The record-union., 1898-09-15
The CAMPAIGN
AT SANTIAGO
CONTINUED from First Page.)

| tense heat of the day before, which
prevented me from participating as ac-
| lively in the battle as l desired; but
from a high hill near my headquarters
l had a general view Of the battlefield,
extending from Ell Caney on the right
| to the left of our lines on San Juan
Hill''
Generla Shafter then follows in de-
| tail the movements of the troops and
the intrenching done during the night.
"All day on the I'd the battle ragged
with more or less fury, but such IF our
troops as were in position at daylight
held their ground, and Lawton gained
| strong and commanding position on
the right.
About 10 p. m. the enemy made an
assault to break through my lines, but
was repulsed at all points
| "On the morning of the Sd the battle
was renewed, but the enemy seemed
to nave expended its energy in the as
sault of the previous night and the
firing along the lines was desultory.
'The cessation of firing about noon
on the Sd practically terminated the
battle of Santiago. All that occurred
after this time may properly be treated
under the head of the scene which fol-
| lowed
After deductirg the detachments
| retained at Siboney and Baiauiri to
| render those depots secure from at
| tack, organizations held to protect our
! f1anks, others acting as escorts and
guards to light batteries, the members
Of the hospital corps, guards left in
| charge of blanket rolls, which the in
tense heat caused the men to cast
aside before the front was reached.
orderlies, etc, it is doubtful if we had
| more than 1900 men on the firing on
July 1st, when the battle was fiercest.
| and when the strong positions of Ell
Caney and San Juan We're captured.
"A few Cubans assisted in the attack
at El Caney, and fought valiantly, but
their numbers We're too small to mater
tally change the strength as indicated
above. The enemy confronting us
numbered about equal to our own; they
fought obstinately in strong and en-
trenched positions, and the results at
tanned Indicate the intrepid gallantry of
the Captains, officers and men, and the
benefits derived from the careful train
ing ana instruction given in the COM
pany In recent years in rifle practice
ana other battle exercises. Our losses
in these battles We're % officers and 2OS
men killed, and 81 officers and LOB
men wounded; missing, 10 The miss
ing, With rev exceptions. reported later
on"
l. General Shafter says the arrival of
General Escario at Santiago was not
anticipated.
After speaking of Admiral Ceryera's
nd he
General Shafter says he again calleS
on the Spanish commander to surren-
der He says:
On the same date T informed Ad
miral Sampson that if he would force
his way into the harbor the city would
surrender without any further sacrifice
of life. Commodore Watson replied that
Admiral Sampson was temporarily an
sent, but that in his opinion CWatson'sl |
the navy should not enter the harhor
The strength of the enemy's position |
was such that 1 did not wish to assau{t
II II 1t could be avoided. An examina-
ton OF the enemy's works, made after
the surrender fully justifies the wisdom
OF the course adopted. The intrencb- |
ments could only have been carried |
with great loss of life"
General Shafter gives the VARYING eff |
forts toward securing a surrender. and |
MS reopenlng the enga cement on the |
lOth, when the truce ended On the |
1Ith the surrender was again de-
manded
July 18th L informed the Spanisb |
commander that Major General Miles |
Commander-1n-Chief of the army. had |
just arrived IN my camp, and requested |
MIN 10 grant us personal interview on |
the IoHoWlnS day. He replied that he |
would be pleased to meet us. The in |
tervieW took place on the 18th. AMI |
Informed him his surrender only couId |
be considered, and that as he was with |
out hope of escape, he had no right to |
continue the fight
General Shafter then gives the de-
tails of the final surrender, his entry
into the city and the raising of the |
American flag.
In closing, he dwells upon the natural |
obstacles he had to encounter and
which, he says, no foresight could have
overcome or obviated. These were the
Climate, the almost impossible roads |
and deadly fevers.
lie adds: In reference. to the sick
and wounded, l have to say that they
received every attention that it was |
possible to give them. The medical |
ofhcers without exception worked night |
and day to alleviate the suffering, which
was no greater than invariably accom-
panies a campaign. 1t would have
been better if we had more ambu-
lances, but as many were taken as
was necessary, judging from previous
campaigns.
'The discipline of the command was
superb, and l wish to invite attention
to the fact that not an officer was
brought to trial by court martial, and
as far as l know, no enlisted men. This
speaks volumes for an army of this
size and in a campaign of such dura-
ton.
In conclusion, I desire to express to
the members of my staff thanks for
their efficient performances of all the
duties required of them, and the good
Judgment and bravery displayed on all
occasions when demanded"
General Shafter recommends for pro-
motion and brevets the following Off |
GERS: Lieutenant Colonel E. C. Nc
Clarnand, Lieutenant Colonel George
McDerhy. Lieutenant Colonel J. d.
Miley, Major r. H. Knoble, Lieutenant
Colonel j. j. Astor, Lieutenant Colonel
Z. E. Pope, Major S. W. Groesbeck,
Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Humph
rey, Lieutenant Colonel L. F. Weston,