The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-20
RETURN OF THE SWORD
TORAL DEEPLY TOUCHED By
GEN. SHAFTER'S COURTESY.
CHARACTER OF THE SPANISH DEFGNCES
The Slaughter Among Our Troops Would have
been Frightful had it been Necessary
to Storm the City. Its squalid
Streets.
Copyright by the Associated Press.)

tCopyrIght by the Associated IreSS.)
Santiago de Cuba, July 18th, via
Kingston, Jamaica, July 19.-11:15 a.
m.-Thc events preceding the hosting of
the American flag over the governors
palace here. were full of interest
Shortly after o'clock on Monday
morning, Lieutenant Crook, of General
Skaters staff entered the city and all
the arms in the arsenal were turned
over to him. The work of removing the
mines, which INSTRUCTED navigation at
the entrance of the harbor had been
progressing all night. At about o'clock
General Toral. the Spanish commander.
sent his sword to General Shafter, as
evidence of his submission. and ut $40
o'clock Il. M. all the general officers and
their stalfs assembled at General Shaft
er's headquarters. Each regiment was
drawn up along the crest of the heights.
General Shafter and his generals. with
mounted escorts of 100 picked men of
the Second cavalry. then rode over our
trenches to the open ground at the foot
of the hill on the main road to Santiago,
works. There they were met by Gen
eral Toral and his staff, all in full uni
form and mounted, and IA select detach-
ment of Spanish troops What follow
ed took place in full view of our troops.
General Shafter, with the generals and
staffs grouped Immediately in the rear,
and with the troops of cayalrymen with
drawn sabres on the left, advanced to
meet the vanquished foe.
After few words Of courteous greet
ing, General Skaters first act was to-
return General Toral's sword The
Spanish general appeared to be touched
by the complimentary words with which
General Shafter accompanied this action,
and he thanked the American command
err feelingly.
Then followed short conversation as
to the place selected for the Spanish
forces to deposit their arms. and Il Span
isb infantry detachment marched for
ward to position facing our cavalry.
where the Spaniards were halted. The
latter were without their colors.
Eight Spanish trumpeters then saluted
and were saluted in return by our
trumpeters, both giving fourishes for
lieutenants and major generals.
A STERN BUT BROKEN MAN.
General Torai then personally ordered
the Spanish company, which, III mlnia-
ture, represented the forces under his
command to ground arms. Next by his
direction, the company wheeled and
marched across our line into the road,
and thence to the place selected for camp
ing them. The Spaniards moved rapid
ly, to the quick notes Of the Spanish
march, played by the trumpeters, but 1t
impressed one like the dead march
from Saul Although no attempt was
made to huniliate them, the Spanish
soldiers seemed to feel their disgrace
keenly and scarcely glanced at their con
querors as they passed by.
But this apparent depth of feeling was
not displayed by the other regiments.
Without being sullen, the Spaniards APP
peared to be utterly Indifferent to the
reverses suffered. by the Spanish arms,
and some of them. when not under
the eyes of their officers, seemed to re-
joice at the prospect of good food and
immediate return to Spain.
General Toral, throughout the cere-
mony was sorely detected. When Gene
raj Shafter introduced him by name
to each member of his staff, the Spanish
General appeared to be very broken
man. He seems to he about sixty years
of age and of frail frame, though sternl
resolution is shown in every feature. The
lines are strongly marked and his face is |
deeply drawn. as if i'll physical pain.
General Toral replied with an air of
abstraction to the words addressed to
him, and when he accompanied General
Shafter, at the head of the escort. into
b., t,,I, n
tiago, General Toral spoke but few |
words. The appealing faces of the starry
ing refugees streaming back into the
city did not move him. nor did the groups
of Spanish soldiers lining the road and
gazing curiously at the fair-skinneIl
stalwart framed conquerors. Only
once did the faint shadow of smile
Turk about the corners of his mouth
This was when the cayalcade passed
through "a barbed wire ENHANCEMENT
No body Of infantry could eyer have
got through this defence alive and Gene
raj Skaters remark about its resisting
power found the first gratifying echo in
the defeated Generals heart.
Further along the desperate character
of the Spanish resistance. as planned,
amazed our officers. Although primitive,
il was well done. Each approach to the
city was thrice barricaded and wired
and the barbados were high enough
and sufficiently strong to withstand
sbrapnel.
The slaughter among our troops would
have been frightful had it ever become
necessary to storm the city.
Around the hospitals and public build
ings. and along the west side Of the
line there were additional works and en-
placements for guns. though no guns
were moupted in them. :
SCENES IN TIE STREETS.
The streets of Santiago are crooked
narrow lines of one story houses. moot