The times., 1898-08-02
SURRENDER OF EASTERN CUBA.
Gen. Shafter Sends n More Detailed
Report of Events

Report of Events
Below is given letter received from
Gen. S.iafter by the Secretary of War
last night. Through it is transmitted a
synopsis of the commissioners report of
the surrender of Santiago. The general
also tells of intense suffering in his COM
mand, and refers briefly to the hardships
endured by the American troops. Follow
ing IS the le ter:
Camp Before Santiago. Cuba, July Is.
II take the liberty of sending to you
this morning copy of the agreement be-
tween the commissioners on my part
and the commissioners on the part of the
government of Spain for the surrender of
Eastern Cuba. The schedule just sub
mitted shows there to be a little over
$1,000 men and officers-about 5000 more
men than / have had myself; and l am
glad TO say that we have got all these
men with very little loss of life, compared
TO what it would have been had we had
to have fought them. The city of Santiago
is simply a network of fortifications at
every street corner. | had no proper con-
ceptlon of its strength until l went into
towns were naturally very strong. Ev-
erything is going admirably, so far as the
transfer is concerned. and the Spanish
troops are behaving WELL as they are
perfectly delighted a the thought of get
ting home.
# send you personally a telegram of
Gen Linares to his government. which
one of the consuls gave me. 1t shows the
straits to which they were put and the
feelings that animated them. He stated
the case exactly. | did have him so sur
rounded that 1t was impossible for him
to get away. and ! could wait and he
could not.
Il send out tomorrow morning to re-
ceive something over 1000 men up in the
interior. a short distance, about thirty
miles, and in two or three days will send
to Guantanamo to receive the 1000 that
have surrendered there. They should be
shipped from Guantanamo Bay direct 10
Spain, There are also about 800 men. each
from Baracoa and Sagua de Tanamo on
the north coast, who will come into the
port there for shipment. / will send an
officer around with a Spanish officer to
take their arms and military supplies.
I'VE have gotten a great deal more
than l had any idea of getting in the way
of munitions of war. In everything but
food they were well supplied. Have got
d lew DEduklIQi HlSll-iOhS4 64llss
about a dozen.
my only fear is that we shall have
some sickness and it Is for that reason
that have wired you so earnestly about
getting these prisoners away. so that we
can go up in the noun aims with my com
mand fifteen or twenty miles at the end
of the railroad. at San Luis, which is said
to be very healthy. 1t is. al any rate.
about 1880 feet above the sea, and has
To-. 10,
so far there IS no fever in Santiago.
I suppose because there is no one there
except immunes. Three cases only so far
this year, and the English consul tells me
there was very little last year.
"Of those here who served throughout
the Civil War, all declare they never had
anything that could compare with l. for
hardship. With only one set of clothes
officers have been until now -ained on
nearly every day, carrying three days ra-
tions, like the men. on their person, and
suffering every privation that any man
can; added 20 all these priva ions. I'm addi-
ton, all the horrors of disease in an un-
known land. and very limited accommoda-
tions. should they be wounded. The spirit
shown by them and by the whole army
was simply grand. I can recall no in
stance where greater surrender has been
made than this The final surrender of
Gen Toral and his generals to myself and
my generals. was highly dramatic as well
as the hoising of the flag over the city of
Santiago. one of the oldest cities in this
continent.
Il want to thank you and the President
fer the words of cheer thar have come
to US, and TO say that none of us has
ever doubted that every effort possible to
make our lives as secure and our situation
as comfortable as is possible would be
done