The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-19
Final Report Of the Casualties Of the Army
Before Santiago.
SMALL PERCENTAGE OF KILLED
n proportion to the Number Wounded Meetings OF Commissioners on
Terms of Peace--The Spaniards Throwing Many Obstacles in
the Way of a Final Acknowledgement Wheelers Firm
e Brings Them t. Terms--They Reluctantly
Sign the Terms of Surrender--TheyD Do Not
Like the Word "Surrender."

IccuiI5 u LHcI. al IL ClDth he
his horse and, together with
General Miles and their STATS, he rode
to the front. At General Wheeler.
headquarters, Generals Shafter and
Miles and Colonel Maus and an inter-
prefer left their lines and passed over
our trenches, with a flag of truce, to
the mango tree, under which the in
tervieW was held yesterday. They were
soon Joined by General Toral, his chief
Of staff, and the two other commission
ers appointed by him.
General Miles took no part in the
negotiations. He has been careful
since his arrival here not to assume
the directions of affairs or to detract
in the least from the glory of Cen
eral Skaters achievements.
General Shafter insisted at the out
set that the commissioners to be ap-
pointed should have paramount au-
thority to make and conclude the
terms of surrender in accordance with
our demands.
After parleying, General Toral &C
coded to this, explaining that since
his last communication he had receiv-
ed authority from the captain gener-
a., Blanco This being the main point,
the interview was o concluded.
Before parting, General Shafter
complimented General Toral highly
upon the skill and gallantry of his re-
sistance.
Upon the return to General Wheel
er's headquarters, the news of our
complete victory was communicated
to General Lawton and to General
Kent and to the brigade command
ers. A scene Of general rejoicing fol-
lowed.
General Shafter held a regular 1evee
before he dismounted and was con-
graduated and complimented by all.
He Immediately appointed Generals
Wheeler and Lawton and Captain
Miley to be commissioners on his be-
half to treat with those appointed by
General Toral. He then issued orders
to permit our troops to retire from
the trenches, but absolutely forbid
ding any one, soldier or civilian, from
going into the Spanish lines.
CUBANS NOT TO ENTER THE CITY
The refugees are to be permitted to
return TO their homes, but neither our
troops nor the Cuban auxiliaries are
to be permitted to enter the city at
present. The order as to the Cubans
| is very specific. They have shown a
disposition to loot every and any
place: but, they are not to have the
privilege of gluttening their appetites
for plumber in Santiago. A guard is
to be maintained about the city and
the camps of our soldiers are to be
| removed just to the front or to the
rear of our lines, as Individual cases
are most practicable. The change of
the camp sites will undoubtedly i'm
prove the health of the troops.
The whole purpose of the American
commander now is to protect the
health of the army, especially from
the dreaded c%ontagion. It is claimed
there is no fever in Santiago, out the
city is full of filth and stencil, and if
our men are allowed to go in it will
undoubtedly become a pest hole.
The boys in the trenches were ig-
nOrant of the outcome of the negotia-
tions until a heavy luncheon of coffee,
hard tack and corned beef. Then
General Shafter appointed Colonel AS
tor and Captain McKittrick to convey
the welcome tidings along the lines.
Some of the officers favored celebrat-
ing the victory with bands and de-
mOnstration, but General Shafter
vetoed the proposition. He said there
was no occasion to humiliate the en-
envy who had fought bravely. Not even
cheering was to be permitted, but be-
fore Colonel Astor and Captain Nc
Kittrick could warn the soldiers the
latter broke out into wild hurrahs
Some danced about, threw their hats
into the air, Rugged each other and
congratulated themselves upon the
prospect of getting out of Cuba in q
few days.
General Shafter instructed the com.
missioners that the inside harbor en-.
trance be Immediately opened to al.
low Clara Barton, of the Red Gross
society, and the supply ships to enter
and that the railroad from Siboney
! be opened for a similar purpose.
We are to supply the Spanish pris
oHors with food pending their concen
tration n embarkation. General To
, raj requested this, saying that there
was very little food. 1t is probabl,
that the Spanish steamers in the har
bors will be used, in part, for thu
transportation of the surrendered sol
diers to Spain.
l SPANIARDS ABANDON TRENCHES
l The Spanish troops abandoned tn,
entertainments early this Afternoon
, and went into the city.
OUR COMMISSIONERS IN THE
r. LINES.
Our commissioners, accompanied b,
= an interpreter, entered the Spanisl
lines shortly after 2 o'clock and ha,
not returned when the correspondent
I left with this dispatch.
a General Miles and his staff arrive,
f at Siboney from the front this evenin
and went aboard the Conchia. On tn
( l WHAT lit Sdlu. santiago mas SuTTen
o dered on our terms, after vainly tryin
S for a long time to get better ones. TIL
o result is highly gratifying. The Span
e ish prisoners will be transported t
e Spain by us. The surrender carrie
with it not only the city of Santiago
e blu the entire Santiago military dis
trict, being the eastern portion of Gu
n ba, west to a line dow from Assera
o Garos on the south coast to Sasua o
the north coast. M~anZanillo and Hol
guin are not included. The possessio
F.: Of the surrendered district will b
yielded at once and a commission c
six, three from each side, will NEE
, this afternoon to arrange the detail
of the transfer. The American troop
will be left where they are for a tim,
until they are needed for service else
{ where. I do not wish to say wha
point will be attacked next. I ma
. ! come ashore again here, but hardl
y thipk Sop