The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-09
THE SPANISH PRISONERS.
EXPERIENCES WITH THEM IN THE
CAMP AT SANTIAGO.
Rnvages of Death and Disease Among
the Spaninrds-Friendly Relations with
the Observation-Disclosures Searches Made

the MISUNDERSTANDING Searches Mad,
bT Women - scenes of Suffering
After the surrender Of Santiago the Spanish
troops were allowed for u time TO roam the
streets Of the city and the country round about
It. Gradually they were rounded up and con.
1ncd TO a triangular bit Of country Enclosed by
the San Juan River. the San Juan hills and the
camps OF the American army. This bit Of val.
ley had been won by the left flank of our army
when tho fighting for Santiago was on.
Just how many prisoners were cooped up In
the Spanish camp it would be hard TO say.
theoretically there should have been sixteen
or eighteen thousand. Toral's force in June
was supposed to be abouttwenty-two or twenty
three thousand. This number must have been
reduced during June and July by five or six
thousand killed. wounded and sick. But, as q
matter Of fact. there probably never were
nearly 50 many in close captivity at one time.
The surrender took place on July II. In
August the United States began to ship them
home. Toward the end Of August tho
Third Infantry on guard was relieved by the
Ninth Massachusetts, Volunteers. There were
then something more than five Thousand OF
them in our care. These were being reduced
daily by death and transportation. Among five
thousand prisoners there was an average death
rate of twenty-five q day. Besides those going
home there were quite n number sent daily to
tho hospital in Santiago.
Prisoners privileged to leave camp received
passes In English signed by one OF our on
GERS. a M~ajor-Gencral or his Adjutant. or in
Spanish countersigned by ono OF our general
officers. When a Spanish pass was thrust at
the guard one might think he would be puz-
aled; but. no. he scrutiniAed it carefully. like
ono to the language born. II he found the
American countersign across 1t he waved the
prisoner on. saying Grandly. "Passado." or
Some such variation OF IN" Wor'' chulhg al
ways with an "o' diminucndo.
nv suaFu were instructed 10 pass an sur
Reons ana olncerS OF hlSh RANK Most OF us
would be stunned to say what were the dis:
aSn su'srons anu nIuis
high rank IN the spanish Army nut mat wasa
small matter. We judged them by their looks.
, Mnor ann a man so zane ser along Nv with ms s@ onc stars al on MS
| him without IL halt as being the real thing. II
he looked nmiable and smiled or touched his
hat we threw him n salute: II he raised his
hat we might give him q present" The
American soldier may have less Of natural
n n'E rscInroc, no', nrno t"pn , aror aI hiam tn out b ne Is
and bow for bow. When along came
an onhcer without the sold stars ana
insignia 10 he worn on Sna,isb noiomos ba
was scrutinized carefully. If he looked prop
erly naughty. or as one who cut ice among his
people. he was nassod aftcr no more th,n a
neriumCI"ry InrSalon or Two. ihat Is; II he hlh
wp a tbn ,ov YIN H., VI LII T w. wv w GW,Cah
y tagged; "PassSdo =, II he had not the rasss
sTc W. hc Hi nov mn mi r 81 aSSH' wwhhicchh'
always, he did not like. .Aft"r long. mixed
r wnnfS h %a May in Ms n1 own language the officer
All nr is MafsT were %Tt SUPPOSED to come and 90
ne c"iI hai hInIw%mn 1 wn rTLT1 la th atinr oTr morn
est actiyifv n mon tbe Tm Th" nos Who lad b""s-
H low ne bro az Tnrip ,Th"oHt Lad G'i IN sSs.o11ptgnas
Tb""Ina NV Wv th s,t 3D. I'M ;rrtua ~ Hdt,i"ibv,
well detailed TO hrrinnp in fotd and clean w yi,n
, ra me Guy ana the fhapEHy nn n@tt"1rf2 6ov on the
afoot. ragged and weak looking. mnnnted' on
a a nan w ven " NJ in n ~ n Iittnir in was az odd. he wwnmnGlII
Soc his grave y" hei"ra nj hama ~ and and Now n et u
fnit Iike tatipir of n me- hats bm s"1f7jit' w - W
in9TTaI Leaking down as these smsseiIated
felt almost mo- %msRaTmneadd q fttheir nnwn bsaIth c"o"S
,b nh y Lat" risers would be yet going out when
with their Jars OF clean water. or a iittiss vine
Rna cheese, maybe. and a mite Of q loaf Of
back the bearers Of the Sick. now With thar
canvas filters rolled and With detected looks.
inc tha u~naynIahTn ioiItinw ~ tth,t r HnI
More n "In, 1iad nv f Ihp,'i wsv m ho, w seeI c ronu;
T Nos ratu ming with food would sometivos
OFFER he euard n f6if from u nth Thar pnor Ittte s smps
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ou'n noaIt' Whan sTnb nra I'M" a. ~
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S No. ~ TO- oo VII ~ 49," II IN ~. W.
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ron so ssiHa 70 M GtEnr N,hat 'r.ouar
n uSln y" :" II s norta i,Iv ~ i%oEeI and q : "Soeri
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t tnrp =" among war T1b p GriS2ners Cola aranI WERE ,GprS
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a am1 nInaos,unS ,nrr NV ~ 6undr dr,a'fu
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AMI srli nr g1aI ,bn ma Wirn t ,he' unn M Loan .mger
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