The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-09-15

NAMED for "a hours at stretch In the
trenches and breastwo.Ks, soaked to the
marrow, with no earthly shelter or pro-
| lection possible for the unfortunate SOL
diers, who eat nothing but rice and can't
even change or dry their clothes. The great
loss among our officers, either dead, wound
ed. sick or disappeared, deprive our men of
| the necessary direction and command at
critical moments. Under such conditions
| it would be impossible TO attempt to break
| through the enemys ranks, as one-third of
orr men are too feeble to walk and would
| have to be left behind, while the rest would
be decimated and routed by the superior
| forces of the enemy. The result OF such
an attempt would be a wholesale slaughter
and a national disaster, which would ut
terly fail in the object desired by your ex-
cellency which is the salvation of eleven
| thinned and impoverished battal!ons. In
order to attempt sorte under the protec-
ton Of the Holguin division. 1t is in the
| first place necessary for those forces to
break through the enemy's ranks and rein
force ours before we could move. On the
other hand, the Hoguin forces would have
ahead of them eight days forced march and
would have to bring great quantity of
commissary supplies and rations, which ii
would be impossible for them to do. AL
together the gravity of the situation is
appalling. The surrender of the town is
inevitable: a prolonged resistance would
simply mean a protraction of our death
agony. The sacrifices would be sterile and
fruitless. The enemy appreciates our po-
stion perfectly and with lines circumvent-
ed ard walled in as securely as they are. he
is able to drain and wipe out our forces
without exposing his own, as he did yes
terday, cannonading US at vertical fire,
while we could not see nor make out his
batteries. Moreover, his navy has our
range down to so fine point that his ships
can lombard the town by sections with
mathematical precision.
Santiago de Cuba is not Geron, which
was defended inch by inch to the last drop
of blood by women and children. by the
old and by the feeble, all moved by the
sacred spirit, by independence and ami
mated and encouraged by the price Of re-
lief, which they actually did receive.
Here solitude alone remains.
1.-The total population, native as well as
Spanish, has left the city. Not only have
private individuals abandoned it, but the
public officials and government employees
as WELL The clergy alone remains within
our walls, ard they, too, are preparing to
flee tomorrow with the prelate at their
head.
"Our troops are not starting today fresh
ana vigorous, full of energy and enthu-
siasm, on campaign They are men who
have struggled three long years against
climatic perls fatigue, hardships, disease
and hundreds of whom today, when called
foo bnc
are wasted away in body and soul, with NJ
earthly means or possibility Of relief. They
are fighting without spirit or nerve They
have no sacred fire, no ideal to defend for
the very properly they are called upon to
defend and protect has been abandoned be
fore their eyes by its verltable owners,
many of whom are allied to the American
forces, strengthening those ranks agans.
ourselves.
1.-THE honors of arms and Of war have
limits, and I appeal to the Judgment of the
government and whole nation as to
whether these troops have not given re-
peated illustrations of courage, valor and
devotion and whether they are to be further
sacrificed for a lost cause.
'If, for reasons of which am ignorant
their sacrifices demand It, or if some per-
son is required who will assume the re-
sponsibility for the inglorous end already
predicted in my former dispatches offer
myself to my country to assume command
of the responsibility in either case, and l
will Of necessity be alone answerable for
the surrender of this place, and my modest
reputation is Of small value compared with
the national welfare.
(SigneD 'LINARES."