The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1898-12-10

Of April q. but before he could present IL, the
Spanish minister Of state notified him that
upon the presidents approval Of the joint reso-
luton the Madrid government regarding the
act as equivalent TO an evident declaration Of
wal" had ordered It's minister In Washington
70 withdraw. thereby breaking OF diplomatie
relations between the two countries, and ceas-
ing all oficiai communication between their
respective representatives Gen Woodford
thereupon demanded bis passport and quilted
Madrid the same day.
Declaration Of War
Spain, having thus denied the demand OF the
United States aud Initiated that complete form
OF rupture Of relations which aEords state OF
war. the executive powers authorized by the
resolution were at once used BY me to meet the
enlarged contingency Of actual war between
Spain and the United States On April @
proclaimed blockade OF the northern coast Of
Cuba. including ports on said coast between
Cardenas and Bahia Honda and the port Of
Clenfuegos on the south coast Of Cuba; and on
the 2sd called for volunteers 10 execute the
purpose Of the resolution BY my message Of
April Is. the congress was informed Of the SIT
uation and recommended formal declaration
OF the existence Of state Of war between the
United States aud Spain. The congress ac-
eordIngls voted on the SAME day the act ap-
such war, from and Including the sistday Of |
April, aud ro- enacted the provision Of ths resc-
luton Of April %. directing the president to use
all the armed forces Of the nation to carry that
act into effect
Dewey's Remarkable Victory.
II Is not within the province Of this mes
sage TO narrate the history Of the extraordinary
war that followed the Spanish declaration Of
April q. but brief recital Of its more salient
features Is appropriate. The first encounter Of
the war IN point Of date took place April a,
| when detachment OF the bloekadlng squadron
made reconnaissance in force at MatanEas,
shelled the harbor forts and demolished sew
eral new works in construction.
| The next engagement was destined 10 mark
| a memorable epoch In maritime warfare The
| Pacific fleet under Commodore George Dewey,
| had lain for some weeks at Hong Kong. Upon
| the colonial proclamation Of neutrality being
| issued and the customary u hours notice be-
ing given II repaired TO Mira bay, ncar Hong
Kong. whence It proceeded TO the Philip
pine islands under telegraphed orders 10
capture OF destroy the formidable Spanish fieet
then assembled at Manila Atdaybreak on the
ist Of MAY the American force entered Manila
bay and after few hours engagement effected
the total destruction OF the spanish feet con-
sisting OF ten warships and transport. besides
capturing the naval station and forts at Cavite,
thus annihilating the Spanish naval power In
the Pacific ocean and completely controlling
the bay OF Manila with the ability TO take the
city at will Not life was lost on our ships,
the wounded only numbering seven, while not
vessel was materially Injured For this gall
liant achievement the congress- upon my rec
| ommendatl0n, fiily bestowed upon the actors
preferment and substantial reward.
The military Movements In Cuba
Not until Admiral Cervera took refuge IN the
harbor Of Santiago dc Cuba about May o. was
It practicable 10 plan q systematic military at
tack upon tho Antlllean possessions OF Spain
Several demonstrations occurred on the coast
Of Cuba and Porto Rico in preparation for the
larger event On May Is the North Atlantic
| squadron shelled San Juan dc Porto Rico. On
May 80 Commodore Schley's squadron lombard
cd forts guarding the mouth OF Santiago harbor.
: Neither attack had any material results.
! II was evident that well ordered land
,, operations were indispensable to achieve de-
cldod advantage The next act In the war
thrilled not alone the hearts Of our country
2 men, but the world, by It's exceptional hero
> ism On the night Of June 3 Lieut. Hobson,
aided by seven devoted volunteers blocked the
= narrow outlet from Santiago harbor BY sink
Ing the collier Merrimac 10 the channel, under
/, ferce fire from the shore batteries. escaping
with their lives as by miracle, but falling In
= to the hands OF the Spaniards
The Distraction OF Csrvera's Fleet.
y On June q the advance Of the invading ARM
= under Mai Gen. ShAfter landed at Haiquri
. about IS miles east OF Santiago, This was 40
y compiished under great difficulties, but will
= marvellous dispatch. On June Is the move
y ment against Santiago was begun On the eit
the nrst serious engagement took place I
: which the First and Tenth cavalry and th
4 First Volunteer cavalry. Oen lotlng's brigad
= Of Cen wheeler division. pargioS Alt1d. ioaln
= heavily by nlghtfall. however. ground With
= i've miles OF Santiago was won The advantag
- was steadily increased. On July severe bat
!. tie took place, our forces gaining the cute
y y works Of Santiago and Ei Caney and San Jua
y !, we're taken after desperate charg
- and the investment OF the city wa
:. completed The navy co-operated by she!lin
y the town and the coast forts On the day fol
= lowing this brilliant achievement OF our Ian
= forces, July g. occurred the decisive naval CON
' bat OF the war The Spanish feet. attemptin
u to escape from the harbor, was met by u
y. American squadron under command OF CommC
,n dore Sampson. In less than three hours o
~ the Spanish ships we're destroyed, the two tol
y pedo boats sunk and the Maria Teresa, Aim
W rante 0quendo, viEcaya and Chrlstobal Colo
y, y, driven ashore The Spanish admiral and oy'
~ 1900 men were taken prisoners, while tn
70 enemy's loss OF life was deplorably large. SON
|
u killed and one seriously wounded
u With the catastrophe 0f'Santlago, Spain
u u effort upon the ocean virtually ceased
nc spasmodic eifort toward the end Of June to sci
NJ her Mediterranean neet under Admiral CANA
~ to relieve Manila was abandoned the exped
I'M tion being recalled after It had passed throui
n, 1.-THE Suez canal The capitalization OF Santia
\, followed.
AZ, With the fall OF Santiago. the occupation
" flta VI of ofrnta auf IN
Gen. Miles had previously been assigned
70. organize an expedition for that purpose,
Wy July "a he entered Ponce one OF the most II
iIP portant ports In the island, from which
OF directed the operations OF the capture OF
'sy island The last scene Of the war was G
Jus acted at Manila Its starting plaos On Au0u
Is. after brief assault upon the works by !
~ land forces, In which the squadron assisted,
s capital surrendered uncondtlonally
W. Bpanisn Overtures for Peace.
py The annihilatlon Of Admiral Ceryera's De
hot followed by the capitulation OF Santiago, hi
ing brought to the Spanish government re-
ioh izinp sense OF the hopelessness Of continuing
,ue M struggle now becoming wholly unequal,
ns made oyertures OF peace through the Fren
.nu ambassador Accordingly on the afternoon
W " August H. M. CambOn. as the plenpotentil
~ OF Spain, and the secretary OF state as
~ ~ plenlpotentiary OF the United States slgne
ma protocol
ony ,sa, y iss,,oS nroclamatlon Of August
All Wool 'SSueu p'ON
ost suspendlng hostilities on the part OF the Uni
val States The necessary orders to that end wi
ain at once given by telegraph The blockade
was the ports OF Cuba and San Juan de Porto
i've was In like manner raised, On August IL.
late muster out Of 10000 volunteers, or as noar q
lion number as was found to be practicable, '
ba- ordered The military committees to super
al. tend the evacuation OF Cuba Porto Rico I
AN the adjacent islands were forthwith appolpt
rch, The Peace Commission.
de- Pursuant to the nth article OF the proto,