Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-01

Washington, June 8, 1895.
Naval Base Key West, Fla:
The expedition will proceed with
out reference to the Spaniards. Depart
ment will inform commander-in-chief
North Atlantic station and the war de-
partment of this.
Allen, Acting Secretary.
A suitable convoy was retained at Tam
pa until the transports were ready. me
army expedition finally left Tampa on the
14th, this department having rendezVoused
additional vessels off Rebecca Shoals,
where the transports arrived at p. m.
June 10, and thence proceeded to Santi-
ago.
Upon arrival of the convoy off Santiago
Admiral Sampson sent his chief of STAFF
to communicate with Gen. ShaftCr. The
chief of STAFF took with him chart of
Santiago harbor and explained to Gen.
Shafter that, in order to enable the veg
sells of the navy to enter. 1t was necessary
that the positions occupied by the eastern
and western batteries of the enemy should
be carried The possession of these points
insured the destruction of the mines. the
entrance of the naval vessels, and an at
tack upon Admiral CerVeras squadron
TO this plan Gen. Shafter gave cordial as
sent. The landing place on which he fl
nally decided was Daiquiri.
on July !, in accordance with request
from Gen. Shafter of June 30, the forts at
stra ton made at the entrance of the har-
Dor of Santiago. and on July . the batter
les ut the entrance of the harbOr were
heavily bombarded, especially the Punta
Gorda battery by the Oregon and Indiana.
Gen. Shafter replied that 1t was not pos
siblc to say when he could take the bat
teries at the harbor's mouth, ana urged
that an effort be Immediately made by
the navy to force an entrance. Admiral
Sampson wrote to Gen. Shafter that the
forts which had been bombard"d by the
squadron could not Inconvenience the AR
my i'm capturing the city as they could not
fire except to seward; that as the cham
mel to tho harbor was Strcwn with obscr-
walton mines an effort to force an en-
trance would result in the sinking of one
or more naval vessels and in closing the
entrance to the harbor; but that if 1t was
desired that the navy should attempt to
force the entrance he would at once pre-
pare to undertake 1t, although he had
hoped that an attack by the army on the
shore batteries from the rear would leave
the navy at liberty to drag the channel
for torpedocs
having been prearranged between Gen.
Shafter and Admiral Sampson. the latter
in the flagship New York, left the fleet
for Siboncy. When the flagship was about
four miles east of her blockading station,
and about seven miles from the MORO,
out of the harbor entrance. This was at
$3.50 "A. m The vessels of the blockuding
squadron We're. as usual, in their desig-
mated positions. making a semicircle ab )ut
the harbor entrance, counting from the
eastward in the following order: Indiana,
Oreeon-the New York's place being le-
tween these two-Iowa. Texas and Brook
Ign. The Massachusetts had gone that
morning to Guantanamo for coal. The
. Gloucester and Vixen lay to the eastward
and westward of the hnrbor entrance,
close to the land. The torpedo boat Fries
son was in company with the flagship.
Admiral Ccrvera's squadron came out
, of the harbor in the following order: In
,, fanta Maria Teresa. Nizcaya, CristoDal
Colon. Almirante OquendO and the torpe-
do boat destroyers Pluton and Furor. The
New York turned and steamed for the os-
Gaping fleet flying the signal to close in
toward the harbor entrance and at
tack the vessels. but our ships
had already, i'm accordance with
standing orders, mt once engaged the
!, Spanish ships with the utmost spirit and
vigor and In the course Of running tight
which continued until 1:2o p. M the lat
! ter were completely destroyed and sunk
and the famous victory, with its splendid
credit to officers and men, was won The
casualties on our side were one man kill
: cd and 10 wounded. most of them in he
drum of the car by the conclusion caused
Of any account. Admiral CerVeia. about
20 officers, and 1900 men were made pris-
oncrs. while about $50 Spaniards were Kill
ed or drowned and 100 wounded. Thcs {
! estimates are probably considerably be-
| low the actual numbers. Mary of the
' enemy wer" rescued from their SINKING
ships by oar men. The prisoners, except
tho officers, who were sent TO Annapolis
\ were brought to Portsmouth, ~ IT,, and
| kept in Camp Long. on Seavcy's Island in
he harbor of that city until they were re-
= leased. During this time they were fec
: and clothed and comfortably cared for
v There was little sickness, and the wound
! ed ard ailing soon recovered under goot
u treatment.
on July /. at night, the Spanish cruiser
Rrina Mercedes. which had lot left SAINT
u ago with IcrVcra's squadron, was seer
- stcaminE out of the harbOr. She wa'
u sunk just before reaching the narrow
u part Of the entrance channel presuma oily
: by the fire Of the Massachusetts anC
Texas The object of this manOcuver Il
II still in some doubt, but it had the effect o
; further ohstruCtinE the channel.
g on July 49, at 9Oj IA. m, Admiral Samp
son sgnalcd to Gen. Shafter:
IL AS Commander-in-C chief of the nava
y forces engaged in joint operations, | eX
= pcct to be represented in any conference
u held to arrange the terms of surrender o
C Santiago, including the surrender of tn
IS shipping and the habOr Questions are in
II volvcd of Importance to both branches o
Z the service.
@ This was replied to at 2:i0 p. IN, by Gen
% Shafter as follows:
i | shall be glad to have you represente,
l. but difficult TO let you know. ConicrcnC
Il may take place ut any hour.
: At ! IA p. m, on the 18th, Gen. Miles tel
cgraphed to Admiral sampson:
will be glad if you will send to thes
headquarters an officer TO represent yo
during negotiations for evacuation.
At 2;23 p. m, before any arrangement
! could lee made by which Admiral Samp
" son could send a representative 10 tn
Headquarters OF the army, Gen. Miles tel
ographed:
Enemy has surrendered.
on the next day, July Ii, Gen. Miles ad
vlsed Admiral sampson that the surrendc
= had not actually been concluded, and the
~ on the 10th wrote him that ut the re
y quest Of the Spanish officials delay ha
70 been granted to communicate with Mad
u rid. This letter inclosed II copy Of tn
" agreement Of capitulation.
~ Later in the day Gen. Shafter telegraph
-, ed:
ie Enemy has surrendered. viii you sen
T. some one to represent navy in the matter
~ Admiral SIMPSONS chief of STAFF arrive
= at the front at the earliest hour 1t WA
- possible for him to do so, and informe
VI Gen. Shafter of Admiral SIMPSONS eNpeo
- tation that in view of the fact that San
tiagO had surrendered In face of the join
M opcra tions of the army ana navy, he h
~ one of the slgnatorics to the agreemen
" Of capituation This Gen. Shafter decline
40 to permit.
- ODER ATI0NS or THE ri .OC< AIDE