The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-12-06

| Cardenas and Bahia Honda and the Dor
of Cienfuegos on the sout.. coast OF Cuba
and on the 23rd I caAed for volunteers &
execute the purpose Of the resolution. y.
my message OF April 25 the congress wa
| Informed OF the -tuation and l recon-
mended formal declaration OF the exist
ence Of a state Of war be ween the L. s
and Spain. The congress accordingly
acted on the same day on the act ap
proved April Is. declaring the existence o
| such war, from and including the Ns
day Of April. and re-enacted the provision
of the resolution Of April 90 directing tn,
President to use all the armed forces o.
the nation to carry that ct into effect
Due notification o. the existence Of wal
as aforesaid was given April %, by tele
graph to oil the governments with which
the y. s. maintained relations, in order
that their neutrality might be assured
during the war The various government.
responded with proclamations of neutral
ity each after its own methods. It is not
among the least gratifying incidents OF
the struggle that the obligations Of neut.
rality were compartlally discharged ~ a..
often under delicate ana difficult circum-
stances.
DEWEY AT MANILA.
The next engagement was destined to
mark a memorable epoch I'm maritime war
fare. The Pacific fleet. under Commodore
George Dewey, had lain for some weeks
at Hong Kong. pom the colonial procla-
nation Of neutrality being issued and the
customary "A hours notice being, It re-
paired 10 Mrs say, near Hong Kong,
whence it proceeded to the Philippine is
lands under telegraphed orders to capture
or destroy the formidable Spanish fleet
then assembled at Manila. At daybredll
on the first Of May the American force
entered Manila bay. and after a few
hours engagement effected the total de-
struction Of the Spanish feet, consisting
or ten warships ard a transport, best lcs
capturing the valuable stain and forts
at Cavite annihilating the Spanish naval
power and completely controlling the by
f Manila. with the ability to take the
city at will. Not a life was lost on our
ships, the wounded only numbering seven.
while not a vessel was materially injured.
For this gallant achievement the con-
gress, upon my recommendation, fifty be-
slowed upon the actors preferment and
substantial reward
The effect Of this remarkable victory
upon the spirit Of our people and upon the
fortunes Of the war was instant A
prestige of invinclblty thereby attached
TO our arms, which continued throughout
the struggle. Reinforcements were hur-
ried to Manila under the command Of
Major Gen. Merritt and firmly established
within sight of the capital which lay
helpless before our guns. on the seventh
day Of May the government was advised
officially of the victory at Manila and at
once inquired Of the commander Of our
leet what troops would be required. The
information was received on tne 18th day
of May and the first army expedition
sailed May 25 and arrived at Manila June
90 Other expeditions soon followed, the
total force consisting OF 6il officers and
.5.O5s MEN.
THE INSURGENTS HELD DOWN.
Only reluctance TO cause needless loss Of
.ife and property prevented the early
storming and capture of the city, and
herewith the absolute military occupancy
Of the whole group. The insurgents
meanwhile had resumed the active hos
tniues suspended by the uncompleted
truce of December 1897. Their forces in
vested Manila from the northern and
eastern side, but were constrained by Ad-
miral Dewey and Gen. Merritt from at
tempting an assault. It was htIng that
whatever was to be done in the way Of
decisive operations In that quarter should
be accomplished by .e strong arm OF the
United States only Obeying the stern
precept Of war. which enjoins the over
coming Of the adversary and the extinc-
tion of his power wherever assailaole as
the speedy and sure means TO win a
peace, divided victory was not permissible,
for no partition Of the rights an respon-
sibllities attending the enforcement OF 4
Just advantageous peace could be thought
or
A GENERAL ATTACK BEGUN
Following the coming Of the compre-
hensive scheme OF general attack. power
ful forces were assembled at various
points on our coast to invade Cuba and
Porto Rico Meanwhile naval demonstra-
tions were made at several exposed points.
on May H. the cruiser Wilmington and
torpedo boat Winslow were unsuccessful
I'm an attempt TO silence the batteries al
Cardenas against Matanzas. Worth Bag
ley and four seamen falling. These
grIevous fatalities were strangely enough
among the very few whic.- occurred dur
ing our naval operations in this extra
ordinary connict.
SPANISH PREPARATIONS.
Meanwhile the Spanish naval prepara-
tions had been pushed with great vigor
powerful squadron under Admiral
Cervera, which had assembled at the Cape
Verde islands before the outbrea-s o. --os
tilitles. had crossed the ocean and by it'
erratic movements in the Caribbean sea
delayed our military operations while
bafi ng the pursuit OF our fleets. For G
time fears were felt lest the Oregon and
Marietta, then nearing nome af er theil
long voyage from San Francisco Of ovel
Il. 600 miles. might be surprised by Admira
Cervera's fleet but their fortunate arriva
dispelled the apprehenslOns and lent muct
needed relnforcements. Not until Ad
mlral Cervera took refuge IN the harbor o.
! Santiago De Cuba, about May g. was !
practicable TO plan a systematic military
attack upon the Antillean possessions Q
| Spain.
! SMALLER NAVAL ENGAGEMENTS
| Several demonstrations occurred on IN
coast Of Cuba and orto Rico in prepara
tion for the larger event. on May IS, III
North Atlantic squadron shelled San Jual
De Porto Rico.
on May 30. Commodore Schley's squad
ron bombarded the forts guarding IN
mouth OF Santiago harbOr Neither al
tack had any material result. Il wa
evident that well ordered land operation
were Indispensable TO achieve 4 decide