The record-union., 1898-08-09
ARMY AND NAVY.
Shafter and Sampson Acted in Har-
mony in Santiago Campaign.

WASHINGTON, Aug. S.A good deal
of light is thrown upon the relations
between the army and navy during
that critical period just preceding the
surrender of Santiago by the following
extracts from Admiral Simpsons re-
port. dated July 18th, which IS now
made public by the Navy Department:
"On July 1st a demonstration was
made by a Michigan volunteer regiment
az Aguadores, under command of Cen
eral Dufficeld. The New York. Glou-
certer and Suwanee moved up at the re-
quest of the army to assist in an at
tack, which was to begin at daylight,
but the troops. which came by rail, did
not arrive until $40. The small river
San Juan cuts through deep defile and
is spanned by an iron railroad bridge
There is an ancient fort near the water
and on the hill are the small rifle pits.
Some sixteen or twenty of the enemy
had been counted while waiting for the
troops but disappeared when the ships
began firing. The troops 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. De-
stntory firing was kept up between our
troops and the Spanish, the troops re-
turning to Sibohey about 1920 o'clock
The evening of July 1st the Admiral
was advised by General Shafter that h ;
army would assault at daylight on the
I'd. and the navy was requested to keep
up fire at the batteries on the bluff.
The squadron consequently closed in
early on the morning of the I'd, and kept
up a vigorous fire two hours. but the
attack proposed by General Shafter did
not take place on that date.
One the night of July 10th, the Reina
Mercedes was sunk by the Spaniards,
so as to obstruct the ships. Extensive
shore batteries existed, and if smaller
vessels had been sunk by the mines or
batteries, the harbor would have been
effectually closed against US.
1T was essential TO the new scheme of
attack of combined forces that the po-
sition occupied by the eastern and west
ern batteries should be carried and this
was the scheme of action first proposed
by General Shafter on the day Of his
first arrival 1t was at that time ex-
planned to him that it was of primary
| choice that these points should first be
carried, as their possession insured the
! destruction of the mines, the entrance
\ of heavy ships into the harbor and the
assault on Cervera'S fleet. This was
4 heartily consented to by General Shat
/ ter, who stated that the entrance to the
/ harbor was the key to the situation.
This was repeated in his interview with
/ General Garcia at ASceraderoS.
TT 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 add
| them to the marines of the squadron,
thus making a force of nearly a thou
sand men, which might be landed either
| al the foot of the MORO in Estrela
cove, to assault the MORO, or to the
/ westward for the purpose of assaulting
/ the west battery. At the same time a
detachment of two or three thousand
men from the army would proceed by
! Aguadores. occupy the ground between
| the MORO and just to the northward
Of it.
"A visit of General Shafter was ar
| ranged. but the Admiral being i'll, his
chief of staff went instead.
THE following arrangements were
made: That a long continued bonn
bardment be made off Santiago from
the sea with the heavier guns of the
/ fleet the fleet firing slowly and con :
tinually during say twenty-four hours,
at the rate OF one shell every five min
utes, excepting one hour, at the rate of
one every two minutes. This refers to
/ the S-inch and 13-inch shells. If this be
/ not sufficient to bring the enemy to
terms. that an assault be arranged on
! the Socapa battery, using marines and
the Cuban forces under General Cebre-
co, and an effort made to enter the
harbor with some of the smaller ships
of the squadron. This attack to be
made upon knowing the result of q sec
ond demand made upon the command
| ing officer of t~ Spanish forces for the
! surrender of the place, stating to him
the conditions that surround him, de-
struction of the Spanish fleet. etc,
and the number of forces opposed TO
him. To give him time to consider the
matter the date of the hombardment
is fixed at noon of the 9th, unless he
Il positively refuses to consider it at all
I when it will begin at such time as is
! convenient to ourselves.
! General Shafter will furnish the Ad-
miral with correct maps. showing where
biS lines will ha cilrrc,,nd;nu fbo o;fxy