Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-16
LATTER SOUGHT TO TEMP0RIzE
KEPT INSISTING THAT HE HAD No
AUTHORITY TO SURRENDER.
Shafter Told Him That Immediate
BOmbardment Was the Aiterna-
tive and He TOed the Mark
-GeneraI Miles Had No
Part in 1t.
Copyright. 1855. by the Associated Press1


WITH THE UNITED STATES TROOPS
BEFORE SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July Il.
p. m.-The reverse 10 the Spanish arms
in Eastern Cuba is complete. Santiago
has fallen, and with it all the eastern end
of the island. General ioral, the Spanish
commander agreed 10 the general terms
of the surrender at a personal interview
with General Shafter this afternoon, at
which General Miles was present.
The victorious American army, after a
campaign of three weeks OF almost I'M
precedented hardships for both officers and
men, accept the news with heartfelt re-
lief
= The victory is greater than appeared at
first. All the Spanish troops in the Fourth
corps, the military division of Santiago
province, from a line drawn north from
Asseradores, eighteen miles west of San
tiago, through Los Palmas. Palmas Sor-
ian, Alcantaza to Sagua de Tanamo, on
the north coast, and eastward to Cape
Maysi. are surrendered and the territory is
abandoned. Between 1900 and 2n0e Span
ism prisoners are taken, about 10000 of
whom are in Santiago. The remainder are
at Guantanamo, and others are garrisoned
in the towns of Eastern Cuba. All these
troops are TO be embarked and sent back
10 Spain under parole.
General Shsfter bears his honors mod
estly. To a correspondent of the Associat-
ed Press he said: THE enemy has sur
rendered all the territory and troops east
Of Santiago. The terms were dictated from
Washington. 1t has been a hard cam
paign. one of the hardest / ever saw. The
difficulties to contend with were very
great. Never during our civil war &ere
more difficult problems solved. The char
acter of the country and the reads made il
seem almost impossible to advance in the
face of the enemy. The transportation
problem was hard. bu: all the difficulties
have been successfully surmounted. Our
troops have behaved gallantly. They
fought like heroes. and / am proud to
have commanded them. During all the
hardships they have suffered, they have
shown resolution and spirit. They deserve
10 conquer.
The resistance of the enemy has been
exceedingly stubborn. General ToraI has
proved himself. a foeman worthy of any
mans steel -
The negotiations which eliminated In
the surrender of General Toral have been
dragging on for ten days with the in
ternission of Sunday and. Monday. when
our batteries and fleet bombarded the
enemy's position. Throughout these peri
DDS of truce, General ToraI has shrewdly
fallen back. when hard pressed. upon the
statement that he was simply a subordi.
nate and .peweriesss to agree to the pro-
posals without the sanction of. his super.
iors, except under penalty of being court.
martialed. AT the same time he seemed
to- intimate that. personally. be though,
it useless to hold out any longer. But he
and his garrison were soldiers. he said
and could die, if necessary, obeying or.
ders.''
1t was at the personal interview held By
General Ehafter with General Torai yester
day that the American general made tn,
Spanish commander understand that tenn
porizing must cease and that before moor
to-day categorical affirmation to his Offer
must be received. or the bombardment o.
the city would begin in earnest.
In the meantime, all our plans had beer
perfected. The delay had been utilized I,
good advantage. Our lines had been ex
tended until Santiago was nearly surround
ed and our light batteries had been s,
posted as TO be able TO do more effectiv;
work. -,.=.
In addition. arrangements had been mad,
TO land troops at Cabahas, west of the en-
trance of the harbor of Santiago. Til,
SPANS batteries opposite Norro castle wer
TO be bombarded and stormed. their gun
were then to be turned upon the city an,
General Lawton's division. at the sa-,
time, was TO fall on the enemy's left flank
under. the cover of our artillery fire. w.
could then have cnfiladed their lines an,
have driven them into the city.
General Torai must have realized that h
was trapped. and that to hold out longe
mist mean useless sacrifice of his men
but he made one last effort to gain NOR
time this morning. While nominally yield
ing TO the terms General Shafter proposed
before O'Clock he sent communication
to General Shafter inclosinG copy Of
telegram from Captain General Blanco ex
planning that the surrender of such i'm
portant position As Santiago and the aban
donment of Eastern Cuba would requir
the direct sanction of the Madrid govern
ment, und requesting more time, to hea
from Madrid. At the eame time. Captai