Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-13
ESCARIO'S HEROIC MARCH
Perils Encountered by Spanish Soldiers
fastening to Reach Santiago
Pathetic Story Found in the Diary
Captured From Lieut.. Null
Ter q Tejeiro.

The bureau of naval intelligence has
printed a second edition of the diary of
Lieutenant Muller Tejeiro, the Spanish
naval officer at Santiago whose record of
events during the siege created such inter-
est when first made public several weeks
ago.
The new edition of the captured diary
contains several chapters omitted from the
first publication Among these are a de-
scription of the forces in Santiago province
the defensive works around Santiago and
the sinking Of the Reina Mercedes. This
Spanish cruiser was reported at the time
to have been sunk by the fire of our fleet
but 1t seems from the statement of Lieut.
Tejeiro that she was sunk by the Spaniards
with the same hope that the Merrimac was
sent In under Hobson, that Of blocking the
channel. In this she did not succeed
The writer also devotes a, chapter to the
spanish volunteers but the most interest
ing chapter, and the most valuable from
historical point of view, describes the
march of General EScario's column, which
was thrown into the city after it's invest
ment by the American forces. This is a
story that has never been told before and
lnoeed, was subject Oh which very little
information was to be had. even after the
capture of Santiago by the United States
troops
The account of Escario's feat. even in the
stilted language incidental to an accurate
translation from the Spanish is simple and
pathetic, and marks him one of the
lighting heroes of the last days of SPANS
supremacy in Cuba
Escario's column of 3,752 men started on
June % from ManzaniIlo in answer to a
pressing cablegram two days earlier from
the commander of the 4th Army Corps
at Santiago, and contained besides its in
fantry force, pack train of 1913 mules and
part of mountain battery. which helped
to clear the attacking Cubans from the
various commanding positions they occu-
pied along the line of march At best the
men could march only two abreast and
most of the time in single file. The orders
had been to avoid engaging the enemy en-
route. but the Cuban skirmishers struck
the Spanish column the second morning
out. The only town entered was Bayamo
Escario had been cautioned to avoid the
towns. but. with engaging frankness he
explained that he could not for the honor
and morale of his command let them pass
so near town without capturing it, Bay
amo was taken with a loss of one man,
though the Cubans lost ten killed and seven
wounded.
The Spanish column was decimated by
sickness and the litter train grew in size
every day. The .ubans had ambuscades
at every ford and occupied in force all the
elevated positions. Overcoming these, the
column pushed on to Aguacate, which it
reached July l. Here occurred the hottest
fight OF the journey. A Cuban force esti-
mated at 2,000 was driven from an extern
sive line of intrenchments. They left
seventeen dead on the field and large pools
of blood testified to other casualties. Es-
carlo lost seven dead and one lieutenant
and forty-two privates wounded. On July
the column was at Palma Soriano, in
heliograph distance of Santiago, and re-
ceived urgent appeals to hurry in to the de-
Tense of the city. flying column was
formed. which reached Santiago at 3 p m.
next day, and all. including wounded were
within the Spanish lines by 10 that night
The relief forces were Immediately assigned
positions on the firing line in the city's de-
lenses. y