The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-21
DRAMATIC FEATURES OF THE WAR.

The present war is an unusually dramatic
one in the striking contrasts and sensa-
tional or spectacular incidents it has fur
nished. In a sense all wars are dramatic
in that they consist largely Of exciting in
cidents, and an accurate picture of any bat
tie would be spectacular. but. by COMPARE
son with other wars, this one appears ex-
ceptionally so. The first important incident
of the war, the destruction of the Spanish
fleet at Manila, had every feature of the
dramatic in its suddenness, unexpectedness
and completeness, to which were added re-
moteness and degree of mystery that
added intensity of interest to an event his
torically important in itself. No military or
naval event of recent times has excited as
much comment as the startling and bril-
liant exploit of Admiral Dewey in waters
which American war ships had never en-
tered before, except on pleasure cruise.
Following soon after this came the mys-
FERROUS sailing Of the Cape Verde fleet, UNI
der sealed orders, for some unknown desti-
nation, its disappearance for two weeks in
midocean, its sudden temperance in West
Indian waters, it's hide-and-seek cruise
there, and it's final bottling up in the harbor
of Santiago Every day of this period was
one of suspense, varied with almost daily
surprises. The blockade of Santiago, diver
sified with frequent bombardments of the
shore batteries, and the landing of our
troops and the advance on the city, was
period of continual excitement. The at
tempted escape of Cervera's fleet and it's
complete destruction presented every ele-
ment of modern naval warfare in it's most
exciting form. Foreign observers who wit
messed the chase and battle say it was the
most exciting sea fight they ever witnessed.
Almost Immediately after this came the sur
render of Santiago, the dramatic qualities
of which have seldom been eQualed in his
tory. 1t was strange commingling Of the
medieval with the modern of the old world
with the new. The scene was such as Ma
caulay would have loved to describe. The
contrast between the old and the new civili
cations, between dying Spain and young
America. between Spanish pride and Anglo
Saxon common sense, between the anti
quated architecture of the old capital of
Cuba and the white tents of the American
invaders, between the disgraced and dis
credited flag that was being hauled down
and the emblem of progress that was TAX
ing its place, while the Spanish commander,
a proud descendant of Castilian blood,
handed his sword to major general of
American volunteers, who was born and
brought up a farm in Michigan, with
bugles blowing, men cheering and guns fir
ing salutes-all this made scene such dis
only the great English historian could de-
scribe and which he would have fifty en-
balmed in history.
These are some of the great events of the
war thus far, to be followed soon by others.
That they have been unusually dramatic
all must admit. In the same category his
tory will class Captain Evans's polite re-
fusal to accept Admiral Cerveras sword,
Captain Phillips order to his men, Don't
cheer, those poor fellows are dying" and
the browning evidence of magnanimity in
victory afforded by the sending of the Span
ish prisoners back to Spain. All these things
combine to give the war peculiarly dra-
matte aspect. ...~