Evening star., 1898-08-24
GEN. GARCIA'S REPORT
Official Statement of Cuban Opera.
tions at Santiago.
CAPTURE OF CERVERA And HIS men
Col. Cabreco Credited With Having
Caught Them on Land.
GAVE THEM UP TO NAVY

Gen. Calixto Garcia has sent his first Off
ciai statement concerning the Cuban ope-
rations at Santiago to the Cuban iunta in
New York city. The messenger bearing
Gen. Garcia's statement arrived Monday
| last. and Horatio s. Rubens. counsel for the
junta, gave out a translation of the state
ment as follows:
On the 9th Of June the steamer Glouces-
ter brought communication from Gen.
Miles, commander-in-chief of the American
| army, in which he informed me of the pro-
ject to attack by land and sea the city of
Santiago de Cuba, and that 1t was neces-
sary that the greater part of the Cuban
forces should advance on that city to
operate with him. Immediately 1 gave
ders that the forces that had been armed
should move forward toward Santiago,
very difficult operation, the infantry being
almost worn out, and on account of the
scarcity of food for many people
Surmounting these difficulties, the forces
arrived at Palma SoriaEo, and on the 18th
l marched to Aserraderos, where l arrived
on the 10Th a. 80 am, having been sum-
moned there to confer with the admiral of
the American navy, Sampson, to decide on
the best plan of attacking Santiago de Gu
ba. This co lference took place on board
the flagship New York.
His Announcement.
1 must now declare that my object in
moving my forces on Santiago de Cuba
and meeting the admiral of the United
States navy has been to obey the orders L
received from the council of government TO
obey and respect the orders and instruc-
ticns of the commanders of the American
| army on their commencing operations in
the territory under my command.
On the 20th at 2:30 o'clock the general of
brigade. commander of brigade Of Ramon
de las Taguas, Demetrfo Castillo. landed in
Aserraderos from Sagua, brought over by
an American man-of-war, to receive my
orders. A short time after l was advised
that Maj Gen. William r. Shafter, conf
mander of the 9th Army Corps of the
United States army, had landed to confer
with me on the attack by land Of Santiago
de Cuba.
After a long conference, and after the
American general accepted the plan l laid
before him for the landing of his troops
and to carry out with success the advance
on Santiago, he returned to the ship. The
following day the general Of the division.
Augustin Cebreco, marched toward the
west of Cuba, with the forces of his
division, with the object of preventing the
enemy from reinforcing its garrisons of the
coast in that part, and at pm a force of
$50 men belonging to the division of Baya-
mo, and commanded by Brigadier General
Demetrio Castillo. was shipped on board
an American transport to so to the REIN
IOrcSHent Oh the DIlSdue u ItdiiloIl 10
protect the landing of the American army
and advance on Santiago by the east
These forces landed in Sigua, and they
advanced at once on Daiduiri with their
commander, Col. Carlos Gonzalez, and with
500 men of the brigade of Ramon, under
Brigadier General Castillo. The Spaniards
in a great hurry abandoned Daiquiri,
which Castillo occupied the American
navy began to lombard it. but firing was
suspended soon as our flag was hoisted
The First Landing.
The Americans landed their first regi-
merits at Daiquiri and advanced on Fir
n'eza and Siboney. with the Cuban forces
always in the vanguard. they being the
first to occupy said village. In siboney
the landing of American troops was con-
tinued, while the Cuban forces under Col.
Carlos Gonzalez advancing on Santiago.
sustain ed severe encounter with the
enemy in Las Quasinas. suffering some
losses, but infiicting greater on the Span
iards.
In my conference with Admiral Sampson
and Maj. Gen. Shafter we decided that I
should embark with 5000 men at Aserra-
dores and land east Of Santiago. With
this object l sent for the forces at Aqua
cate fnear Paima), and on the 18th, at
m, We began to embark, which operation
was finished IN the evening. These forces,
forming three distinct columns. were re-
spectively under the command of Maj. Gen.
Capote. Gems. of Division Cebreco and
Lora and Brig. Gen. SaL chez Hecheverria,
the entire force beiI under the immediate
command of Mai Gen. Jesus Rabi.
l was on board of the Alamo with my
staff and officers, invited by Gen.
Ludlow. who had superintended the en-
barkat:on. Brig Gen. Sanchez, with
force of 800 men, who embarked first in the
steamer Leona, landed at o'clock pm. in
Siboney. There were already camped The
other Cuban forces, which had arrived be
fore, as well as Tany thousands of the
American army.
At SibOney.
Gen. of Division Estrada marched on the
25th to Aguacate to gather the forces that
were there to form a column of 500 to
1000 men and to march with them toward
Santiago in readiness to fight any forces
that might be sent to the help of said city.
At dawn on the 26th the steamers Orizaba
ard Seneca were opposite Siboney carry
frg the balance of my forces. A o'clock
m. the landing commenced at Siboney,
eld ding at 10 pm, all the Cuban forces
camping around the village. Our forces
which had arrived earlier also camped
around Siboney, as well as many thousand
of the American army.
Perfect fraternity reigned among the Gu
ban and American soldiers, who Wed with
each other in good feeling. On account of
the scarcity of food in the territory in
which were from the first the Ameri-
cans supplied us with the necessary ra-
tions for the subsistence of our forces On
the 10Th General Shafter and myself had
completed the plan of attack, and / re-