Evening star., 1898-07-22
GARCIA WRITES SKATER
Bitter Reproaches for Acts Which Incense
the Cuban, General.
Tenders His Resignation to Gomez
and wfthdraws His Forces
to Jiguari.

General Garcia's letter to General Shaf-
| ter, In which he declares his purpose to
withdraw from Cooperation with the Amer
| lean army, is dated July 20, and is as fol-
lows:
Major General W. r. Shafter, Command
er-in-chief of the 9th Army Corps of the
United States Army:
Sir: On May 12 the government of the
republic of Cuba ordered me, as command
er of the Cuban army in the east, to coop
crate with the American army. Following
the plans and obeying the orders of its
commanders, 1 have done my best, sir, to
fulfill the wishes of my government, and
| have been, until now, one of your most
faithful subordinates, honoring myself in
carrying out your orders and Instructions
as far as my powers have allowed me to
do 1t.
The city of Santiago finally surrendered
to the American army and the news Of
that important victory was given to me by
persons entirely foreign to your staff.
have not been honored sir, with a single
word from yourself informing me about
the negotiations for peace or the terms of
the capitulation by the Spaniards.
The important ceremonies of the sur
render of the Spanish army and the pos
session of the city by yourself took place
later on, and ! only knew of both events
by the public reports.
Was IellNer nOnOreG, sir, with Kind
Word from you inviting myself nor any
other officer of my staff to represent the
CUBAN army on that memorable occasion.
FINALLY, know that you have left In
power at Santiago the same Spanish au-
thorltieS that for three years l have fought
as enemies of the Independence of Cuba.
Il beg to state that those authorities
have never been elected at Santiago by
residents OF the city, but appointed by
royal decree of the Queen of Spain
i would agree, sir that the army under
your command should have taken posses
sion of the city and have garrisoned the
forts. l would give my warm cooperation
to any measure you may have deemed best
under American military law to hold the
city for your army and preserve public
der until the time comes to fulfill the sol
emn pledge Of the people of the United
States to establish in Cuba a free and inde-
pendent government.
But when the question arrives of ap-
pointing authorities in Santiago de Cuba,
and under the peculiar circumstances ere
ated by the thirty years of our struggle
against the Spanish rule / cannot see but
with the deepest regret that such author
tiles are not elected by the Cuban people
and the Inhabitants of the city, but the
same ones selected by the Queen of Spain
and her ministers to defend against the
Cubans the Spanish sovereignty.
"a rumor too absurd to be believed, gen.
eral, ascrioes the reason of your measure
and of the orders of forbidding my army
to enter Santiago to fear of massacres and
revenges against the Spaniards. Allow me,
sir, to protest against even the shadow of
such an idea. We are not saVages ignor-
ing the rules of civilized warfare.
We are a poor, ragged army: as ragged
and poor as was the army of your fore
fathers In their noble war for indepeud
ence; but, as the heroes of Saratoga and
Yorktown, We respect too deeply our cause
to disgrace it with barbarism and cow
aroice.
In view of all these reasons I sincerely
regret to be unable to fulfill any longer
the orders of my government, and there
fore have rendered today to the command
er-fn-chief of the Cuban army, Major Gen
eral Maxine Gomez, my resignation as
commander Of this section of our army.
Awaiting his resolution, L withdraw with
my forces to Jiguari.
Very respectfully yours.
"CALIXO GARCIA"