The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-12-06

been determined TO establish u cable sta
ti0n. 1hia important and essential port
was taken from the enomey after severe
1ghting by tho marines, who were the
frst organized force Of tfs United Bthtes
10 land In Cuba. Tho position 10 won WIS
held. despite tho desperate attempts 20
dlslodgo our forces, By June 10 ad-
dlilonal forces were landed and strongly
lntrenched. on June 70 tho advance OF
tho invading army under Major General
Bhafter, landed NJ DaIquirl, about 10 miles
eagt OF Bantlago. This was Accomplished
under great difficulties. but With mar
yolous dispatch on juno "a tho move.
inont against Bantlngo was begun on
Tho 2ith tho nrst serious engagement took
place, In which The First and Tonth cav
airy, ana tho birst volunteer caynlry.
General Yonng'B brigade. of General
WhoolerB division, participated. losing
heavily iiy Dlghtfall. however. ground
within nyo miles OF Santiago VIA won.
Tho advantage WAS steadily Increased. on
July ! severe battle took place, our
forces gaining tho outer works Of Banlia-
30 and VI cnney and San Juan were
iakon after a desperate charge ana the
investment Of tho city was completed.
BATTLE OFF BANTlAGO
Tho navy co-opemtod by sholling the
town ana tho c0ast forts on The day
following this brilliant achievement Of
our land forces July .. occurred the do.
ciniyo naval combat OF the war. Tho
Spanish neot. attempting 10 leave the
harbor, was mot by the American squad.
ron under command OF Commodore Bamp-
son. In less than three hours all tho
Spanish ships were destroyed and two
torpodo-boatn sunk, and the Maria Tor.
esa. Almiranio oquendo. Vlscaya. and
crlHtobal Colon driven ashore. The Span.
iah admiral ana over 1900 mon we're taken
prisoners. wbilo tho enemy's loss OF nfe
was deplonbly large. some 800 perishlng.
On our sldo but one man was killed and
ono man seriously wounded, ana, al
though our ships were repeatedly struck.
not one was seriously injured. The men
also c0nAplcuously distinguished them
selves. from the commanders 70 tho gum
nors, and tho unnamed heroes In tho
boiler'roomn. each and all contributing
toward the achievement OF this aStound.
Ing victory. for which neither ancient
nor modern history affords n parallel In
tho completeness OF tho event and the
marvellous dhproportion OF casualties.
ana II would bo inyiduous 10 single out
any for special honor. Deserved promo
lion has rewarded tho most conspicuous
actorn-,ho nations profoundoat gratitude
In duo 10 all Of those brave men who.
BY their skill and devotion In a few
short hours crushed she soa power OF
spain and wrought triumph whose de-
cislycneHn and far-reachlng effects can
scarcely DO measured. Nor can we be
unmindful OF the achievements OF our
builders, mechanics ana artisans for their
Hkill In tho construction OF our war
ships.
WIN tho catastrophe Of Santiago,
spalnH effort upon the ocean virtually
ceased. A spaHmodc EFFORT toward the
end 0f June 10 send hcr Mediterranean
fleet. under Admiral Camara. 10 relieve
Manila was abandoned. the expedition
being recalled after II had passed through
the sucE canal Tho capltulaiyon OF
Santiago followed The city was closely
boulcgcd BY land. while the entrance OF
our ships into tho harbor cut on all relief
on that side After truce 10 allow OF
thc removal OF the non-combatantN. pfo-
iractcd negotiations continued from July
until July Is. when. under menace OF
immediate assault. The prellmlnarios Of
surrender were agreed upon. On the i7th
General shafler Occupied the city. The
eapituiation embraced tho entire eastern
end u Cvba. The number OF spAnlah
soldiers SURRENDERED was Zoo. all Of
whom wero subsequently conveyed TO
Spain az the charge of the United States.
Tho story Of tneir successful campaign
IL told In the report OF the secretary OF
war which will be laid before you. The
individual valor OF officers and soldiers
was never more S,riklngly shown than
Ia tho several engagements leading to
tho surrender OF Santiago. while the
prompt movements and successive vic
tories won instant and universal applause.
To those who gained this complete tri-
upph whluh established the asccndenry
Of the United States upon land. as the
nght on Santiago had fixcd our suprem-
Ny on the seas. the earnest and lasting
gratitude OF the nation iS unsparingiy
due Nor should wo alone remember the
gallantry OF tho living: the dead claim
our tears, and our losses by battle and
disease must cloud any exultation at the
result and teach US TO weigh the awfu,
cost of war. however rightful the cause
or signal tho victory.
OPERATIONS IN PORTO RICO.
With the fall OF Santiago the occupa-
tlon OF Porto REQ became the next STRAIT
.cgiu necessity General Miles had pre-
viously been assigned to organize an ex-
pcdition for that purpose Fortunately
he was already at Santiago. where he
had arrived on the nth OF July with REIN
forvomcnts for General Skaters army.
WITH these troops, consisting OF S,iib in
fantry and artillery, two companies OF
engineers anu one company OF the signal
corps, General Miles left Guantanamo
ON July q, having nine transports con-
vcyod by the fleet un~er Captain Hlggin-
son with tho Massachusetts (iiagshlp).
Dixie. Gloucester, Columbia, and Yale,
the two latter carrying troops. The ex-
petition landed at Guanica July 25, VIII. .ch
pore was entered with little opposition.
Here tho fleet was joineu by the Annapo-
lis, and Wasp, while the Puritan and
Amphltrlte went to San Juan and Joined
tho New Orleans. which was engaged I'm
blcckading that port. The major general
commanding was subsequently reinforced
by General Schwanns brigade OF the
Third army corps by General Wilson.
with u part OF his division and also by
General Brooke with part Of his corps,
numbering In all 1898 officers and men.
on July q he entered Ponce one OF the
most important points In the island from
which he thereafter directed operations
OF the capture of the island.
With the exception OF encounters with
the enemy at Guayama, Hermiguel ez,
.oamo and Yauco, 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
l2th OF August much of the island was In
our possession, and the acquisition of
tho remainder was only u matter Of a
short time, At most Of the points IN the
island our troops were enthusiastically
welcomed, protestantlons OF loyalty 10
the ilag and gratitude for delivery from.
spanish rule met our commanders at
every stage, AS n potent influence to-
wurd ueAce tho outcome of the Porto