The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-09
CONFERENCE WITH SKATER
AT WHICH ARRANGEMENT FOR
SMELLING THE PLACE WERE MADE.
Correspondence That Passed Between
the Comma nders of the Army and
Navy-Shafter to TOraI.


made public by the Navy Department.:
ON July 1 a demonstration made by
a Michigan volunteer regiment at Aqua
cores, under command of General Duffield.
moved up, at the request of the army, to as
Slst In an attack which was to begin at day
llght, put the troops which went by rail,
San Juan flows through deep defile and is
spanned by an iron railroad bridge There
IS an ancient fort near the water, and on the
nil two small rifle pits. Some sixteen or
twenty or the enemy had been counted while
waiting for the troops but disappeared
%hen the sps began bI rng the troops p
the fort was knocked off by the shells of
the navy and the flagstaff Shot away. Des-
ultory firing was kept up between our
troops and the Spanish, the troops return
ing to Siboney about half past 10 o'clock.
ON t the evening Of July l. the admiral raj
army would assault at daylight on the I'd,
and the navy was requested to keep up
fire at the batteries on the bluff The
the morning of the I'd, and kept up vigor-
Gus fire for two hours, but the attack pro-
posed by General Shafter did not take place
on that day.
ION the night of July 1 the Reina Mer-
cedes was sunk by the Spaniards SO as to
les existed, and If smaller vessels had been
sent in and sunk by the mines or batteries,
the harbor would have been effectually
closed against us.
at was essential to the new scheme of at
tack of the combined forces that the posi-
ton occupied by the eastern and western
batteries should be carried, and this was the
scheme of action first proposed by General
Shafter on the day of his first arrival 1t
was at that time explained to him that 1t
was of primary importance that these points
should first be carried, as their possession
insured the destruction of the mines, the en-
trance of the heavy ships into the harbor,
and the assault on Cerveras fleet. This
was repeated in his interview with General
Garcia at Acerraderos
CONFERENCE WITH SKATER.
at had been the admrals desire to do
everything possible to cooperate with Cen
eral Shafter. Such an attack as that pro-
posed by the general was in complete ac-
cord with the views held by the admiral
and discussed with his staff. 1t was pro-
posed to bring up the marines from Guam
tanamo and add them to the marines of the
squadron, thus making force of nearly
thousand men, which might be landed
either at the foot of the Moro, in Estrella
cove, to assault the MORO, or to the west
ward for the purpose of assaulting the west
battery, at the same time detaching a force
of two or three thousand men from the
sr%y fn 6ewee saG a on
to the northward of it. visit to General
Shafter was arranged, but the admiral
being i'll, his chief Of staff went instead
The following arrangement was made:
Camp Near San Juan River Cuba, July g.
Minutes of a conversation between Cap
tain Chadwick, of the navy, representing
Admiral Sampson, and General Shafter:
That a long-continued bombardment be
made of Santiago from the sea with the
heavier guns of the fleet, the fleet firing
slowly and continually during, say twenty
four hours, at the rate of one shell every
five minutes, excepting one hour, at the
rate of one every two minutes. This refers
to the eight-inch and thirteen-inch shells
If this be not sufficient to bring the enemy
to terms that an assault be arranged on the
Socapa battery using marines and the
Cuban forces under General Cebreco, and
an effort made to enter the harbor with
some of the smaller ships of the squadron.
This attack to be made upon knowing the
result of a second demand made on the
commanding officer of the Spanish forces
for the surrender of the place, stating to
him the conditions that surround him; de-
struction of the Spanish fleet, etc, and the
number of forces opposed to him. To give
him time to consider the matter the date
of the bombardment is fixed at noon of the
9th, unless he positively refuses to consider
it at all, when it will be begun at such time
as is convenient to ourselves. General
Shafter will furnish the admiral with cor
rect maps showing where his lines will be
surrounding the city. and also upon open
Geographic communication by the way of
Siboney down to near Aguadores to give
information as to the falling of shots"
SKATER TO THE SPANIARDS.
This was followed by the following CORE
spondence:
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps,
Camp Near San Juan River Cuba, July s;
TO the General-in-chief, Commanding the
Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba:
.'Sir-In view of the events of the Sd inst,
| have the honor to lay before your Excel
lcncy certain propositions TO which trust
your EXcellency will give the consideration
which, in my opinion, they deserve
'Second-I inclose az bulletin of the en-
gagement of Sunday morning, which result
ed in the complete destruction OF Admiral
CerVeraS feet, the loss CT 600 of his officers
and men and the capture of the remainder:
a others
alive are now prisoners on board the Har-
ward and ST. Louis, and the latter ship, in
which are the admiral, General Paroles
and the surviving captains (all except the
captain of the Almirante Oquendo who was
sain) has already sailed for the United
States If desired by you, this may be con-
firmed by your Excellency sending an ofh-
Ger under flag of truce to Admiral Samp-
son., and he can arrange, to visit the Iiar-
ward, which will not sail until tomorrow,
and obtain the details from Spanish ofhcers
and men aboard that ship:
'Third-Our fleet is perfectly free to act,
and l have the honor to state that unless
surrender be arranged by noon OF the yth
inst. bombardment of the city VIII be be.
gun and continued with the heaVy guns or
cur ships. The city is within easy range OF
these guns the eight-inch being capable OF
firing $500 yards, the thirteen-inch, OF
that with a range of $500 yards they can
reach the center of the city.
Fourth make this suggestion OF a sur
render purely in a humanitarian spirit
do not wish to cause the slaughter OF any
more men either of your Excellencys forces
or my own, the final result, under the cir
cLmstances so Instantaneous to your EX-
cellency, being a foregone conclusion.
'Fifth--As your Excellency may wish 10
make reference of so momentous a question
to your Excellencys home government, II
is for this purpose that nave placed the
time of the resumption OF hoSllltleS SUM-
GENTLY far in the future to allow reply pe-
ing received.
"Sixth-I beg an early answer from your
IT have the honor TO be. your Excellency's
obedient servant, VIM. X. SHAfIEh,
Major General Commanding t1fth United
States Army Corps.
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, July g..
COMMUNICATIVE North Atlantic Squad
ron:
Spanish commander proposes to abandon
Santiago if permitted TO march out to Hol-
gum and not be attacked EN- route. The
truce will continue for the present and
will notify you of its discontinuance.
"SHAFTER, Major General.
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, July TO-
Communicating chief North Atlantic Squad
ron:
Il have the honor to inform you that it
is expected that the bombardment OF the
city of Santiago dc Cuba Will begin this
evening or tomorrow morning. l lncloSe
you revised chart showing position or the
American and Spanish lines. l viii COM
municate to you later in the day the exact
hour when the firing should begin, and 1t Is
f--''v recwestps Won he ready TO begin
at p. m to-day. The falling Of the first