Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-12-16
snd one company Of the signal corps,
General Miles left G~uantananao :Inlv oi

and one company of the signal corps,
General Miles left Guantanamo July 81,
having nine transports conveyed by the
neet n Captain Higginson, with the
t MassGa s @a,ggahiG, Dixie. Glouces-
carrying. troops. The expedition landed
at Guanica July %, which mort was en-
tered With little opposition. The Major
Nfehcral commanding was subsequently,
re-c1Nforcsd by. General Schwann's bri-
gade OF the Third Army Corps. by Gener-
Il, wilson; With a part of his division, and
also by General Brooke. with a part of
his corps, numbering in all 1898 officers
and men.
July % he entered Ponce. one of the
most important ports of the island, from
which he thereafter directed operations
Tor the capture of the island.
With the exception of encounters with
the enemy at Guayama, H%ermigueres,
Coamo and Iauco, and an attack on a
force landed at Cape San Juan. there
was no serious resistance. The campaign
was prosecuted with great vigor, and by
the 18th of August much of the island
was in our possession, and the acquisition
of the remainder was only IL matter of II
short time.
The last scene of tile war was enacted
at Manila. its starting place. Aug. ~,
after q brief assault upon the works by
the land forces. in which the squadron
assisted. the capital surrendered uncon-
ditionally Y. The casualties were compara-
lively few. BY this conquest of the Phil
ippinc Islands. virtually accomplished
when the Spanish capacity for resistance
tory of the LIST of May, victory was for
mally sealed. To General Merritt, his Of
ticcrs and men, for their accomplishing
and devoted services, for their gallantry
in action, the nation is sincerely grateful.
Their long voyage was made with singu-
lar success, and the soldicrly conduct of
the men. most of whom were without
previous experience in the military scrv-
ice, deserves unmeasured praise.
Total Casualties of the War.
The total casualties in killed and
wounded in the army during the war was
as follows: Officers killed. %; enlisted
men killed. 257; total, $50; officers
wounded, 113; enlisted men wounded,
l:4G4; total, 1917. OF the navy: Killed,
IL; wounded. ca; died as result of
wounds. L; invalided from service, O.;
total, 81.
1t will he observed tina. while our navy
was engaged in two great battles and in
numerous perilous undertakings in block
AIDES and bOmbardment, and more than
fifty thousand of our troops were trans
ported to distant lands and engaged in
assault and siege and battle and many
sk;rmishcs i'll unfamiliar territory, we
lost in both arms of the service n total of
l,GGS killed and wounded; and in the en-
tire campaign by land and sea We did not
lose n gun or a flag or a transport ship,
and with the exception of the crew of the
Merrimac not a soldier or sailor was
taken prisoner.
Aug. 3, forty-siX days from the date Of
the landing of General Shafter's army in
china NyI ftyynrfV-ppNN f1ns,c cpN,r III .,,,,
render of Santiago, the United States
troops commenced embnrkation for home,
and our entire force was returned to the
United States as early as Aug. "a. They
were absent from the United States only
two months.
1t is fitting that l should bear testi-
mony to the patriotism and devotion of
that large portion of our army which, al
though eager to be ordered to the post of.
side of the United States. They did their
whole duty and earned the gratitude of
the nation. 1t is my regret that there
seems to be no provision for their suitable
recognition.
In this connection it is a pleasure for
Inc to mention i'll terms of cordial appre-
citation the timely and useful work of the
American National Red Cross, both in re-
lief measures preparatory to the cam
sh oohlenA ooo1stttliSC Ut 6SNSiitl
of the camps of assemblage, and later,
under the able and experienced leader
ship of the President of the society, Miss
Clara Barton, on the fields of battle and
in the hospitals at the front in Cuba.
In tracing these vents we are con
SANITY reminded of our obligations to the
Divine Master for His watchful care
over us and His safe guidance, for which
the nation makes rcvercnt acknowledge
ment and offers humble prayer for the
continuance Of His favor.
The humiliation of Admiral Cervera's
feet, followed by the capitulation of Sam
tiago, having brought to the Spanish Gov
lessness of continuing a struggle now be-
coming wholly unequal, it made overtures
of peace through the French ambassador.
On the Goth of July NJ. Cambon present
ed q communication signed by the Duke
of Almodovar, the Spanish minister of
state, inviting the United States to state
the terms upon which it would be willing
government were announced, substantial
ly as in the protocol afterward signed.
Aug. 10 the Spanish reply, dated Aug. Z,
was handed by NJ. Cambon to the Sccre-
tary of State. 1t accepted uncondition-
ally The terms imposed as to Cuba, Porto
Rico and an island of the Ladrones
group. but appeared to seek to introduce
Aiis1AiiAAooAo1C % IN III IcSuIQ W
our demand as to the Philippines.
Signing of the Protocol.
C%onceiving that discussion on this point
could neither be practicable nor profit
able, 1 directed that in order to avoid mis-
understanding the matter should be
forthwith closed by proposing the embodi-
mcnt in a formal protocol of the terms
in which the negotiations for peace were
to be undertaken. The vague and mex
plicit suggestions of tho Spanish note
could not be accepted, the only reply be-
ing to present MS a virtual ultin1atum a
draft Of the protocol embodying the pre-
else terms rendered to Spain in our note
of July 80, with added stipulations Of
detail as to the appointment of commits
sioners to arrange for tho evacuation Of
the Spanish Antilles. On the afternoon
of Aug. - NJ. Cambon. rs the plenipoten-
tiary Of Spain, and the Secretary Of
State. as the plenipotentiary Of the Uni
ted States, signed n protocol.
Immediately upon the conclusion Of the
protocol l issued u proclamation on Aug.
IL, suspending hostilities on the part Of
the United States. Aug. Is the muster
out Of 100000 volunteers, or as near That
number as was found to be practicable.
was ordered. Dec. 1, 101, 1G5 officers and
men had been mustered out and discharg-