Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-07-13
BEFORE SANTIAGO.
Summary of the Situation
Since Last Friday.

tl0nS the ngntlng at santiago was re-
sumed last Sunday afternoon at 4
O'Clock, the Spaniards firing the first
gun.
The story of what was known up TO
last Friday afternoon was told in THE
ENQUIRER of Saturday. The events
from that date up to the time of the
resumption of hostilities are more or
less interesting.
After General Linares had been
wounded at Ell Caney, General Toral
took active command in Santiago, and, =,
as stated, sent in answer to General
Shafter's demand for unconditional
surrender, peremptory refusal.
The destruction of the Spanish feet
placed a different phase on the situa-
ton, and negotiations were resumed.
The civil authorities of Santiago were
anxious to surrender because they
knew the situation to be desperate.
The military authorities, and the sol.
diers were also desirous of surrender
ing for the same reason. But the
Madrid government would permit
nothing of the kind. Upon this the
civil authorities slipped out of the city
along with the refugees, and making
their way to the American lines, sur
rendered.
On Friday-the understanding be-
ing that the bombardment would COM
mence Saturday at noon-all the non
com mbatants who could leave, had done
so. These included the cable opera
tors. At the request of General Toral,
General Shafter sent the cable opera
tors back into the city. 1t was on a
promise that they would be allowed a
safe return and on a promise of Gen.
eral Toral that be would not CORES
pond with Madrid in regard to any
thing else than the terms of surrender.
The communication with Madrid was
accordingly continued. AS the result
of this communication, General Toral,
offered to surrender the city on condi-
tion that his army be allowed to march
out under arms, and 60 where they
would. This offer General Shafter, of
course, declined, and then, on Sunday
General Toral wrote letter in which
he declined to surrender.
A pretty complete story of what had
been going on in the meantime is told
in an Associated Press dispatch sent
from Kingston, on Sunday morning,
and published in the. daily papers of
Monday morning. The dispatch is as
follows:
"Everything on the firing line is now
ready for the commencement of hos
tilities, in case the Spanish generals
do not surrender. The dynamite gun,
which has been in position for several
days, is in better working order than
at the time of the battle of San Juan,
and it is predicted that its charges,
consisting of 20 pounds of gun cotton
and gelatine, will work havoc in the
Spanish trenches when it opens fire.
Twelve mortars in one battery are
mounted and ready for use, and they
are relied upon to do effective work
in shelling the city. Three batteries
of artillery are posted on Ell Paso ridge,
2,4O0 yards from the town, and the
Capron and Grimes batteries are l 500
yards from the north of the road in
the rear of General Lawton's division.
In firing, the field guns will be COM
PEELED to shell the town over the heads
of our own men, but the artillery off,
GERS say it can be done safely and
without injury to our soldiers. The
dynamite gun has been so placed that
it will be able to enfilade several Of
the Spanish lines.
"On the other hand, during the
truce, which, so far as regards the
continuing of preparations for defense
or attack, has been no truce whatever,
the Spaniards have not been idle.
They have been mounting guns and
some of these are of much heavier
calibre than any the American army
can bring into play. Some of their
guns are of antiquated pattern and not
capable of much damage; but others
are very different and capable of ex-
cellent work. One 7-inch gun, which
had so perfect u range during the bat
tie of San Juan of many ridges occu-
pied by the American troops, has been
located with especial care by the
American gunners, and it will be the
recipient of much attention when hos
tilities reopen.
General Bates division, which holds
the extreme left of the line, moved
forward today to new position, 400
yards in advance of its former line.
1t was, since the battle of San Juan,
planted along the edge of precipitous
ravine, the walls of which are about
80 feet high. This ravine is about 700
yards long and about 400 wide. Gen
eral Bates has now moved the Twen-
tieth infantry to the side of the ravine
nearest Santiago and placed the Third
infantry, which, with the Twentieth,
forms his brigade, at right angles to
the line of the Twentieth. The ex-
treme left of his line, which is the ex-
treme left of the American army, is
about opposite the upper end of San
tiago harbor and from TO miles
from the coast line.
"When hostiities are opened by the
bombardment great things are expect
i