Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-12-09
THE SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN.
Its Successful Issue Gave Us the L
tire Eastern End of Cuba.

Its Successful Issue Gave Us the En-
tire Eastern End OF Cuba.
On June % the movement against San
tiago was begun. On the 2lth the first Sc
rious engagement took place, in which the
First and Tenth cavalry and the First
United States volunteer cavalry, Gen.
Young's brigade of Gen. Wheeler's division,
participated, losing heavily. By nightfall
however, ground within five miles of San
tiago was won. The advantage was stead
lily increased. On July l, a severe battle
took place, our forces gaining the out
and San Juan Were taken after a desperate
charge, and the investment of the city was
completed. The, navy cooperated by she'll
ing the town and the coast forts
Sinking of the Spanish Fleet.
On the day. following this brilliant
achievement Of our land forces, July 8,
occurred the decisive naval combat of the
war. The Spanish feet. attempting to
squadron under command of Commodore
Sampson. In less than three hours all the
Spanish ships We're destroyed, the two
Teresa. Almirante Oquendo, Vizcaya and
Cristobal Colon driven ashore. The Span
ish admiral and over 900 men were taken
plorably large, some eco perishing. On
our side but one man was killed, on the
BrookIyn, ana a1ts one man vas seriously
peatedly struck, not one was seriously in
jured. Where all so conspicuously dis
tinguished themselves, from the command
ers to the gunners and the unnamed heroes
in the boiler rooms each and all contribut-
Ing toward the achievement of this as
founding victory, for which neither an
Client nor modern history affords a parallel
in the completeness of the event and the
marvellous disproportion of casualties, IT
would be invidious 10 single out any for
| especial honor. Deserved promotion has
| rewarded the more conspicuous actors-the
| nations profoundest gratitude is due to all
! Of those brave. men who by their skill and
| devotion in a few short hours crushed the
sea power OF Spain and wrought triumph
| whose decisiveness and far-reaching con-
| sequences can scarcely be measured. Nor
| can we be unmindful of the achievements
| of our builders, mechanics, and artisans
for their skill in the construction of oui
| warshipS.
| With the catastrophe of Santiago spain's
| effort uron the ocean virtually ceased. A
| spasmodic effort toward the end of June
TO send her Mediterranean fleet under AID.
miral, camara to relieve Manila was
aband9ned the expsditon being RECALLED
canal.
Capture of Santiago.
The capitulation of Santiago followed.
The city was closely besieged BY land while
cut off all relief on that side. After truce
| to allow of the removal of noncombatants
July 3 until July 10, when. under menace
of immediate assault the prelminaries OF
| surrender were agreed upon. On the 18th
| Gen. Shafter occupied the city The capitu.
| lation embraced the entire eastern end Of
| Cuba. The number of Spanish soldiers sur.
rendered was $4,000. all of whom We're sub
sequently conveyed to Spain at the charge
| of the United States.
Gratitude of the Nation.
The story of this successful campaign I.
| told in the report of the secretary of wal
which will be laid before you. The indi
vidual valor of officers and soldiers was
never more strikingly shown than in the
several engagements leading to the sur
render Of Santiago, while the prompt move
ments and successive victories won instant
and universal applause. TO those wht
| gained this complete triumph, which estab
iished the ascendency of the United State.
/ upon land as the fight off Santiago had fixed
our supremacy on the seas. the earnest ant
lasting gratitude of the nation is unspar
ingly due. Nor should we alone remembe
our tears. and our losses BY battle and dis
suit and teach US to weigh the awful cos
of war, however rightful the cause or sig
| nal the victory.