The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-16
How News Of the Surrender Was
Received.
WERE READY TO lombard
GEN. TORAL SURRENDERED
JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME.
Fleet Was Drawn Up, Awaiting the
Signal to Commence Firing-Ex-
element and Suspense While the
Negotiations Were Proceeding
The Spaniards' Defense.

Off Aguadores. July 14.-Santiago de
Cuba was surrendered today. Menaced
by American forces on land and sea-
disheartened by past defeats. and
without hope of victory, General Toral
welded his city to save his 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
We're is not yet known. They may be
made public when General Miles re-
turns from the front tonight and they
may be suppressed for days.
On board the flagship New York it is
believed that the surrendered Span
ish officers will be permitted to 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 capitu-
lation. The end came swiftly and I'M
expectedly. The Santiago campaign,
bright with it's deeds of splendid dar-
ing and dark with the record of
slaughter, had been believed by many
men high in rank, to have only just
begun The refusal of the Spanish to
surrender had been so emphatic and so
recent, that both army and navy had
forsaken the idea of victory without
further bloodshed, and noon today
had been set for the final desperate as
sault upon the stubborn defenses of the
city. That its Notifications were strong
and that its forces were brave all
knew and today has been looked for
ward to as likely to be the bloodiest
in the history of the campaign, and,
when soon after O'clock this after
noon Admiral Sampson received by
signal the news that General Toral
had surrendered, the admiral and his
officers scarcely credited the story.
HARBOR BATTERIES.
Whether Moro castle and the bat
teries above the harbor will also sur
render is. at 8 o'clock this afternoon, a
matter of conjecture. At that hour the
Spanish flag still fioated above MORO
and the Spanish forces still clustered
about the earthworks and batteries.
With the American army controlling
Santiago. however, further resistance
by the harbor batteries would be alb
surd. and their surrender undoubtedly
will quickly follow General Skaters
occupation of the town. if indeed the
sea front Notifications and all others
are not included in the city's capitu-
lation.
When General Toral on Monday last
refused absolutely to consider the
terms of unconditional surrender, and
when General Shafter announced ne
gotiatiOns at an end 1t was believed
that the taking of the city without
further fighting was an impossibility.
The artillery of the American forces
was ordered to be rushed to the front.
the investing line was extended to hem
in TIE town completely. and every pre-
partition was made for the final as
sault.
Acting under instructions. from
Washington. however. General Shafter
again proposed surrender yesterday
and at conference at which General
Miles and General Toral were present,
1t was proposed to allow the Spanish
officers to retain their side arms and
the American commander offered to
send the defeated army to Spain under
convoy and 'pn parole.
ORDERS FOR ATTACK.
The story of the conference has al
ready been told. General ToraPs an
nouncement that the matter would
have 10 be submitted to his govern
ment convinced the officers that moth
ing further would come of the negotia-
lions, and orders were issued for a
general attack at noon, at which hour
the armistice expired. The men at the
front made every preparation for bat
tie, 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
quietly awaited the word of General
Miles.
But while all these preparations were
going forward General Shafter and
General Miles were still hard at work
in an attempt to avoid the slaughter
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 either
Captain General Blanco or with the
at Madrid
AT about II o'clock General Miles sent
an aid-de-camp from Juragua to Rear
Sampson, telling him the
chances for a surrender were good.
and that no shots must be fired from
the fleet without definite orders from
the Shore
As the hour of noon approached the
New York ran close inshore at Aqua
dores and took up a position in readi-
ness for the expected bombardment of
the hidden city. The Brooklyn ranged
in the rear of the New York and other
vessels took up positions, previously
assigned to them. The swift little Hist
down to Juragua to await |
word from General Miles.
: Noon came, and although the expect |
ed call to quarters was not issued the |
men fingered anXiously, close to their |
places, eager to begin the lombard |
nent. From the bridges of the war |
ships the officers trained their glasses
on the signal station ashore /
md on the fleet of transports off Ju- |
aqua, behind which the Hist had dis
appeared.
AS 1 o'clock and o'clock passed |
without an order to begin lombard |
nent, the excitement among the off |
.ers who knew the significance of the
ielay became intense.
1t was a few minutes after o'clock
when the Hist pushed her way from |
behind the anchored transports and
started on the short run from Juragua
o Aguadores. Rolling and pitching in
he rough sea the gallant little yacht
lashed for the flagship, signaling as
he pressed onward