Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-01-05
brigade commander.

Wounded July :. tie. No one knew
of his guns at work on July /, as has
been stated. Shafter said that / 200 Of
Cervera's sailors were in the works that
day 1t is only another evidence of the
| desperate straits in which the soldiers
found themselves after San Juan ridge
had been carried that events like Ger
vera's escape and destruction made lit
tie impression there in the trenches,
but that trifes which brought relief are
remembered in detail. Officers and men
alike could name the day and hour
when they got the first apology for a
meal, the first variation of diet, the
first chance to wash and the first Red
Cross aid, They could also tell of the
fluctuations of misery in the trenches,
the downpour Of rain, the chill air anu.
the depth of mud. When the flag Of
truce appeared, word passed along:
Firing will cease! Get out of the
works." Later would sound the warn
ing: Lie down Firing will begin !"
Mauser shots found victims all that
Sunday morning until the white flag
was displayed. These were chiefly
sharpshooters' bullets, for the last spurt
Of volleying was the wind up of the at
tack the night before.
The proposition to retire tho army on
tho night of July 2 to IT'S position Of
June 20 on the hills bacl! of FL Poso
will long remain bone of contention,
and may take 20 years to settle, as was
tho case with Meade at Gettysburg. Ev-
cry one interviewed at Camp Wikoff
mentioned the subject without restraint.
No one criticised the plan. Officers said
that the idea was not favored by
the men; but, as before stated, tbi;
view was modified by the universal
admission that the line of battle was
dangerously weak and the men suffer
ing terribly from heat and hunger.
The reasons given why the idea
of retiring to a shorter line nearer
the base Of supplies was abandoned
show that the idea was IA natural one.
All agreed that it was abandoned be-
cause of the repulse of the Spaniardr
tho night of July 9 and the cool wave
bringing relief from heat. OF course it
would not have been proposed to retire
because of the discomforts Of heat Sa-
villa and FL Poso were no better in that
respect than San Juan heights. No; the
effects of the heat were feared, and the
real danger was Spanish sortie,
Some time after midnight on tho 81
decision was made at headquarters tc
hold the line on San Juan ridge, 1t has
been stated that ,5hafter 5 demand for the
surrender of Santiago WAS drafted that
night. Shafter says that he wrote the
demand on tho morning of the Sd. II
was dated $50 n. ~, and Toral accept
eel that as its date, although he did Eoi
receive it until p. M, at which hour,
although neither he nor Shafter knew
it, Cervera's fleet was wreck.
Toral replied that he would not sur
render, but that he had notified the for
! eign consuls and others interested. That
afternoon the consuls entered the Amer
lean lines and secured further respite
If pa hours, or until 10 o'clock, July D.
Shafter said that he believed that the
Spanish army would gladly surrendel
: Z it We're known that the prisoners o.
'yar would be humanely treated By theil
raptors, In order to give an example q
American ideas of humanity, no paroleC