The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-06

go. This was accomplished under great
difficulties but with marvellous Dispatch
On June 23d the movement against san
tiago was begun. On the oath the first
serious engagement took place i'll which
the First and Tenth cavalry and the
First United States volunteer cavalry,
General Young's brigade of General
Wheeler's division, participated. losing
heavily. by nightfall. however, ground
within five miles OF Santiago was won.
The, advantage was steadily increased.
ON July 1st Il severe battle took place,
our forces gaining the outworks of san
tiago: ON the I'd lei Caney and San Juan
were taken after a desperate charge. and
the investment of the city was completed.
The navy co-operated by Smelling the
town and the coast forts.
CERyERA'S FLEET DESTROYED.
On the day following this brilliant
achievement OF our land forces, the Third
Of July. occurred the decisive naval com.
hat of the war. The Spanish fleet, ut
tempting to leave the harbor. was met Ly
the American squadron under command
of Commodore Sampson, In less than
three hours all the Spanish ships wcre
destroyed. the torpedo boats were sunk
dliU tic ititSstt N'NiNfIF
do Nizcaya and Christobal Colon driven
ashore. The Spanish Admiral and over
1900 men We're taken prisoners, while
the enemy's loss of life was deplorably
large, some GOO perishing. On our side
but one man was killed, ON the Brook
ly. and one man seriously wounded. Al.
though our ships were repeatedly struck,
not one was seriously injured. Where all
IL had hmm
selves, from the commanders to the gun
ncrs and the unnamed heroes in the
boiler rooms. each and all contributing
toward the achievement of this astound-
ing victoy. for which neither ancient
nor modern history affords Il parallel IN
the completeness of the event and the
marvellous disproportion of casualties. it
would be invidious TO single any for
special honor. Deserved promotion has
rewarded the more conspicuous actors
the nations profeundest gratitude is due
TO all of these brave men who by their
skill and devotion in few short hours
crushed the sea power of Spain and
wrought n triumph whose decisiveness
and far-eaching consequences can scarce
ly be measured. Nor can we be UNI
mindful of the achievements of our build
ers, mechanics and artisans for their skill
in the construction of our warships.
With the catastrophe of Santiago
SPANS effort upon the ocean virtually
ceased. \ spasmodic effort toward the
end of June to send her Mediterranean
fleet. under Admiral Camara, to relieve
Manila, was abandoned. the expedition
being recalled after it had passed trough
the Suez Canal
SURRENDER OF SANTIAGO.
The capitulation of Santiago followed
The city was closely besieged by land,
while the entrance of our ships into the
harbor cut off all relief on that side.
After a truce to allow of the removal of
non-combatants, protracted negotiations
continued from July Sd until July 10Th.
when, under menace of immediate as
sault, the preliminaries of surrender were
agreed upon. On the 18th General Shat
ter occupied the city. The capitulation
embraced the entire eastern end of Cuba.
The number of Spanish soldiers surren-
dered was 22.000 all of whom were sub
sequently conveyed to Spain at the charge
Of the United States. The story of this
successful campaign is told in the report
Of the Secretary of War. which will b.
laid before you. The individual valor
of officers and soldiers was never more
strikingly shown than in the several en-
gagements leading to the surrender of
Santiago, while the prompt movements
and successive victories won instant and
universal applause. To those who gain
cd this complete triumph, which estab-
lished the aScendency of the. United
States upon land as the fight off San
tiago had fixed our supremacy on the
sea. the earnest and lasting gratitude
of the nation is unsparingly due. Nor
should we alone remember the galantry
of the living; the dead claimed our tears.
and our losses by battle and disease must
cloud any exultation at the result and
teach MS to weigh the awful cost of war,
however rightful the cause or signal the
victoy.
PORTO RICO INVADED.
With the fall of Santiago the occupa-
ton of Porto RIGA became the next
strategic necessity. General Miles had
previously been assigned to organize an
expedition for that purpose. Fortunate
~ he was already at Santiago where
he had arrived on the 18th of July with
reinforcements for General Skaters
army.
With these troops, consisting of 3,41i
infantry and artillery, two companies of
engineers and one company of the sig
nal corps, General Miles left Guanta-
namo on July Dist, having nine trans
ports conveyed by the feet under Cap
tain Higginson with the Massachusetts
flagship, Dixie, Gloucester, Columbia
and Yale, the two latter carrying troops.
The expedition landed at Guanica, July
10Th. which port was entered with little
opposition. Here the fleet was joined by
the Annapolis and the Wasp, while the
Puritan and Amphitrite went to San
Juan and joined the New Orleans. which
was engaged in blockading that port.
The Major General commanding was
subsequently reinforced by General
Schwan's brigade of the Third army
corps. by General Wilson with a part of
his division and also by General Brooke.
with part of his corps. numbering in
all 1G.913 officers and men.
On July 9th he entered Ponce. one
of the most important ports in the ISL
and, from which he thereafter directed
operations for the capture of sthe
island.
With the exception of encounters with
In. AZ u.