Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-08-27
CONGRATULATORY FAREWELL.

C0NGRATULATORY FAREWELL.
Spanish Soldiers Send Remarkable Ad-
dresses to the Americans.
A document entirely unique in the
annals of warfare, was cabled to the
war department last Monday by Cen
eral Shafter. 1t is in the form Of a
congratulatory farewell address issued
to the soldiers of the American army
by Pedro Lopez de Castillo, private
Spanish soldier, on behalf of 1000
Spanish soldiers. No similar docu-
ment was perhaps issued before to
victorious army by a vanquished
enemy.
The president was much impressed
by the address, and after reading it
carefully, authorized its publication.
Following is the text of the address
as cabled by General Shafter:
SANTIAGO, August %, 1S9S-11.17
P. NH. G. Corbin, Adjutant Gener-
al, Washington The following letter
has just been received from the soldiers
now embarking for Spain:
To Major General Shafter, Command
ing the American Army in Cuba.
|, S1R-The Spanish soldiers who ca
pitulated in this place on the 18th of
July last, recognizing your high and
just position, 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 be-
loved Spain. For this favor, which
we have no doubt you will grant, you
will gain the everlasting gratitude and
consideration of 1000 Spanish SOL
diers, who are your most humble
servants.
PEDRO LOPEZ DE CASTILLO,
Private of Infantry.
Also the following letter addressed
to the soldiers of the American army:
Soldiers of the American Army:
We would not be fulfilling our duty as
well-born men, in whose breasts 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 VIC
tory, but without the slightest rancor
of hate toward the Americans; we
have been vanquished by you $50 our
generals and chiefs judged, signing the
capitulation). but our surrender and
the bloody battles preceding it have
left in our souls no place for resent
ment against the men who fought 80
nobly and valiantly. You fought and
acted in compliance 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 NOR
ais, without conscience and of doubt
ful origin, who could not confront the
enemy, but hidden, shot their noble
victims from ambush and then imme-
diately fed. This was the kind of
warfare We had to sustain in this un-
fortunate land. You have complied
exactly with all the laws and usa-
ges of war as recognized by the
armies of the most civilized nations
of the world have given honor
able burial to the dead and the van
quished; have cured their wounded
with great humanity; have respected
and cared for your prisoners and their
comfort, and, lastly, to US, whose con"
dition was terrible, you have freely
given of your stock of medicines, and
YOU have honored us with distinction
and courtesy, for, after fighting, the
two armies mingled with the utmost
harmony. With this high sentiment
of appreciation from us all, there re-
mains but to express our farewell, and
with 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 by force and watered
it with your blood, as your conscience
called for, under the demand Of civil
izstion and humanity but the descen-
dants of the Congo and of Guinea
mingled with the blood of unscrupu-
lous Spaniards and of traitors and ad-
venturers, these people are not able to
exercise or enjoy their liberty, for they
will find it burden to comply with
the laws which govern civilized COM
munities. From 1000 Spanish SOL
diers.
PEDRO LOPEZ DE CASTILLO,
Soldier of Infantry.
Santiago de Cuba, August 81, 1898.
SLaEtor Maiar General