cere-
mony. General Shafter and his escort
accompanied by General Toral, rode
through the city, taking formal pos
session.
The city had been sacked before
they arrived by the Spaniards. At the
palace elaborate ceremonies took
place. Exactly at moor the American
flag was raised over the palace and
was saiuted by twenty-onc guns of
| Captain Capron's battery. At the same
time all the ~regimental bands in our
ranks played "rhe Star Spangled
Banner after which President Me-
Kinley's congratulatory telegram was
read TO each regiment.
The Thirteenth and Ninth regiments
Of infantry will remain in the city to
enforce orders and exercise municipal
authority. The Spanish forces are to
encamp outside Of our lines.
General McKibben has been APP
pointed temporary military governor
Details of the Ceremony.
The ceremony of hosting the stars
and stripes was worth all the blood
and treasure it cost. \ vast c]Oncourse
of 10000 people witnessed the stirring
and thrilling scene that will forever
live in the minds of all the Americans
present. \ finer stage setting for q
dramatic episode would be difficult to
imagine. The palace, a picturesque old
dwelling in the Moorish style of archi-
lecture, faces the Plaza de In Rcina,
the principal public square. Opposite
rises the imposing Catholic cathedral,
On one side is a quaint, brilliantly
painted building, with broad veran-
das, the Club Of San Carlos; on the
other, a building Of much the same de-
scription. the Cafe de la Venus.
Across the plaza was drawn up the
Ninth infantry, headed by the Sixth
cavalry band. In the street facing the
palace stood a picked troop Of the See
ond cavalry, with drawn sabcrs, under
command of Captain Brett. Massed
on the stone tagging between the
band and the line of horscmen were
the brigade commanders Of General
Skaters division, with their STATS.
On the red tiled roof Of the palace
stood Captain McKittrick, Lieutenant
Miley and Lieutenant Wheeler. lmmc-
diately above them on the flagstaff
was the Illuminated Spanish arms, and
the legend, "Viva Alfonso KILL" All
about, pressing against the Nerandn
rails, crowded to windows and doors
and lining the roofs, were the people
of the town, principally women and
non-combatants. AS the chimes of the
old cathedral rang out the hour of II.
the infantry and cavalry presented
arms. Every American uncovered,
and Captain McKittrick hoisted the
stars and stripes. As the brilliant folds
unfurled in n gentle breeze against a
fleckless sky. the cavalry band broke
into the strains of "The Star SpangIed
Banner" making the American pulse
leap and the American heart thrill
with joy.
At the same instant the sound OF the
distant booming of Captain Capron's
battery, firing n salute Of twenty-one
guns, drifted in.
When the music ceased, from all dt-
~rections around our line came floating
across the plaza the strains of the reg
mental bands and the mutlled, hoarse
cheers of our troops.
The infantry came to order arms"
u moment later, after the flag was up,
and the band played "Rally Round the
Flag, Boys Instantly General Nc
Ribbon called for three cheers for
General Shafter, which were given
with great enthusiasm, the band
played Sousa's "The Stars and Stripes
Forever"
The ceremony over, General Shafter
and his staff returned to the American
lines. leaving the city in the possession