Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-06

the war. The Spanish feet, attempting
to leave the harbor, was met by the
American sGuad4on under command OF
Commodore Sampson. In less tnan
hours, all the Spanish ships were de-
stroyed, two torpedo boats being sunk
and the Maria Teresa, Almifante Oqu-
endo, Vizcaya and Crlstobal Colon driv-
en- ashore. The Spanish Admiral and
over 1900 men were taken prisoners,
while the enemy's loss of life was de-
plorably large, some si1 hundred per-
ishing. On our side, but one man was
killed, on the Brooklyn, and one
man seriously wounded. Although our
ships were repeatedly struck, not one
wac seriously injured. Where all SO
consr'"uously distinguish d them
selves, from the commanders to the
gunners and the unnamed
HEROES IN THE BOILER ROOMS,
each and all contributing toward the
achievement of this astounding victory
for which neither ancient nor modern
history affords a parallel in the COM
pleteness OF the event and the marve-
lous disproportion of casualties, it
would be invidious to single out any
for special honor-the nations pro-
foundest gratitude is due to all of these
brave men who by their skill and de-
votion in few short hours crushed the
sea power Of Spain and wrought a
triumph whose decisiveness and far
reaching consequences can scarcely be
measured. Nor can we be unmindful OF
the achievements Of our builders, me-
chanics and artisans, for their skill in
the construction of our warships.
With the catastrophe of Santiago,
SPANS efforts upon the Ocean virtual
ly ceased. A spasmodic effort toward
the end of June to send her Mediter-
ranean feet under Admiral Camara to
relieve Manila, was abandoned, the ex-
petition being recalled after it had pas
bed through the Suez Canal.
The capitulation of Santiago follow
ed. The city was closely besieged by
land, while the entrance of our ships
into the harbor cut off all relief on that
side. After a truce to allow of the re-
moval of non-combatants protracted
negotiations continued from July 3 to
July Is, when, under menace of imme-
date assault, the preliminaries of
SURRENDER WERE AGREED UPON
On the 18th Gen. Shafter occupied the
city. The capitulation embraced the
entire eastern end of Cuba. The num-
Der of Spanish soldiers surrendered
was $4,000 all of whom were subse-
quently conveyed to Spain at the
charge of the United States. The story
of this successful campaign is told in
the report of the Secretary of War,
which will be laid before you. The in
dividual valor of officers and soldiers
was never more strikingly shown than
in the several engagements leading to
the surrender of Santiago, while the
prompt movements and successive vic
tories won instant and universal ap-
plause To those who gained this COM
plete triumph, which established the
ascendency of the United States upon
land as the fight off Santiago had fixed
our supremacy on the seas, the earnest
and lasting gratitude of the nation is
unsparingly due. Nor should we alone
remember the gallantry of the living;
the dead claim our tears, and our losses
by battle and disease must cloud any
exultation at the result and teach us
to weigh the awful cost of war, how
ever rightful the cause or signal the
victory