The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-11

General Miles own telegram Of con-
graduation is also given, winding up
as toilows: Il expect to be with you
within one week with strong reinforce
ments"
General Skaters response was that
he was master of the situation, could
hold the enemy for any length of time,
and added: Il am delighted to know
that you are coming, that you may see
for yourself the obstacles which this
army had to overcome. My only re-
greet is the great number of gallant
souls who have given their lives for
our country's cause"
TO REINFORCE SKATER.
Then follows Skaters dispatch to
Adjutant General Corbin on July 4,
saying Santiago could be taken in a
few hours if Sampson would force an
entrance. If the army alone was to do
1t, he would require 1900 troops. Gen
eral Miles says that on receipt of these
communications it was decided that he
should Immediately go to Santiago with
reinforcemehts. He purposed landing
on the west side of the harbor, to open
the entrance or take the Spanish in the
rear. Arriving off Santiago, Admiral
Sampson came aboard the Yale and
cordially acquiesced in the plan. Next
he went ashore and opened commune
cation with Shafter, who said he had
enough troops on the east side. Orders
We're given to land reinforcements.
Continuing, General Miles says that
after consulting next morning, person
ally, with General Shafter, the latter
sent a communication to General Toral,
saying the commanding general of the
American army had arrived in his
camp with reinforcements. land that
we desired to meet him between the
lines at any time agreeable to him.
He replied that he would see us at u
o'clock the following day. That even
ing became appraised of the fact that
negotiations regarding a surrender had
been pending between the commanding
general and the Spanish commander,
but no definite conclusions had been
reached" The yellow fever had broken
out among the United States troops,
and General Miles cabled to Washing
ton, suggesting that it was a case
where discretionary authority should
be granted.
He tells how he (NIiles) with his staff,
General Shafter and others, met Toral,
and he (AIileS) told the latter that his
or destroy the Spanish force if it took
$4,000 men; that he himself had suffi-
cient achievements to do it, and that
we offered him liberal terms, naming
them, and giving Toral until daylight
to decide. Upon Toral's appeal, General
Miles extended this time limit until II
o'clock noon.
TERMS OF SURRENDER.
The report continues: After thor
oughly examining the entire portion of
the siding along the trenches, from
right to left, returned to General
Skaters headquarters. Before reach
ing that point 1 received the following
cablegram from Washington, in reply
to mine Of the evening before:
Washington, D. c., July 1S, 1898.
Major General Miles: You may accept
surrender by granting parole to officers
and men, the officers retaining 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 Judgment an as
sault would fail. Consult with Samp-
son and pursue such course as to as
sault as you jointly agree upon. Mat
ter should be settled promptly.
r. A. ALGER,
" Secretary of War
"This left the matter entirely to my
discretion-to accept surrender, order
an assault or withhold the same"
General Miles then requested Samp-
son to be ready to cover the landing of
the troops next day. and instructed
General Henry accordingly. Every
thing was in readiness, in plain sight
of the Spanish commander, when the
latter addressed a letter to the Cen
eral in chief of the American forces,
| Enclosing Blanco'S authorization TO
agree on caDitulation on the basis of
repatriation of the Spanish troops, ask
I ing that the answer of the Madrid gov
eminent be awaited Toral himself sug-
gested the designation Of commissioners
/ to agree upon the capitulation. AT the
| following meeting, Toral asked that be-
| fore final action was taken, the Ma
! drid government should approve, al
though he was sure they would not fail
! to endorse his action.
ToRAL GIVES UP.
General Miles was sure of his sim
cerity and stated that I'VE would &C
cept the surrender" telegraphlng Sec
rotary Alger as follows:
General Toral formally surrendered
the troops of his army corps and divi-
! sion of Santiago on the terms and un-
! Outstanding that his troops would be
returned to Spain. General Shafter will
appoint commissioners to draw up the
| condition Of arrangement for carrying
out the terms of surrender. This Is
very gratifying, and General ShafteI
]
mand are entitled to great credit FOL
their tenacity and fortitude in over
coming the almost impossible obstacles
! which they have encountered.
He also Informed Shafter that he
could appoint the commissioners, as
he shows by an attached order, ano
gave orders for the separation of the
fever infected troops. Included in
these orders is a cablegram from Sec
rotary Alger, dated July II, which says:
THE conditions are such, on account
of yellow fever, that l have ordered al
further shipments of troops to Santiago
| to cease We are now arranging trans
portation of % 1000 for Puerto Rico. AS
soon as matters are settled at Santiago
I think you had better return and &c
direct with the expedition. Yellow
fever breaking out in camp at Santiago
will. I fear deprive you of our forces
there: however, can be determined
later. AS soon as Santiago falls, the
troops must all be put in camp as com
Portable as they can be made and re-
main, I suppose, until the fever has
had its run It is the most difficult
problem to solve, but we are sure yor
and General Shafter, with the aid OF
the surgeons in charge, will do al
that can be done.''
General Miles replied that he faC
anticipated the advice as to the troops
and would consult with Sampson as t.
J rendezvousing the troops at Puerto
Rico or an adjacent island. He also
! telegraphed General Henry at Siboney
and Admiral Sampson that the army
had surrendered, He added that there
was some delay in the final capitula,
ton, owing TO disagreement over the
disposition of the Spanish small arms
Returning to Siboney, which III
partially burned, he received the dis
patch from General Shafter, hereto
fore made public, informing him tha
the secretary of war had said he wa!
not to assume command at Santiago
To this he replied that his position al
ac,. NM 10