The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-16
FLEET STOOD READY
For Days to Pitch Shells Into
Santiago.
THERE WAS GREAT JOY
When News of the Surrender
Was Wig-Wagged.

! ed by American forcces on land and sea
disheartened by past defeats and without
hope of victory, General Toral yielded his
| city TO save mis- people.
With the final stroke OF the Spanish
! generals pen the only stronghold in the
province of Santiago has fallen and the
power Of Spain in eastern Cuba is crushed.
What the terms Of the surrender are
| is not yet known. They may De made
| public when General lies returns from the
! front tonight Thursday and they may
| be suppressed for days.
| On board the flagship New York 1t is be-
! lieved that the surrendered Spanish Off
GERS will be permitted 10 retain their side
! arms and that the Spanish army will be
! given safe convoy to Spain Admiral
| Sampson has not yet been informed Of the
details of the capitulation.
The end came swiftly and Unexpectedly.
The Santiago campaign with its deeds of
splendid daring and dark with the record
of slaughter had ben believed by many
men high in rank, to have only just be-
gun. The refusal of the Spanish to sur
render had been so emphatic and so recent
that both the army and navy mad for
saken the idea of victory without further
bloodshed and noon today had been set
for the final desperate assault upon the
stubborn defenses of the city. That its
Notifications were strong and that its
forces were brave all knew, and had been
looked forward to as likely to be the
bloodiest in the history of the campaign
and when soon after 2 clock this after
noon, Admiral Sampson received by signal
the news that General Toral had surren-
dered, the admiral and his officers scar
cely credited the story.
Whether MORO Castle and the batteries
above the flarbor will also surrender is,
at o'clock this afternoon, a matter of
conjecture. At this hour he Spanish flag
sill floats above Moro andth e Spanish
forces still cluster about theeart hworks
and batteries.
VIII the American army conrolling San
tiago, however, further resistance by the
harbor batteries would be absurd and
their surrender undoubtedly win quickly
follow General Skaters occupation of the
town, If indeed, the sea front Notifications
and all oilers are not includedinthe citys
population.
When General Toral on Monday last re
fused absolutely to consider the terms OF
unconditional surrender, and when Gen
eral Shafter announced negotiations at
an end 1t was believed that the taking
of he city without furher fghing was an
impossibiliy. The artillery of the federal
forces was ordered to be rushed to the
front, the investing line was extended to
them in the own completely and every pre-
paration was made for the final assault.
ington, however, General Shafter again
proposed surrender yesterday, and at
conference at which General Miles and
General Toral were present, it was pro-
posed to allow the Spanish officers to re-
tain their side arms, and the American
commander offered to send the defeated
army to Spain, under convoy and on
parole
The story of the conference has al
ready been told. General Torals announ-
cement that the matter would have to be
referred to the government convinced the
majority of the officers at headquarters
that nothing further would come of the
negotiations, and an order was issued to
prepare for a general attack at noon today
which hour the extended armistic expired.
The men at the front made every pre-
paration for battle, the fleet gathered
around the little bay of Aguadores, ready
to hurl shells over the hill and into the
city, and the combined army and navy
forces qutely and grimly awaited the
word of General Miles.
But while all these preparations were
going forward. General Shafter and Cen
eraI Miles were still hard a work in an
a. SIamprb+ or which
must follow an attack.
The telephone and telegraph wires from
the front to Juragua were burdened all
the forenoon with messages to and from
Washington and General Toral was busy
in communicating with tther Captain
Blanco or with the government at Mad
rid.
At about II o'clock General Miles sent
an aid de camp from Juragua to Rear
Admiral Sampson telling him that the
chances for a surrender were good and
no shots must he fired from the fleet with
out definite orders from the shore.
As the hour of noon approached the New
ork ran close in shore at Aguadores and
took up a position i readiness for the ex-
pected bombardment Of the city. The
Brooklyn ranged in the rear of the New
York and the other vessels took up posi-
tons previously assigned to them. The
swift little Hist steamed down 70 Ju7agua
to await word from General Miles.
Noon came and although the expected
call - quarters was not issued the men
fingered anxiously close 70 their places
eager 10 begin the work Of the lombard /
ment.
From the bridges Of the warships the
officers trained their glasses alternately (
on the signal station ashore and on the !
fleet OF transports off Juragua- behind I
which the Hist had disappeared.
As I and o'clock passed without an
order to begin bombardment the excite Z
ment among the officers, who knew the I
significance Of the delay. became intense. (
L was a few minutes after o'clock 4
when the Hist pushed her way from be- /
hind The anchored transports and started 4
on the short run from Juragua TO Aqua /.
dores. Rolling and pitching in the rough
sea, the gallant little yacht dashed for /
the flagship, signalling as she pressed or (
ward.
TIE oat;Ieshjp Oregon was the last in I
lire and me signal the enemy has sur f
rendered was first made out from the +
bridge q Captain CIark's ship. A cheer
burst from the officers on re after deck .
and it vas echoed by the men clustered .
forward.
At almost the same instant tfe other 4
shins n the feet caught the slome1tous F.
meaning Of he bright colored signal flags 1
which flashed az the Hist's swaying mast
mead and a great cheer from a host % 4
American throats swept through the 4
American squadron trom ship 70 ship.