The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-24
WHY GARCIA WAS ANGRY
GENERAL CAsTILLO's ACCOUNT OF
THE SANTIAGO INCIDENT.
Says shafter Told the Cuban Leader
He and His Army Would BE Per-
mftted to Enter Santiago.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2S.-Brig. Gen. Joaquin
Castillo. who accompanied General Shafter
to Cuba as a representative of the Cuban
army and the Cuban civil government, has
just returned to this city He was at the
Cuban Junto here to-day. and, when asked
to the friction existing between Amer-
cans and CubanS at Santiago ne said the
matter had been grossly exaggerated and
that so far as the Cubans are concerned
they have the utmost faith in the American
government and are confident that the
pledges made in their behalf will be carried
out. While deeply grateful" he said, for
what Americans have done for us we are
DESTROYS CT disproving the charges that have
been brought against US as people. Per-
sonally, L must say that General Shafter
has always treated me With the greatest
courtesy. His misunderstanding with Gen.
Garcia was occasioned by the fact that
specified promises had been made to the lat
ter which General Shafter either would not
or could not carry out Before the
American forces landed General Shafter
and Admiral Sampson met General Garcia
at Aceraderos for a conference at which
was present. General Shafter, there, of his
own accord, promised Garcia that on the
surrender of the city it would be turned
over to him. So late as the day before the
surrender General Shafter told me that the
Spanish prisoners would be marched out Of
the city and the Cubans would be allowed
to enter. However, when the surrender was
made we were told that we could not enter
General Shafter summed up the situation
finally by saying: After all. this is an
American country, captured by an Ameri-
can army
Nit
the fact that not single Cuban flag was
allowed to be raised and that General Gar
cha was not invited to be present at the
surrender. naturally caused indignation
among our forces 1t appeared that all con-
sderation was being paid to the wishes of
the Spaniards and the Cubans treated as
outcasts. The only words said by General
Shafter to Garcia concerning the surrender
were: General, guess you will be glad to
see some of your friends Tomorrow The
failure to invite Garcia was as deliberate
as the failure to invite Sampson.
After the surrender General Garcia told
General Shafter that as there did not ap-
pear to be any necessity for his remaining
near Santiago, he would withdraw his
forces to lead them. against the Spaniards
wrote letter, which has already been pub
lished 1t is absolutely certain there could
have been no fear of footing or outrage by
1T is said that the Cubans did not fight
but only attacked the provisions General
Garcia had no pack animals, and had to
feed his 5000 men, who, under orders from
General Shafter, were always to occupy the
right of Generals Lawtons and Ludlow's
forces. He detailed $50 men to carry the
provisions from Siboney, eight miles, to the
front. The result was that continuous
stream of Cubans appeared walking through
the American lines heavily laden with sup
plies. The American soldiers ignorant of
the mission of these carriers, naturally
charged them with selfshness, when they
themselves were wanting commssary sup
plies a the front. AS to the Cubans not
fighting or working we have the letters of
Generals Lawton and Ludlow, who alone
are able to judge, because their forces only
were near the Cubans that the latter
worked hard and fought WELL
THAT the Cubans fought is proven by the
large number of killed and wounded. An
other charge has been made against us--that
we acted inhumaney towards the sailors
of Cervera's fleet AS fact. however, Ger
vera and 600 sailors were captured by the
Cuban forces while they We're trying to, es-
cape to the city. They were turned over
to naval authorities and receipt for them
taken. Cervera himself testified as to the
good treatment he received al the hands of
the Cubans On the whole 1t will be seen,
therefore, that the charges made against
the CubanS have been unjust.
Whatever friction there has been was
unfortunate and unnecessary, and could
have been avoided by General Shafter If in
carrying out his plans he had been less
bruSQue."