The Portland daily press., 1899-07-24
1T WAS ALGER'S IDEA.
To Send Prisoners
to Spain.
To nim Should Be Given Credit For
This adroit Move.
A Chapter of Unwritten
History of the War.
Supplied BY the Retiring Secre-
tary of War Department.

Washington, July es.--Sscretary Alger
has always felt pride In the success
with which the War Department. met the
tremendous problem thrust upon it BY
the necessity with which IL was sudden
ly confronted during the war with Spain
Of suddenly disposing OF the thousands of
Spanish prisoners captured In Santiago
province. The history Of that time has
not been fnlly told and 1t renal ned for
the secretary today to supply the med,
by the following bit Of reminiscence:
ION the night OF July Q. 1898, the
President asked me what, in my judg-
ment, we should do with : the Spanish
prisoners of Santiago after their capture.
The matter had received very much
thought from the President and myself.
but no definite conclusion had been
reached. ! then suggested to the Presl-
dent that Galveston. Texas, would be the
best place in the United States, in my
judgment, where we could send them;
that 1t was away from the coast line travel,
good harbor; that there would be plen-
ty Of room for camping them and that
Its climate would TO as nearly similar to
that of Santiago as we could probably
select.
"This seemed to meet his approval, as
IL was only a question of time, OF course,
when their capture would be effected. I
went to my home rs nearly as I can re-
membs about o'clock In the morning
and being too tired to sleep. lay awake
for awhile. tut finally dozed Off. L
awoke at day ybrsak and my frat thought
was CONCERNING the spanish prisoners and
tbs. new idea came into my head: why
not send them hack to SpainP
"This thought impressed me SO deeply
that l formulated my plan and on rhe
morning of July l0sh instead of going to
the department direct 1 went to the
White House and laid the new plan before
the President. saying that IL would be
an unprecedented procedure and most
gracious net; that TO ship the prisoners to
Galveston wonld be half the distance;
that we should have to clothe, shelter,
guard and feed them there. ard no doubt
have to ship them back to Spain In the
end. also stated that / believed that IL
would be great inducements to the
Spaniards to surrender, which Gen. Shat
ter afterwards assured ne WAS the effecu.
The President readily approved the plan
and on the same day ! oabled Gen. SHAFT
ter as follows:
War Department. July 10, 1898.
"Gen. Shafter. Playa del Este. Santiago,
Cuba:
''Should the Spaniards surrender un-
conditionally and wish TO return to
Spain, they will be sent back direct at
the expense of the United States govern
ment.
"R. A. Alger. Secretary Of War;"
Upon receiving this on the lith of
July, Gen. Shafter sent the following
communication to the comander-in- oh %:
of the Spanish forces:
Headquarters of the Fifth Army Corps,
Camp near Santiago, CuLa,
"July IL, 1898.
"Sir-With the largely increased forces
which have come TO me and the fact that
have your line of retreat securely in
my bands, time seems fitting that l
should again demand of your excellency
ts.S su~AodAct vi Cdat1Iko anu 0l your
ezosliency,s army. l am authorized to
state that should your exoeilency go
deEirs the government of the United
States win transport the entire command
OF your excelienoy to Spain.
~ have the honor TO be very rsspect-
fully,
"Your obedient servant,
William Il. Sh after.
M iJor General, commanding"
"To which the commander replied as
follows:
Santiago dc Cuba, July II, 1898.
'.Sir-I have the honor to advise your
eminenoe that your communication OF
this Gate Is received and in reply desire
10 confirm that which have said In my
former communication: alsD to advise
you that have communicated your pro-
position to the general In chief.
celebrating my sentiments, am very
respectfully,
Your servant
"Joss Toral,
sCommander.in-C Chief, Fourth Corps and
Military Governor OF Santiago