The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-23
A SPANISH TRIBUTE
To the Valor Of American Soldiers
in Cuba.
vANQUIsHED EXTOL VIoTORs.
Eleven Thousand of the Prisoners
Taken at santiago Unite in an Ad-
dress OF Thanks and Praise to Con
eral Shafter and His Heroes.

Eleven Thousand of the Prisoners
Taken at Santiago Unite in an Ad-
dress OF Thanks and Praise to Con
eral shnfter and His Heroes.
Washington, Aug. 23.-A document
entirely unique in the annals Of war;
fare was cabled last night to the war
department by General Shafter. 1t Is
in the form of congratulatory fare
we'll address issued to the soldiers Of
the American army by Pedro Lopez
De Castillo, a private Spanish soldier,
on behalf of 1000 Spanish soldiers. No
similar document perhaps was ever be-
fore issued to a victorious army by
vanquished enemy. The president was
most impressed by the address, and
after reading 1t carefully authorized Its
publication. Following Is the text Of
the address, which Is addressed to Gem
eral Shafter:
"Sir: The Spanish soldiers who capi-
tulated in this place on the 10th of July
last, recognizing your high and Just po-
sition, pray that through you all the
courageous and noble soldiers under
your command may receive our good
wishes and farewell which we send
them on embarking for our beloved
Spain. For this favor. which we have
no doubt you will grant. you will gain
the everlasting gratitude and consider
alton of 1000 Spanish soldiers who are
your most humble servants
Also the following letter addressed to
the soldiers of the American army:
"We would not be fulfilling our duty
wall kpV In xttI,r IN.
there live gratitude and courtesy.
should we embark for our beloved
Spain without sending to you our most
cordial and sincere good wishes and
farewell We fought you with ardor,
with all our strength. endeavoring to
gain the victory, but without the
slightest raDcor or hate toy ards the
American nation. We have been van
quished by you ESQ our generals and
chiefs judged in signing the cap;tilla-
tiOn). but our surrender and tire bloody
battles preceding 1t have left In our
souls no place for resentment against
the men who fought us nobly and val
iantly. You fought and acted in COM
pliance with the same call of duty as
we, for we all but represent the power
Of our respective states.
you fought US as men, face to face,
and with great courage, as before
stated a quality which we had not
met with during the three years we
have carried on this war against a
people without religion without morals.
without conscience and of doubtful
origin. who could not confront the
enemy, but hidden, shot their noble
pl, hap ;,,-
medately fled. This was the kind of
warfare we had to sustain in this un-
fortunate land. You have complied ex-
acty with all the laws and usuages of
war as recognized by the armies of the
most civilized nations of the world
have given honorable burial to the
dead of the vanquished: have cured
their wounded with great humanity;
have respected and cared for your
prisoners and their comfort. and, lastly,
to us, whose condition was terrible
you have given freely of food, of your
stock of medicines and you have
honored us with distinction and cour-
tesy. for after the fighting the two
armies mingled with the utmost har-
lnuny.
with this high sentiment OF ap-
probation from us all, there remains
but to express our farewell. and with
the greatest sincerity we wish you all
happiness and health In this land which
will no longer belong to our dear Spain,
but will be yours who have conquered
it by force and watered it with your
blood, as your conscience called for.
under the demand of civilization and !
humanity. But the descendants Of the I
Congo and of Guinea, mingled with the !
blood of unscrupulouy spaniards ana I
of traders and adventurers, are not |
able to exercise or enjoy their liberty. |
for they will find 1t a burden to comply |
with the laws which govern civilized
communities"