The record-union., 1898-12-03
WeinsfOck Lubin e Co, 4OO4I2 Street SaCran1enfO

gram of the 9Th regard to evacuation Of
Spanish troops received. My position - Is
enemy may bring against me, but have
| not yet enough troops to entirely sur
round the town: The Cuban forces are
not to be depended upon for severe fight
ing. Instructions forwarded will be car
- "SHAFTER, Major General
On the 10th Shafter telegraphed that
his offer had been declined; he would
begin to lombard Santiago at O'Clock
that day, but thRn Secretary authorized
him to promise toIreturn the Spaniards
to Spain if they surrendered uncondi-
tionally. aa
A good deal of telegraphic corre-
spondence occurs at this point to and
from. touching the terms of surrender,
but the facts already have been pretty
thoroughly published.
| TERMS ON WHICH SURRENDER
WOULD BE ACCEPTED.
In the midst of them is one from Gem
eral Miles from the camp near Santi-
ago. July 18th, in which he advises with
Shafter and the Major Generals, that
discretion be granted as to terms or
surrender He refers to the Spanish
offer to surrender Santiago province,
force. batteries, munitions of war, etc.,
all except the men and small arms.
General Miles says that under ordinary
circumstances he would not advise ac-
ceptance, but to avoid the assault, and
in view Of the fact that there were 100
cases of yellow fever in the command,
he concurs with Shafter. The response
came as follows:
washington, July 18th: Major. General
Miles, Camp near Santiago Fiaya dei
Este, Cuba: You may accept suTrendsr
the officers retaining their side arms, the
officers and men after parole to be per,
mitted to return to Spain. the. United
assault. unless, in your Judgment. All as
sault would fail Consult with Sampson,
and pursue such course as to the assault
now be settled promptly.
r. A. ALGER. Secretary Of War"
On July 18th Secretary Alger wrote
to the Secretary of the Navy requesting
that he order the fleet off Santiago at
once to force tis way into the bay, II
possible. The reasons set out are that
the heavy rains have made the roads
nearly impossible for supplies for the
troops, and filled the trenches and en-
danger the lives Of the men. Also the
enemy,s works were Of such character
as to involve a terrible sacrifice Of life
were an attempt made to assault them.
Secretary Long responded in mere
acknowledgements of receipt of the COM
munication.
More correspondence by telegraph
relative to the surrender is injected at
this point by the Secretary regarding,
General Miles announcement of the
surrender on July 18th, with the un-
derstanding that the Spanish troops
would be returned to Spain, and an
nouncing his arrangements for the dis
position of the sick soldiers.
The Secretary's next telegram was
addressed to General Shafter on the
following day, and read:
THE SURRENDER ABSOLUTE.
Have you demanded the absolute
surrender of the enemy? We are wait
ing the conditions with impatience.'
Skaters response was that Miles re-
garded the surrender as absolute and
the matter would be settled by Conn
missioners that day, the 10th.
There was telegraphic exchange re-
garding the Spanish arms. The Secre-
tary said no proposition could be enter
tained to permit them to carry of their
arms, and Shafter replied that the arms
were surrendered, subject to our dispo-
sition. He regarded it as small mat
| ter. but one which he would not let
stand between clearing 10000 Spanish
soldiers out Of Cuba, or leaving them
there to be captured later, and probably
with much loss to ourselves. -