The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-09

8dSIIllE IOl, aug "a good Oedi OF
light is thrown upon the relations be-
tween the army and navy during the
critical period just preceding the sur
render of Santiago, by the following
extracts from Admiral SIMPSONS re-
port, dated July 10, which is now made
public by the navy department:
"On July / a demonstration was made
by a Michigan volunteer regiment at
A~guadores, under command of General
Duffield. The New York, Gloucester
and Sudnee moved up at the request OF
the army, to assist in an attack, which
was to begin at daylight, but the
troops, which came by rail, did not ar
rive until 1920. The small river San
Juan cuts through a deep def1le and is
spanned by an iron railroad bridge.
There is an ancient fort near the water
and on the hill are the small rife pits.
Some 16 or 20 of the enemy had been
counted while waiting for the troops,
but disappeared when the ships began
firing. The rooDs advanced as far as
the bridge. A, corner of the fort was
knocked off by the shells of the navy
and the Flagstaff shot away.
"Resultory firing was kept up be-
tween our troops and the Spanish, the
troops returning to Siboney about half
past 10.
ION the evening of July l the admiral
was advised by enera Shafter that
the army would assault at daylight on
the End. and the navy was requested to
keep uD a fire at the batteries or the
bluff. The squadron consequently
closed in early on the morning of the
2nd and kept up a vigorous fire for two
hours. but the attack proposed by Cen
eTal Shafter did not take place on that
date.
Esn- H. ,;-T,+ &c T,I1- N Al, Daino
Mercedes was sunk by the SpaniardS
so as to obstruct the ships. Extensive
shore batteries existed and if smaller
vessels had been sent in and sunk by
the mines or batteries, the harbor
would nave been effectually closed
against us.
at was essential to the new scheme
of attack of the combined forces that
the position occupied by the eastern
and western batteries SHOULD be carried
and this was the plan of action first
proposed by General Shafter on the
day of his first arrival. 1t was at first
expected that these points should first
be carried, as their possession insured
the destruction of the mines. the en-
trance of heavy ships into the harbor
and the assault on Ceryera's fleet. This
was heartily consented to by General
Shafter. who stated that the entrance
TO the harbor was the key to the sit
udllOD. lIlS W as I6DGdleu III HE llllCl-
view with General Garcia at Acerra-
dOres.
1T had been the admiral's desire to
do everything possible to cooperate
with General Shafter. Such an attack
as that proposed by the general was in
complete accord with the views held
by the admiral and discussed with his
staff. 1t was proposed to bring up the
marines, from Guantanamo and d
them to the marines of the squadron,
thus making a force of nearly a thou
sand men. which must be landed either
at The foot of the MORO in Estrella
cove TO assault the Nero, or to the
westward. for the purpose of assault
ing the west battery. At the same time,
- detachment of 1000 or 5000 men from
the army would proceed by Aguadores,
occupy the ground between the MORO
and that just to the northward of it.
A visit to General Shafter was ar
ranged. but the admiral being i'll, his
chief of staff went instead. The fol-
lowing arrangement was made:
Camp Near San Juan River, Cuba, |
July 6, 1898. Minutes of a conversation
between Captain Chadwick of the
navy, representing Admiral Sampson,
and General Shafter: That a long-con-
tinued bombardment be made of San
tiago from the sea with the heavie
guns of the fleet, the fleet firing slowly
during say 81 hours at the rate Of one
shell every five minutes, excepting one
hour. at the rate of one every two min
utes. This refers to the S-inch to 13-
inch shells. If this be not sufficient to
bring the enemy to terms, that an as
sault be arranged on the Socapa bat
terry, using marines and the Cuban
forces under General Cabreco. and an !
effort made to enter the harbor with
some of the smaller ships of the squad
ron. This attack to be made upon
knowing the result of a second demand
made upon the commanding officer of
the Spanish forces for the surrender
of the place, stating to him the condi-
tons that surround him, destruction
of the Spanish fleet, etc, etc, and the
number of forces opposed TO him. To
give him time to consider the matter,
the date of the bombardment is fixed
at noon Of the 9Th, unless he positively
refuses to consider to at all, when it
Will begin at such time as is W
lent to ourselves.
General Shafter will furnish the adj
miral with correct maps, showing
where his lines will be surrounding the
city, and also open telegraphic COM
by the way of Siboney
down to near Aguadores, to give infor-
as TO the falling of the shots"
NEGOTIATIONS WITH SPANIARDS.
This was followed by the c%orrespon-
dence betWeen General Shatter and the
Spanish commander at Santiago, in
which General Shafter demanded the
surrender of the Spanish forces. Cop
les Of this correspondence were for
warded by General Shafter to Admiral
Sampson, who was also advised of the
terms Of the truce agreed upon.
on July 10 General Shafter notified
the admiral that the bombardment OF {
the city would be resume by the army
on the following morning. He enclosed {
charts, showing the position of the {
American and Spanish lines, and re- {
questing that the fleet begin the bonn {
parchment at 4 o'clock p. m. on the 10th. s
General Shafter added that it would be
very disastrous TO the morals of his
to have any of the shells fall near
them and he consequently requested
that the navy throw its shells into the
westward part of the city near the
bay, promising that the falling of the
first shell would be observed and the
communicated to the fleet by
G
The bombardment was begun as re- :
and there were several ex-
changes Of notes between the general
and the admiral as to the result of the Y
firing. F.,
The following correspondence then t
.ook place: /
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, 1
fully 11.-Commander-in-chie North
Atlantic Squadron: My lines are now
complete to the bay north of Santiago. ]
Your shots a be observed from there {
perfectly. at least those that fail in
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