The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-15

extreme right to see General Miles. 1t
was a notable group, gathered under
the protecting awning of General
Wheeer'S tent.
General Miles, in blue fatigue uniform,
with the double star on his shoulders,
and his campaign hat encircled by n
single strand of gold braid looking the
ideal soldier sat ON an empty ammuni-
ton box and formed the center of the
party.
On the right of General Miles sat Gen
eral Shafter, and on his left was Gen
eral Garcia. in mudspOtted white uni-
form, with heavy riding boots and jing
ling spurs. The Cuban general wore Il
large weather-wOrn Panama hat, and
at his side was silvermounted ma
chete General Garcia has II strong,
swarthy face. with Il deep bullet scar in
his forehead, in Il general way he is
not unlike Il Cuban edition of General
Miles.
General Wheeler, with grizzled beard,
: small of stature. and in a brown cam
paign uniform. faced the three officers
mentioned, while about them sat the
aides de camp of the four generals.
Assistant Naval Constructor Hobson
the hero of the Merrimac who had come
to headquarters with messages from
Rear Admiral Sampson. was also pres
ent. The situation was discussed with
the aid of profusion Of maps and ut
the conclusion of the conference. lunch
con was served. 1t consisted of beans.
hard tack and coffee. After this meal
General Miles, General Shafter and Gen
eral Garcia, with their staffs. rode off to
inspect the position on the right flank
They all agreed that General TOral was
securely wedged in, and that escape was
impossible, but owing to delays and the
incidental loss of life, which was certain
to result from an attempt to carry the
town by assault. the danger to our
troops from fever and disease. and above
all, the fact that the Spanish fleet was
destroyed, which has been the real OBJ
ject of the campaign. it seemed to be
the general disposition to allow General
TOral to evacuate Santiago. This would
give us n military and naval base. permit
the starving refugees to return to their
homes, and would allow the immediate
embarkation of the bulk of our army for
the Porto Rico campaign.
Thebelief is common among our Of
ficers that the end is close at hand and
that Santiago will be ours before next
4ipHudN NllHoul lullLtI bSHlluEs
ready the movements of the army for
the future as outlined are based on the
fall of the city. The plans of the gen
erals are not to allow our troops to en-
ter the city except garrison of i'm
munes which will remain here, proof
against the yellow. fever
Until ready for embarkation on the
transports at the city's piers, our men
will be camped on the heights surround
ing Santiago, where the water is good.
Strict instruction have been issued to
the soldiers to boil their drinking water
but. owing to the poverty of their
equipments, this is almost impossible.
The rainy weather has accelerated the
spread of malaria and other fevers. In
some of the regiments over third OF
the men are unfit for duty.
General Chaffee, in addition to Gen
eral Duffield, is suffering from fever.
General Miles was received with great
enthusiasm all along the line and was
greeted with cheers on all sides. The
general expressed himself as being ex-
exceedingly gratified at the strength of
our position and at the character of the
works thrown up. He cOmplimented
many of the commanding officers person
ally on the work accomplished.
To Il correspondent of the Associated
Press General Miles said he was proud
to command an army which had carried
the lines of hills on which our centre
rests. He added that there was no
prouder page in our military annals than
that written on July /.
In conclusion General Miles remarked
that he felt satisfied from General To-
rails manner and words that he was
anxious to surrender