The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-30
GENERALS INDICATED
DECLARE THEIR WARsHIPs
BLEW UP THE MERRIMAC.
Make Explanations as to Why Their
Forces Surrendered = Couldn't
Help Themselves as There Was
No Hope-Fought Valiantly as
Long as They Possibly Could.

the official organ of the minister OF
war at Madrid, and containing the SEN
tence of the supreme council in the
proceedings instituted because OF the
capitulation of Santiago in July last
year The defendants named in the
proceedings are Jose Toral VeiaSquez,
general of division and the successor or
General Linares, in command OF the
Fourth army corps of Cuba; General
Brigade of Guantanamo; Lieutenant
Colonel Rafael Aalagri, commander on
Sagua de Tanamo; Captain Arturo Hi
dalgo. commander of Alto Songo; Cap
tain Jose RIGA, commander of San Luis;
Captain Romualdo Martinez. COM
mander of Palma Soriano, and Captain
Clemente Peyro, commander at El
Cristo.
The defendants named besides Gem
eral Toral, are the commanders of the
outlying military posts which We're in
Guided in the capitulation of Santiago
The most interesting feature of the
report Is the fact that the court lays
great stress upon the Importance of
the American naval forces, and de
clares that without their cooperation
it would have been Impossible for the
American forces tegl1axe compelled the
surrender of Santiago.
Toral Is INDICATED.
The sentence of the court concludes
by vindicating General Toral from any
censure for the surrender of the city,
stating that he had used every, means
of defense REQUIRED by the laws of
honor and duty. as attested by the bril-
liant battles sustained from June " to
the day of capitulation, and the many
casualties in generals. commanders,
officers and privates during said bat
ties"
The other defendants are exonerated,
having served under the instructions Of
their commanding general who in turn
had the sanction of his home govern
ment for each step taken.
Before reaching this conclusion, how
ever the court goes into What may be
characterized as a brief but compre-
hensive history of the whole Cuban
campaign from the Spanish standpoint,
the various reverses met with from time
to time being cited as explanations of
the final surrender of the city which
was pointed out as being inevitable
from the time the American squadron
blockaded the harbor and cut off all
hope of outside assistance.
Hobson's Heroism In Doubt.
1t is declared that during the bonn
bardment of Santa go on May 81, about
100 shots were fired by Spanish batter
les and the Colon in a space of forty
five minutes The fact that the Colon
aided the batteries OF MORO, Socapo
and Punta Gorda during this bonn
bardment is new. Referring to the
sinking of the Merrirnac in the channel
at the mouth of the &harbor, the court
declares that She was sunk by the
combined force of th~ Reina Mercedes
and TIE water batteries..sa statement
not in agreement with Lieutenant Hob
sons view of the affair on board the
Merrimac.
OF the bombardment by the Amer
lean squadron on June the court says
that over 1000 projectiles were dis
charged by the hostile fleet, resulting
in serious injuries to the Reina Mer-
cedes and the garrison quarters at the
MORO 1t says, however. that no guns
We're dismounted by the bombardment.
Zone chief was killed, however, and
eight men killed; two chiefs, five Off
GERS and fifty-siX men wounded" This
is rather a larger casualty list than
was credited to this bombardment at
the time.
The Fight at Ell Caney.
The landing of the American forces
at Daiquira and the bombardment Of
that town and of Siboney are described
in considerable detail. Coming down to
the fight at Caney the court declares
that half of the officers engaged were
either killed or wounded. 1t points out
with pride however, that the Spanish
artillery during the mornings fight on
July ! was able to silence the Amer
lean battery at Ell Poso and cause it to
withdraw.
OF the general engagement on July ]
it is said that over 500 men and fifty
generals, chiefs and officers were killed
and wounded. 1t is pointed out that
during the engagement of July l only
LOO men of the. Spanish command were
actively engaged, the others, it is ex-
planned, being to the westward, occu
pied in guarding threatened positions
and unable to besof material assistance.
Following the loss of San Juan and
Caney the court declares that the
water supply was cut off and that the
military force surviving the two days
fighting of July 1 and . was entirely
inadequate to .defend:th fourteen kilo-
meters Of protective works around the
city.
Distribution of Forces.
The total force available is placed
officially at 1000 infantry and LOCO
guerillas. The remainder of the forces,
it is explained, were garrisoning the
MORO and the batteries at Socapa and
Punta Gorda and performing also the
service of carrying water to different
points, patrolling the city, land rem
dering such other services as the in
habitants could have rendered had the
city remained loyal"
Referring to garrison stores the court
says that at the time of the surrender
all that was left of the arms was a
million Spanish Mauser cartridges
These would not have lasted for more
than two attacks on the part of the
ton, of which there was a consider
able supply, could not be utilized for
want of weapons of that type. nor could
the Remington ammunition, these
weapons being in the hands of the ir-
regular force only.
Provisions Were Short
The provisions in the city at the time
of the surrender, it, is said, consisted
only of rice. salt oil, coffee. sugar and
brandy, and of these only about ten
days supply remained. There were
over LOO sick in the hospitals who had
to be fed ito say nothing of the SOL
diers who spent day and night in
trenches after three years Of campaign
during the last three months of which
they seldom had meat to eat and were
often reduced to the rations mentioned
above,
Great stress is laid upon the presence
of the American squadron off. the coast
and the court declares that besides the I
numerical superiority of the enemy. on
land With seventy pieces of modern
artillery and the support of a powerful
squadron no reinforcenents could
reach Santiago except by sea, and this
eventually became a vain hope from
the moment that the American ships !
completely closed the harbor entrance.
In addition to the decree of the COURT /