The age-herald., 1898-11-11

force the harbor entrance, all of which has
 been already published. General Miles | own telegram of congratulation Is also | given winding up follows: "I expect to | be with you within one week with strong | reinforcements.' General Shafter's response was that he
 was master of the situation and could hold | the enemy for any length of time and
 added q am delighted to know that you | are coming, that you may see for yourself l the obstacles which this army had to over | come. My only regret is the great number
 of gallant souls who have given their lives for our country's cause."
 Then follows General Shafter's despatch | to Adjutant-Generai Corbin on July 4 say- | ing Santiago could be taken in a few hours if Sampson would force an en- | trance. If the army alone was to do it, he would require 15,000 troops.
 L General Miles says that on receipt of | these communications it was decided that
 he should go to Santiago with reinforce
 ments. He purposed landing on the west
 side of the harbor to open the enhance and
 to take the Spanish in the rear
 Arriving off Santiago, Admiral Sampson
 came aboard the Yale and cordially &C., | iquiecced in the plan. Next he went ashore and opened communication with General | Shafter who said he had enough troops on | the east side. Orders were given to Hand | Miles endorsements. Continuing, Gen.
 ,cral Miles says that after consulting next
 morning personally with General Shafter,
 the latter sentsa communication to General Toral saying the commanding general of the American army had arrived in his camp, with endorsements" and that we | desired to meet him between the lines at
 any time agreeable to him. He replied that
 he would see us at 12 o'clock the following | day. That evening I became appraised of | the fact that negotiations regarding the l surrender had been pending between the l commanding general and the Spanish com I mander and that no definite conclusion had | been reached" The yellow fever had | broken out among the troops and Gen. | eral Miles cabed to Washington suggest | ing that it was case where discretionary authority should be granted. He tells how | he (Miles) with his staff General Shafter and others met Tora1 and he (Miles) told | the latter that his government was deter mined to capture or destroy the Spanish | force if it took 5000 mem that he himself had sufficient endorsements to do 1t, and
 that we offered him liberal terms, naming
 them and giving Toral until daylight to decide.
 Time Limit Extended
 Upon Torals appeal General Miles ex- tended this time limit until 12 o'clock noon.
 The report continues: After thoroughly examining the entire portion of the siding along the trenches from right to left, re- turned to General Shafter's headquarters Before reaching that point I received the following cablegram from Washington in reply to mine of the evening before: washington, July 13. Received 3:24 Major General Miles: You may accept surrender by granting parole to officers and men, the officers re- tainfng their side arms. The officers and men after parole to return to Spain, the United States assisting. If not .accepted, then assault, unless in your judS dSment an assault would fail. Consult with Sampson and pursue such course as to the assault settled promptly.
 "(Signed) R. A. ALGER, Secretary of War" This left the matter entirely to my dis cretion-to accept surrender, order an as- sault, or withhold the same"
 General Miles then requested Sampson to
 be ready to cover the landing of the troops next day and instructd General Henry ac- cordingly Everything was in readiness in plain sight of the Spanish commander, when the latter addressed letter to the | General in Chief of the American forces" l enclosing Blanco's authorization to agree | upon equalization on the basis of repatria- l tion of the Spanish troops but asking that the answer of the Madrid government be awaited. Toral himself suggested the des- ignation of commissioners to agree upon the equalization. At the following meeting Toral asked that before final action was taken the Madrid government should ap- prove, though he was sure they would not fail to endorse his action. General Miles was satisfied of his sincerity and stated that i've would accept the surrender" telegraphing Secretary Alger: Floral for mal1y surrendered the troops of his army corps and division of Santiago on the terms and understanding that his troops be re- turned to Spain General Shafter will ap- point commissioners to draw up the agree
 ment for carrying out the terms of surren- der. This is very gratifying and General Shafter and the officers and men of his command are entitled to great credit for their tenacity and fortitude in overcoming the almost impossible obstacles which they have encountered" He also Uniformed Shaftef that could appoint the commits sioners' as he shows by an attached order and gave orders for the separation of the | fever-infectd troops. Included in these or- ders is a cabegram from Secretary Alger dated July IA as follows: Cablegram from Alger
 "The conditions are such on account of yellow fever have ordered all further ship
 ment of troops to Santiago to cease We are now arranging transportation of 25 900 f men for Porto Rico. As soon as matters are settled at Santiago I think you had I, better return and go direct with the expe- dition. Yellow fever breaking out in camp
 at Santiago will, fear, deprive you of the use or our IOrceS Cnere, however, that can be determined later. As soon as Santiago falls the troops must all be put in camps
 comfortable as they can be made, and re-
 main, suppose, until the fever has had it's
 run. It is the most difficult problem to solve, but we are sure you and General
 Shafter, with the aid of the surgeons in charge, will do all that can be done' General Miles replied that he had antici- pated no advice as to the troops and would
 consult with Sampson as to the rendezvous ing of the troons at Porto Rico or an ad- jacent island, He also telegraphed General Henry at Siboney and Admiral Sampson that the enemy had surrendered. He added that there was some delay in the final equalization owing to the disagreement over
 the disposition of the soldiers small arms. Returning to Siboney. which he partially
 burned. he received this dispatch:
 July 16.-Gen. Mles They surrender. (Signed) SKATER" Upon which he sent renewed congratula-
 tions and gave further instructions to the care of the troops. including some rec