The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-30

in generals, commanders, officers and
privates during said battles"
The other defendants are eXonerated,
having acted 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 g brief but comprehen-
sive history of the whole Cuban cam
paign 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 out
side assistance.
COLON TOOK PART
1t is declared that during the bonn
bardment of Santiago, on May 81, about
100 shots were fired by Spanish batteries
and the Colon in a space of forty-fve
minutes. The fact that the Gallon aided
the batteries Of Moro, Socapa and Punta
Gorda during this bombardment is new.
Referring to the sinking of the Merrimac
in the channel at the mouth of the har-
Dor the court declares that she was sunk
by the combined fire of the Reina Mer-
cedes and the water batteries, a state
ment not in agreement with Lieut. Hob
sons view of the affair On board the
Merrimac.
OF the bombardment by the American
squadron on June 6, the court says that
over 1000 projectiles were discharged by
the hostile fleet resulting in serious in
Jurles to the Reina Mercedes and the
garrison quarters at the MORO. 1t says,
however, that no guns were dismounted
by this bombardment. One chief was
nicrhS
chiefs, five officers and f1fty-six men were
wounded. This is rather a larger cas-
ualty list than was credited to this bonn
bardment at the time
The landing of the American forces at
Daiquiri 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 one-half of the
officers engaged were either killed or
wounded. 1t points out with pride
however, that the Spanish artillery dur
ing the mornings fight on July / was
able to silence the American battery at
Ell Peso and caused it to withdraw. OF
the general engagement on July l 1t is
said that over 500 men and fifty generals
chiefs and officers were killed and wouod-
ed. 1t is pointed out that during the
engagement of July I only LOO men Of
the Spanish command were actively en-
gagged, the others, 1t is explained. being
to the westward, occupied in guarding
threatened points and unable to be Of
material assistance.
Following the loss Of San Juan and
Ell 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 2 was entirely
inadequate to defend the protective
works around the city. The total force
available is placed officially at 7,GCo in
fantry and 1000 guerrillas. The remain
der of the forces, 1t is explained were
garrisoning the MORO and the batteries
at Socapa and Punta Gorda, and per
forming also the services of CARRYING
water to different points, patrolling the
city and rendering such other services
as the inhabitants could have rendered
had the city remained loyal"
SHORT OF STORES.
Referring to garrison stores, the court
says that at the time of the surrend n
all that was left to the army was 1000. 900
Spanish Mauser cartridges These w ud
not have lasted for more than two at,
tacks on the part of the enemy. The
Argentine Mauser ammunition, of which
there was a considerable supply. could
not be utilized for want of weapons of
that type, nor could the Remington am
munition, these weapons being in the
hands of the irregular forces only
The provisions in the city at the time
of the surrender, it is said, consisted only
of rice salt, oil, coffee, sugar and bran
dy, and of these only about ten days
supply remained. There were over /, 100
sick in the hospitals, who had to be fed
to say nothing of the soldiers 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 rations
mentioned above.
Great stress is laid upon the presence
of the American fleet off the coast, and
the court declares that besides the nu-