The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-07-21
the shore.

the shore.
As the hour of noon approached
the New York ran close in shore at
Aguadores and took up a position in
readiness for the expected lombard
ment of the ito the feet hidden city.
The Brooklyn ranged in the rear of
the New York and the other vessels
took up the positions previously as
signed to them. The swift little'Hist
steamed down to Juragua to await
word from General Miles.
Noon came, and although the ex-
pected call to quarters was not issued
the men fingered anXiously close to
their places, eager to begin the work
of bombardment. From the bridges
of the warships the officers trained
their glasses alternately on the signal
station ashore and on the fleet of
transports off Juragua, behind which
the Hist had disappeared.
As .Sss5 Sss0'csock passed without ala
order 60 Daui4l the bombardment the
excitement among the officers who
knew the significance of the delay be-
came intense
1t was few minutes after o'clock
when the Hist pushed her way from
behind the anchored transports and
started on short run from Juragua
to Aguadores. Rolling and pitching
in the rough sea the gallant little
yacht dashed for the flagship, signal
ing as she pressed onward.
The battle-ship Oregon was the first
vessel in line, and the signal The
enemy has surrendered was the first
made out from the bridge of Captain
Clark ship. a cheer burst from the
officers of the afterdeck and it was
echoed by the men clustered forward.
At almost the same instant the
other ships i'll the feet caught the
momentOus meaning of the bright
colOred signal flags which flashed at
the Hist's swaying masthead and
great cheer from host of American
thrOats swept through the squadron
from ship to ship, while answering
pennants flew from each vessel in
response to the New York repetition
of the Hist's signals.
Eventually the Hist ran alongside
the flagship and delivered her dis
patch. 1t contained no details, being
simply brief message by wire to
Admiral Sampson from General Shat
ter, saying that the enemy had sur
rendered.
The Admiral has not taken an active
part in the negotiations, but he has
been consulted freely by General
Miles and General Shafter and un-
doubtedly he will be considered in
the settlement of the final details of
of the surrender. He declined to dis
cuss the matter further than to ex-
press joy at the fact that the taking
of Santiago was accomplished with
out further bloodshed and to remark
that the terms of the capitulation
were not to be made public for some
time.
Within five minutes of the Hist's
arrival, the signal officers ashore be-
gan sending messages with a wig-wag
flag on the hilltop to the right of the
ravine in which the ruins of Aqua
dores fort lie. This hill has been
selected as the signal station, and
from there was telegraphed to Ad-
miral Sampson a confirmation of the
surrender. This message was as un-
satisfactory as was the Hist's to the
officers of the fleet, who were anxious
to know the terms of the surrender
and other details, while the wig
waged message simply set forth the
bare statement that the surrender of
Santiago had occurred
The Iowa was at once ordered to
steam west to Moro Castle, evidently
being sent to watch the movements
of the men manning the shore bat
teries.
General Toral surrendered in the
nick of time, for had the plans of to-
days battle been carried out the city
of Santiago would have been torn to
pieces before night. The fleet had
the exact range, and although the
city was about eight miles away and
hidden by the hills along the coast,
Commodore Schley said that shells
could be dropped in the heart of the
town every two minutes for as long a
time as General Shafter thought it
necessary.
Aside from the work of the fleet
seven batteries of artilleary We're in
position, and so placed that three-inch
shells could be hurled into the town
from all sides.
The Spaniards, however, had made
careful preparations and had even
erected barricades in the streets, ready
to fight to the very last.
General Shafter and his officers
confidently expected the American
loss to be heavy if the attempt had to
be made to capture the city by as
sault, and elaborate hospital arrange
ments were made in anticipation of
such an occurrence, a large number
of tents having been erected at Sib-
oney since the buildings there were
burned.