The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-01

of July .. There would havr been ~
much reason for mentioning the navy
In the report of the land action Of ny
!. when assault was made by our army
on the Spanish lines
No mention was made Of the ship
ping in the capitulation. and Captain
Chadwick informed General S0after
that all Spanish ships would be re-
garded by US as property to be t9rned
over to the navy. He said he wpuId
refer such matters to the secretary OF
war. but that. Of course. had no bear
ing upon what considered my duty in
the matter. particularly In view Of 6or
late experience OF Spanish per6dy tn
regard to injury to ships. which. In mH
opinion. made IL necessary to look after
their safety at once. I thus. after the
hauling down OF the Spanish nag. sent
prize crews on board the gunboat Al
varado and to the five merchant steam
ers in the harbor. An oflicer Of the
army was found on board the Afvara>
do. who stated he had been sent 20
take charge of her. whereupon ad>
dressed the following letter to General
shafter:
Upon sending an omIcer to take
boat. the Alvarado. It was found that
one Of your officers was on board. evil
IDENTIFY with the expectation OF taking
her in charge. 1t should hardly BE-
necessary to remind you that IN all
joint operations of the character OF
those which have resulted In The fao
Of Santiago. all floating material 10
turned over to the navy. as all forts.
etc. go to the army. l have been lying
within 500 yards of the Morro. from
which the Spanish flag was hauled
down at 3 o'clock and upon which The
United States nag has not been hoiste0-
Although my forces have frequent
lX hA
not exchanged a shot with them. I
await the arrival of a detachment OF
your troops to take possession, ~ they
must eventually occupy them. ] expect
the same consideration
~ request that you will relieve
Lieutenant Caruthers OF the duty give
en- him. rs 1 have directed Lieutenant
Marble to assume command of the Al
varado.'"
After quoting some further corre-
spondence on the matter in which
Sampson claims the prizes. he refers to
the expulsion Of Lieutenant Doyle from
captured vessels and the failure Of
officers to be present at the surrenders
adds:
This. OF course. may have been .
mere oversight. but II Ia. OF course. to
be regretted that any such thing took
place. Had the navy been Withdrawn
after the action of the 3rd. after which
all the fleets operations were to aid the
army. all the shipping referred to
would have escaped and our army be-
came the besieged instead OF the be-
siegers. as Of course the Reina Mercedes
and the gunboat Alvarado would have
been free TO destroy or drive on the
transport fleet. I do not think the COM
manding general appreciates how nee
essary a part Of our forces were to the
reduction OF Santiago and the surrender
OF it's garrison In any case independent-
ly Of the effect OF our shelling. which
latter WAS undoubtedly one oe the prin-
cipal causes OF the surrender ut this
time"
Skaters rejoinder came ON Aug. ].
He declined to acknowIedge the nghts
claimed by Admiral sampson and
stated that as the terms Of surrender
were only signed by the commission ap-
pointed by him and not by himself nor
General Torai he should protest against
Admiral SIMPSONS signing them
Sampson cites q number OF telegrams
to show that Shafter had the assistance
OF the fleet In bringing about the sur
render