Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-07-28

in Cuba and bungling during the con-
duct Of the present war. The hos
pital headquarters are still located at
Juragua. Two deaths from yellow fever
were reported there yesterday. The
names of the victims were not made
public. The physicians say that but
few cases are appearing, that the cpl
demic Is under control and that the
danger to the army is about past
Lieut.. Miley, of Skaters staff, left
here this morning, with the troops OF
the second cavalry mounted TO make
the rounds of the entire military dis
trict of Santiago for the purpose Of
receiving the formal surrenders of
the Spanish forces. He goes first to
San Luis where there are 4,500 OF the
enemy's troops. Miley will then re-
ceive the surrender in order, OF the
500 men at Cobre, 1900 at Catalina
$500 at Guantanamo, and $500 at
Baracoa. A total of 10000 Span
iards is expected to yield their arms
to this one troop of cavalry. To the
rear of Baracoa, Miley will be COM
PEELED to ride straight across the ISL
and TO the northern coast, led by a
Cuban guide. He will ride under a
white flag, for protection, but ToraI
has sent members of his staff ahead to
notify the post commanders of the
terms of surrender.
The wound of Gen. Linares is much
| more serious than reported. His left
arm has been amputated and tonight
he is in a serious condition.
There is no ready-made clothing in
the city except blue and white striped
linen uniforms and many of our men
are dressed in these Spanish uni.
forms. They present a strange ap-
pearance and are greeted with laugh
ter. Skaters orders to close all the
rum shops had the effect of keeping
the city quiet and peaceful. Many
| Spanish soldiers are anxious to be-
come American citizens and are ap-
plying for naturalization papers. A
number of officers of high rank in the
Spanish army condemn their govern
ment's policy in dividing its forces in
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines,
instead of concentrating them and
possibly saving one colony. The
dividing Of the feet is also strongly
censured, and the Spanish naval Of
f1cers all agree that it is impossible
under the present crippled condition
of Spain to make successful resistance
anywhere. The useable ammunition
Of the Spanish troops here was ex-
hausted before the surrender, as the
100000 cartridges found in the mag
! azines OF Santiago do not fit mauser
rifles.
The Spaniards say our troops fought
like tigers and their discipline was
| excellent, but they insist that more
lives were lost on either side than
was warranted by the conditions on
July /. They assert that our troops
could have walked into the city with
out having shot fired at them, as
there were no soldiers left within
the walls at that time. 1t appears that
they had only a few thousand men
and they all went to Ell Caney at the
! time that the battle was fought, leav-
ing Santiago unprotected. Reinforce
ments, however, arrived and brought
the number of Spanish troops up to
5000 men. At the battle of Ell Caney
our casualties exceeded those of the
Spaniards. While they had 400 men
killed to our 200, they had only 500
men wounded to our 1900 The list
of wounded has been increased since
to over 1000 men, who are lying in
hospitals here.
General Linares cabled Madrid on
! July 3, before Skaters demand for
the surrender of Santiago, a message
setting forth the inability of the city
to hold out against the enemy, SUI
perior in numbers, with the Spaniards
dying of fever and starvation and
demoralized by the loss of the feet.
He urged the government for the sake
Of humanity to Offer to capiculate, but
ended by saying that if ordered to re-
main to die like rat in a trap he
would do so, as his soldiers were do
ing their duty, although realizing that
a mistake had been made. Some in
formation in regard to the mess age
leaked out and the Spanish officers
here are loud in their condemnation
of Gen. Linares, whom they accuse of
faint-heartedness Throughout the war,
to the extent of under a plea Of a
slight wound" he lay the mantle Of
the shame of surrender upon Torals
shoulders instead of facing the dis
grace himself. This feeling is general
among the men, who, passing the
palace where the stars and stripes
are flying, clinch their fists and NUT
ter: What a shame to our countryi
But she deserves it WE'LL"