Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-23

them to the American navy, against a
| receipt.
At u o'clock, l ordered a force to fire
on the village of San Vicente, which the
Spanish abandoned. retreating toward
Ell Cristo, and they also abandoned Des
Bocas. on the railroad line of San Luiz.
On the night of the Sd. by the road of FL
Cobro, a column of the enemy, 5000
strong, entered the city under Col. Esca-
rio, having left Manzanillo on the 22d of
June
From Bairo to Palma, that column was
| attacked by the forces OF General Es-
trada, suffering heavy losses, the dead
having been left strewn by the road. With
that column Lieut.. Col. Lora fought, aid
ed by the cavalry of the division of Bay
amo, and also my escort of cavalry, I'M
der Lieut.. Col. Poey. Col Escario recov
cred somewhat at Palma. where ne left
his wounded. and from there in zig-ZaS
he arrived in Santiago de Cuba by the
Cobrero road, having sustained some
firing.
| Perhaps the entry of this main column
| iptoE the city might have been prevented
had been able to meet it with my forces.
but in that case l would have been
obliged to have abandoned my position
on the right flapk of the American army.
| On the lth, l received an official mes
sage that the enemy had uated the
town of Ell Cobere and the Forts Barto-
len Manterola, Coleto and San Miguel.
| After y O'Clock firing was suspended to
allow Gen. Shafter to parley with the
Spanish. AS a result of this, the Spanish
governor permitted all the families to
leave the city for fear of a bOmbardment
by the Americans All the families took
refuge in the houses and streets of Gu
bitas and Ell Caney
| On the 7th, Gen. Estrada Incorporate
cd his forces of 700 men with the be-
sieging army. On this day also some
| American regiments arrived from the
| United States. My forces continuing
to gain positions on the right flank, re-
ducing the circle around the city
On the Sth, the armistice discontinue
ing, the army asked permission to
| evacuate the city and retire to Hoi-
gum. Gen. bshafter replied that he
would submit the proposition to his
government. 1 pointed out to Gen.
Shafter the unwisdom of allowing
evacuation in that form. l had reliable
information from Holguin that a
strong force under Gen. Haria. about
5000 to 1000 men was ready to come to
the assistance of Santiago de Cuba.
In the view of this ! covered all the
roads approaching our rear guard to
prevent the enemy realizing their
| plans, and also to prevent those who
were basieged from making sortie to
reach Holguin. 1 reinforced all that
part of my line at points where they
| might make the break. At the same
| time l repeated the order that the
forces of Camaguaya. which were in
the east, and two divisions of Holguin,
should so place themselves as to cut
off Narari. ~
On the 10th I advanced my right
flank to completely close the circle, and
as at 10 o'clock, the armistice came to
an end, / ordered my forces to execute
a flank movement that the enemy
might think l intended to surround
their position and trenches of Des
| Gaines, and compel them to give them
UP. The operation gave good results.
The enemy in great haste abandoned
the villages of Des Gaines and Ell
Cobre and all the forts and trenches on
this side of Jarago.
i With this evolution the circle was
completed, the west of the city being
occupied by the forces of the division
of Cuba as far as the shores of the
bay. including the cemetery.
AS the government of the United
States did not accept the proposition
OF the Spaniards to evacuate the city
and retire to Holguin, Gen. Shafter
notified Gen. Toral that if the city did
not surrender by 5 O'Clock he would
: fire upon 1t. The Spaniards not CIV
ing in at 8 o'clock tremendous firing
of rifles and guns burst against the
city from all the American line and
part of the Cuban line. At the same
. time the navy commenced to lombard
the city from the coast up to twilight,
when firing was suspended. M
On the 18th, the firing and bombardment
| continued until 3 A. NJ, at which time
another armistice was concluded the en-
envy taking advantage of this TO make
some defences and place cannons the
| Americans to place their batteries jus,