The Atlanta constitution., 1898-08-08
THE OFFICIAL REPORT OF
SANT|AGO'S SURRENDER
Commissioners Who Drafted Articles
Finally Heard From.
SHAFTER SENDS IN THE PAPER
General Urgently Requests Washing
ton Authorities To Get Spanish
Prisoners Away from Cuba.

Washington, August 1.-The secretary Of
war has received the following letter from
General Shafter, transmitting the commits
sioners report of the surrender of the
Spanish army at Santiago;
Camp Before Santiago, Cuba, July IL,
1S9S.-I take the liberty of sending to you
this morning a copy of THE agreement be-
tween the commissioners on my part and
the commissioners on the part of the gov
ernment of Spain for the surrender of
eastern Cuba. The schedule just submitted
shows there to be a little over 1000 men
and officers-about GGf0 more men than L
have had myself: ard l am glad to say
that have got ali these men with very
little loss of life, compared to what II
would have been had we to have fought
them. The city of Santiago is simply
network of fortitications at every street
corner.
Il had no proper conception or l's
strength until / went into it, although
knew these Old stone towns were naturally
very strong Everything is going adnilra-
bly,. so far as to transferring IS concerned;
and the Spanish troops are behaving We'll
as they are perfectly delighted at the
thoughts of getting home.
II send to you personally telegram Oh
General I.inares to his government, WIhch
one Of the consuls gave me. 1t SHOWS the
straits to which they We're put ana ule
feelings that animated them. lie stated the
case exactly | did have him so SURROUND
ed that it was IMPOSSIBLE for him to get
away; and could wait and he could not
Senoing Out After Prisoners.
..J send ont tomorrow morning to receive
something over 1900 men up In tue IN
terror a short distance, about thlrty hileS'
and in two or three days Will selu "
Guantanamo to receive the 1900 that nave
surrendered there. They should be Shlppoo
from Guantanamo bay direct TO op"li''
There are also $40 men each from bafacoa
and Sa ma d, Tanamo on the north coast
who will come into the port Tor Shipment
| will send an officer around with IL Hpahlsh
oficar to take their arms ana h'llt@'S
supplies. ., tha,, 7
I'VE have got a great deal more Una"
had any idea of getting III the way u
munitions Of war. In ever 'n"'s p'o tn,,
they were well supplied. Have got " It"
beautiful modern, aigh-power guns-apout
INV only fear is that we shall have
some sickness, ana II is Tor thAt led7o'l
that | have wired you 50 earnestly Io0ut ~.
getting these prisoners away, 20 "a, No ,or,
can 20 up IN the mountains with my COM CON-
u4ud fifteen or twenty miles, at tie 'iiu
of the railroad, at san LUIS, when l9 sal"
TO be very healthy. 1t Is, at at any nSa IA, ha5
about 500 feet above the sea, dIlu h''
communication by rail with santiago.
so far there is no fever III ga 9a''',@sp; 49,
I suppose because there Is no pli' e. -
cxceUt immunes. Three cases oIlLy 80 It'
this year and the English consul IellS me
there was very little last year
Hardships Were Great.
"Of those acre who served throughout
tho civil war all declare that they dld not
have anything thag would compare WIZ
it for hardships. With only one set ol
clothes officers haze Ocen taihed on daily
till today, carrying thieo days ratoh9
like the men on their person and suffering
every privation that any man can added
to all these privatOns, in addition. all the
horrors of disease in an unknown llild'
and very limited accommodations should
they be wounded. The spirit shown by
them and by the whole army was simply
grand. / can recall no instance where
greater surrender has been made than
ttlis The final surrender of General poral
and his generals to myself and my gen
erals was highly dramatic, as well as the
hOsting of the flag over the city OF
Santiago, one of the oldest cities ON this
continent.
II want to thank you and the president
for the words of cheer that haVe come
to and to say that none Of US have
ever doubted that every effort possible to
make our lives as secure and our situa-
tion as comfortable as is possible would
be made"