Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-09-15

he Cnen SAID Indt ne was waiting to
hear from his government and was in,
formed by Miles that he already had
taken much time for that purpose and
would be given until daylight the fol-
lowing morning to submit his final
answer. He begged for longer
time; earnestly requested until Il the
next day. This was finally granted
by Miles and the meeting dissolved
and the officers separated. On return
ing from this conference this dispatch
was received by Miles from Washing
ton:
Washington, July IS, 1S98.-You
may accept surrender by granting
parole to the officers and men, the Of
ficers retaining their side arms; the
officers and men after parole to be
permitted to return to Spain, the
United States assisting. If this is not
accepted, then assault, unless in your
judgment, an assault would fail. Con-
suit with Sampson and pursue such
course as to the assault as you joint
ly agree upon. The matter should be
settled promptly. -Alger,
" Secretary Of War
This does not look as if Miles was
there as visitor. He was charged
with the responsibility of ordering an
assault upon the entertainments and
position of the army, which, if sue
cessful, would save at least 5000
lives; or Of Withholding the assault if
in his judgment such an assault would
fail. No greater discretion was ever
given any general commanding an
army, and what is more, as will be
observed, he was authorized to &C
cept the surrender which in the in
terest of his subordinates he gener-
ously declined to do, but went away
leaving all the honor to the next in
rank, Shafter.
ON the morning succeeding the first
interview, letter was received from
Toral of which the following is a lit
eral translation: Santiago de Cuba.
July 14.-General-in-c chief of the army
Of the island of Cuba, telegraphed
from Havana yesterday at D. m. as
follows: Believing that the business
Of such Importance as the capitulation
of that place ought to be known and
decided upon by the government of
his majesty, [ give you notice that l
have sent the conditions of your tel
egram asking an immediate answer
and enabling you also to show this 10
the general of the American army, if
he will agree to wait, but the answer
cannot be received by the time which
he has decided, as communication by
way Of Bermuda is more slowly re-
ceived than by Key West. Meanwhile
your honor and general Of the Amer
lean army will decide upon the capitu-
lation and the returning of your men
to Spain" | have the honor to trans
nit this to you that in case you may
consider the foregoing satisfactory
that he may designate persons in rep
resentation of himself who, with those
in my name, may agree to the clauses
of capitulation upon a basis of our
returning to Spain. Awaiting your
reply, l am very respectfully yours,
&c Jose Toral, ETC.
cat the meeting the following day,
Toral stated that he was prepared to
surrender with the approval Of the
captain general of Cuba, but would
REQUIRE a little more time to have his
acts confirmed by the home govern
ment and that in the meantime he
was prepared to appoint commission
ers to arrange the clauses of cap1tula-
ton. Not only this, he offered to sur
reader the balance of his command,
which had not been under fire during
the campaign His offer Was a sur
prise to the American generals. How
ever. at the conference of the day
previous, Miles had reminded him
that he had been rendered the most
liberal terms ever offered to an Ell
envy. that his flee. was destroyed and
that they were 5000 miles from home.
ToraFs offer could be accounted for
in one of two ways, either that the
troops were wanted at home to meet
thr5 atened revolution, or wanted to
get home at the expense of the United
States. Whether Blanco and the
rest Of the Spanish forces in Cuba
would surrender on the same terms
is not known and perhaps will never
be known.
The place of landing the Porto
Rican expedition had been so thor
oughly advert .sed in communications
sent over the French cable and in
newspapers of our own country, and
telegraphed to Madrid and from there
to San Juan. that not having received
the necessary appliances with which
to dis9mbark, Miles decided after
leaving the windward passage, to
change his course and land on the
south side Of Porto Rico, where the
Spaniards were least prepared and
least expected to receive him and
where he knew the Decentralization
of the troops and supplies would be
most easily effected. From the time
of that Decentralization during the
following nineteen days of the cam
paign, he kept the Spaniards guess
ing what his next move would be.
The Spaniards, on the great military
road between Ponce and San Juan,
destroyed bridges, INSTRUCTED the
roads and fortified strong positions
in the mountain passes. They were
then surprised that one column Of
Miles army was sweeping around the
west end of the island, capturing the
principal cities and towns, while an
other passed over the mountains over
trail which the Spaniards sup
posed was impossible and therefore