Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-08-06

York Sun, Wednesday.
SURRENDER OF SANTIAGO.
Pathetic Description of the Situation by
General Linares.
An official report of General Linares
to the Madrid government, transmitted
on July 13, is full of pathos, as it tells
of Spaniards thousands of miles from
home, striving to defend property
which the owners have deserted. The
report sent by cable on July 18th was
addressed to the minister of war. 1t
was translated for the Associated
Press by Commodore Schley. The
text in full is as follows:
"OHicial Telegram, July II, 1S9S.-
To the Minister of War, from the
General-in- Chief of the Division OF
Santiago de Cuba.-Although confined
to my bed by great weakness and in
much pain, the situation Of the long
suffering troops here occupies my mind
to such an extent that / deem it my
duty to address your excellency that
the state of affairs may be explained.
The enemy's lines are very near the
town on account of the nature of the
ground; our lines are in full view
from them. Troops weak sick in
considerable proportion not sent to
hospitals owing to the necessity for
keeping them in the entrenchments.
Horses and mules without the usual
allowance of forage. In the midst of
the wet season, with 20 hours daily
fall of rain in the trenches, which are
simply bitches dug in the ground with
out any permanent shelter for the
men; the men have nothing but rice
to eat and no means of changing or
drying their clothing. Considerable
losses field officers and company Off.
GERS killed, wounded, sick, deprive
the troops of necessary officers in
critical moments.
"Under these circumstances it is i'm
possible to fight our way out, because
in attempting to do 80 our force would
be lacking one-third Of the men who
could not leave and we would be
weakened besides casualties, caused
by the enemy, resulting finally in q
veritable disaster without saving our
diminished battalions. In order to
get out protected by the Holguin divis-
/ ion, it will be necessary for them to
come and break the enemy's lines in
one place, so that my forces may
break through in another, both acting
in conjunction. For this operation
the Holguin division will require eight
days and will have to bring large
amount of rations, which it is impos-
sible to transport.
"The solution of the question is om-
inously imposed on us. Surrender is
inevitable, and we can only succeed in
prolonging the agony. The sacrifice is
useless and the enemy understands
this. They see our lines and theirs
beirg we'll established close up, they
tire out our men without exposing
themselves. Yesterday they cannon
AIDED US on land with such an eleva-
ton that we were unable to see their
batteries and from the sea by the
squadron, which had perfect range,
and bombarded the town in sections
with mathematical precision.
"The complete exodus of the inhab-
itants, insluar as we'll as peninsular, in
cluded the occupants of the public Off
ces with few exceptions. There only
remains the clergy, and they today
started to leave the town, with the
archbishop at their head.
"The defenders here cannot now be-
gin campaign full of enthusiasm and
energy. They came here three years
ago, struggling against the climate,
privations and fatigue, and now they
are placed in this sad circumstance,
where they have no food, no physical
force and no means of recuperating.
They are defending the property OF
those that have abandoned it and OF
those that are now being led by the
American forces. The honor of arms
has its limits, and appeal to the opin'
ions of the whole nation as to whether
these long suffering troops have not
kept it safely since May 18th, when
they were subjected to the first can
nonade. If it is necessary that the
sacrifice be endured for reasons ot
which I am ignorant or that some one
shall assume the responsibility of the
unfortunate termination which have
anticipated and mentioned in a mum
ber of kilograms, faithfully offer my
self on the altar of my country fol
one, and for the other 1 will retain the
command for the purpose of signing