The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-23
GEN. MILES COMING HOME.
He Was Expecting to Leave Porto
Rico on Mondayh

Ponce, Island of Porto Rico, Aug. q,
afternoon.-(Delayed in transmission
Maj. Gen. Miles has decided to leave with
his staff for Washington in a few days,
possibly tomorrow. He will turn over
his command to Gen. Brooke, who is ex-
pected to reach here tomorrow for con-
ference
Gen. Miles has arranged matters gener-
ally with Captain General Maclas, pre-
paratory to the meeting of the peace COM
mission at San Juan
Gen. Macias, while maintaingning his
outposts, is steadily retiring his forces TO
the capital, preparatory to their embark
alton.
Mail communication between Ponce and
San Juan has been established and the
overland telegraph wires, which have been
severed, will be connected Immediately.
All that will remain for the commission
to do, Gen Miles says, will be to secure
an inventory of government property
transferred to the Americans and to give
receipts to the Spanish authorities
Cen Macias, in his various communiea-
tons to Gen. Miles, has shown the best
of spirit. He is anxious to cooperate in
bringing about an evacuation at the ear
lest moment possible and is placing no
obstacles in the way of the volunteers re-
turning home.
Lieut. Col Ramery, the highest Spanish
volunteer officer in the island, reached here
last night from Aibonito. Other officers
have been coming through our lines all
day
Lieut. Col. Ramery says that the Span
ish forces at Aibonito were short of am
munition and water and entirely depend
ent for food upon Cayey. They must
have succumbed, he declared. as soon as
Gen. Brooke struck Cayey.
According to a letter from San Juan, the
Spanish residents there who had fed from
the city have returned and lnere is great
rejoicing among them that the war is end
ed, feeling shared by the soldiers.
Col San Martin, former Spanish COM
mander at Ponce, who abandoned the city
on the approach of the Americans, and
who, it was reported had been shot for
forsaking the city, is in the hospital sick.
He has been stripped of his rank.
itude at his course, because the flight of
his command prevented the destruction of
their property, and they are raising sub
seription for him.
Gen. Miles will advise Gen. Brooke to
embark the Spanish prisoners here and
send them Immediately to San Juan. 1t
is expected that Rear Admiral Schley will
be there in few days.
Most of the troops in the island Eih
remain stationary until the final details
have been settled, and they will then
march to San Juan, where they will en-
bark.
Gen. Miles will consult with the author
ities at Washington as to the forces that
is to remain.
The volunteers are anxious to go home.
To-day Sunday the liquor saloons were
closed, and for the first time in the his
tory of the island there was a public
Protestant religious service.
The officers and men on the monitors
at Guanica think it unnecessary to keep
the ships there any longer These YES
sells are absolutely unsuited to a tropical
climate like that here, and the Puritan 5
officers have sent a formal complaint to
Secretary Long.
At Aguada, north of Mayaguez, the
Spanish troops killed two natives last
Friday