The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-07-19

At General Wheelers Headquarters, !
before Santiago de Cuba July 1o-lO 4.
m.-Nia Kingston, Jamaica. July 1G.-
% Il. m.-The preliminary basis for the
capitulation Of the Spanish forces III
eastern Cuba was agreed to and signed
under 4 picturesque Cieba tree, half way
between the lines, shortly after midnight.
Our commissioners were invited 10 en-
ter the city by those representing Gcner-
al Toral, but the invitation WAS dccin;[i
and the conference WAS held under the
spreading cicba, just such Il tree as that
under which Columbus assisted at the
celebration of mass on his first landing
i'll Cuba, near Havana.
At the very outset Il hitch occurred
owing to a misunderstanding Of what
was said ut the personal interview be
tween General Shafter and General
Toral at noon. At that time our in
| tellTetcr tranSating the language OF
General Toral had given Generals Shaf-
| ter, Miles and Wheeler distinctly to IN
| derstand that Captain General Blanco
| had consented that the commissioners
! should have plenary powers to negotiate
| the terms Of surrender. such terms as
| they agreed upon to be binding upon
| both parties. Something was said about
| notification to the Madrid government
|
| capitulation had been actually agreed to
and that no further consent of the Mad !,
! rid government was required
| When the commissioners met shortly
! after , O'Clock in the afternoon. those
| in behalf of General Toral General
| Escario. Lieutenant Colonel Fortan and
| Robert Mason, the British Vice Consult
conlbattcd at once the idea that the
capitulation had in fact actually taken
| place. The consent of Madrid. they in
| sisted, was still necessary: but, at the
| same time. they claimed strongly that 1T
| would be forthcoming. as Captain Gen
| cra Blanco had authorized it and the
| home government would do the same
| General TOral, who was personally pres
| cnt and who. in fact. directed the ne
! @otiatons under his own behalf, said
| he had never been oycrrulcd by the
| Captain General. Still, he added. until
| Madrid had sanctioned it. Santiago had
| not capitulated.
| This was extremely unsatsfactory to
| our commissioners. who clung tenacious
| ly to the understanding General Shaftcr
had received earlier III the day.
| Finally. with the question Of whether
or not the Spanish forces had actually
surrendered still open. the commissioners
| proceeded to the consideration of the
| preimnarieS.
| Captain Milcy had drawn up thirteen
articles of a general nature and these
were submitted to General Toral person
ally. He made a strong appeal that the
| word "capituiation" be used instead Of
| the harsher term surrender. and that
his army be allowed to march ont the
| officers with their side arms and the
F! men with small arms. He said the
arms could afterward be sent to Spain,
I either on the same ships With the troop
or on some other ships. General Toral
| further remarked that he expected our
| commissioners. as representatives OF 4
brave and chivalrous people. would not
seek to humiate his army or make it
appear that he was vanquiShed rs
brave men his soldiers desired to go
home with honor. They had simply yield
| ed to superior force. and they would
prefer dying to going home without their
honor.
! Our commissioners could not resist this
appeal hut they said it lay beyond the
terms laid down by our government, and
| they could only recommend the matter To
| Washington.
At + o'clock General Toral returned
| to the city to consult with General
| Iinares who had been enormously re-
ported dead
| General 1Oral ana the spanish com
! miSSiOners returned at 6:3O, saying they
| desired a still further change in the
phraseology Of the articles. and suggest
| n poStpOnement of the negotiations until
| morning This General Wheeler firmly
| declined. Thereupon Il recess was taken
| until 9:30. The commissioners returned
| at that hour and the articles We're again
| gone over in detail. Various changes of
verbiage which tended only to soften
| the sound of the terms without affecting
| the sense. We're proposed by the Spanish
and our commissioners accepted prac-
| tically ak of them.
Shortly >after midnight. Gener:
Wheeler suggested that the good faith q
/ the Spanish commissioners be tested Al
the articles wer re-read and each com