The Advocate and news., 1898-12-07

patch. On June rs the movement against
Santiago was begun. On the oath the
first serious engagement took place, in
which the First and Tenth cavalry and
the First volunteer cavalry, General
YOung's brigade Of General Wheeler's de
vision, participated, losing heavily. BY
nightfall, however, ground within i've
miles Of Santiago was won. The advan-
tage was steadily increased. On July
and 2 a severe battle took. place, our
forces gaining the outer works OF San
tiagO and FL Caney and San Juan were
taken after desperate charge and the
investment of the city was. completed,
The navy co-operated by shelling the
town and coast forts. On the day fol-
lowing this brilliant achievement OF our
land forces, July 3, occurred the decisive
naval combat Of the war The Spanish
feet, attempting to leave the harbor, was
met by the American squadron, under
command of Admiral Sampson. In less
than three hours all the Spanish ships
we're destroyed, the two torpedo boats
sunk and the Maria Teresa, Almirante
OQuendo, Vizcaya and the Cristobal Co
lon driven ashore The Spanish admiral
and over 1900 men were taken prisoners
while the enemy's loss Of life was de-
pIOrably large, some 600 perlshing. On
our side but one man was killed and one
man seriously wounded. Although our
ships were repeatedly struck, not one
was seriously injured. Where all so con-
spicuously distinguished themselves
from the commanders to the gunners
and the unnamed heroes in the boiler
rooms, each and all contributing to the
astounding victory, for which neither
ancient nor modern history affords q
parallel in the completeness OF the event
and in the marvellous disprOpOrtion Of
casualties, 1t would be inyldious to single
out any for special honor. Deserved
promotion has rewarded the more con.
spicuOUs actors-the nations profound
est gratitude is due to all Of those brave
men who by their skill and devotion In
few short hours crushed the sea power
Of Spain and wrought triumph whose
decisiveness and far-reaching effects car
be scarcely measured. Nor can we bt
unmindful OF the achievements Of oul
builders, mechanics and artisans FOL
their skill in the construction Of oul
war ships.
With the catastrophe of Santiago
Spain's effort upon the ocean virtually
ceased. A spasmodic effort toward thu
end Of June to send her Mediterranean
feet under Admiral Camara TO relieve
Manila was abandoned, the expedition
being recalled after 1t had passed
through the SueZ canal. The capituIa
tiOn Of Santiago followed The city wa!
closely besieged by land, while the en-
trance Of our ships into the harbOr Cu
OF all relief on that side. After truce
to allow the removal OF nOn-cOmbatants
prOtracted negotiations continued from
July to July 15, when, under menace oi
immediate assault, the preliminaries ol
surrender we're agreed upon.
- = -
The total casualties in killed and
wounded in the army during the wal
was as follows: Officers killed, %; en-
listed men killed, 257; total, 2SO; Of
flcers wounded, 11S; enlisted men wound
ed, 1,464; total, 1,577; of the navy, killed
II; wounded, 81; died as result Oi
wounds, /; invalided from service, 8;
total, 81.
It will be observed that while Oul
navy was engaged in two great battles
and in numerous perilOus undertaking.
in the blOckades and bombardments, and
more than $4,000 of our troops were
transported to distant lands and engaged
in assault and siege and battle and many
skirmlshes in unfamiliar territory, We
lost in both arms Of the service tota
Of 1868 killed and wounded; and In the
entire campaign by land and sea we die
not lose gun or flag or transport OF
ship, and with the exception Of the
crew Of the Merrimac not a soldier or Q
sailor was taken prisoner.
On August z, foEty-six days from the
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