The Greater Republic Part 70

[Ill.u.s.tration: REAR-ADMIRAL WINFIELD SCOTT SCHLEY.]

It had been just one month, to a day, since Hobson sunk the _Merrimac_ at the harbor's mouth to keep Cervera in, and for nearly one month and a half the fleets of Schley and Sampson had lain, like watch-dogs before the gate, without for one moment relaxing their vigilance. The quiet of Sunday morning brooded over the scene. Even the winds seemed resting from their labors and the sea lay smooth as gla.s.s. For two days before, July 1st and 2d, the fleets had bombarded the forts of Santiago for the fourth time, and all the s.h.i.+ps, except the _Oregon_, had steam down so low as to allow them a speed of only five knots an hour. At half-past nine o'clock the bugler sounded the call to quarters, and the Jackies appeared on deck rigged in their cleanest clothes for their regular Sunday inspection. On board the _Texas_ the devout Captain Philip had sounded the trumpet-call to religious services. In an instant a line of smoke was seen coming out of the harbor by the watch on the _Iowa_, and from that vessel's yard a signal was run up--"The enemy is escaping to the westward." Simultaneously, from her bridge a six-pounder boomed on the still air to draw the attention of the other s.h.i.+ps to her fluttering signal. On every vessel white ma.s.ses were seen scrambling forward. Jackies and firemen tumbled over one another rus.h.i.+ng to their stations. Officers jumped into the turrets through manholes, dressed in their best uniforms, and captains rushed to their conning towers. There was no time to waste--scarcely enough to get the battle-hatches screwed on tight. Jingle, jingle, went the signal-bells in the engine-rooms, and "Steam! Steam!" the captains cried through the tubes. Far below decks, in 125 to 150 degrees of heat, naked men shoveled in the black coal and forced drafts were put on.

One minute after the _Iowa_ fired her signal-gun she was moving toward the harbor. From under the Castle of Morro came Admiral Cervera's flags.h.i.+p, the _Infanta Maria Teresa_, followed by her sister armored cruisers, _Almirante Oquendo_ and _Vizcaya_--so much alike that they could not be distinguished at any distance. There was also the splendid _Cristobal Colon_, and after them all the two fine torpedo-boat destroyers, _Pluton_ and _Furor_. The _Teresa_ opened fire as she sighted the American vessels, as did all of her companions, and the forts from the heights belched forth at the same time. Countless geysers around our slowly approaching battles.h.i.+ps showed where the Spanish sh.e.l.ls exploded in the water. The Americans replied. The battle was on, but at a long range of two or three miles, so that the secondary batteries could not be called into use; but thirteen-inch sh.e.l.ls from the _Oregon_ and _Indiana_ and the twelve-inch sh.e.l.ls from the _Texas_ and _Iowa_ were churning up the water around the enemy. At this juncture it seemed impossible for the Americans to head off the Spanish cruisers from pa.s.sing the western point, for they had come out of the harbor at a speed of thirteen and one-half knots an hour, for which the blockading fleet was not prepared. But Admiral Sampson's instructions were simple and well understood--"Should the enemy come out, close in and head him off"--and every s.h.i.+p was now endeavoring to obey that standing command while they piled on coal and steamed up.

Meanwhile, from the rapidly approaching _New York_ the signal fluttered--"Close into the mouth of the harbor and engage the enemy;"

but the admiral was too far away, or the men were too busy to see this signal, which they were, nevertheless, obeying to the letter.

It was not until the leading Spanish cruiser had almost reached the western point of the bay, and when it was evident that Cervera was leading his entire fleet in one direction, that the battle commenced in its fury. The _Iowa_ and the _Oregon_ headed straight for the sh.o.r.e, intending to ram if possible one or more of the Spaniards. The _Indiana_ and the _Texas_ were following, and the _Brooklyn_, in the endeavor to cut off the advance s.h.i.+p, was headed straight for the western point. The little unprotected _Gloucester_ steamed right across the harbor mouth and engaged the _Oquendo_ at closer range than any of the other s.h.i.+ps, at the same time firing on the _Furor_ and _Pluton_, which were rapidly approaching.

It then became apparent that the _Oregon_ and _Iowa_ could not ram, and that the _Brooklyn_ could not head them off, as she had hoped, and, turning in a parallel course with them, a running fight ensued.

Broadside after broadside came fast with terrific slaughter. The rapid-fire guns of the _Iowa_ nearest the _Teresa_ enveloped the former vessel in a mantle of smoke and flame. She was followed by the _Oregon_, _Indiana_, _Texas_, and _Brooklyn_, all pouring a rain of red-hot steel and exploding sh.e.l.l into the fleeing cruisers as they pa.s.sed along in their desperate effort to escape. The _Furor_ and _Pluton_ dashed like mad colts for the _Brooklyn_, and Commodore Schley signaled--"Repel torpedo-destroyers." Some of the heavy s.h.i.+ps turned their guns upon the little monsters. It was short work. Clouds of black smoke rising from their thin sides showed how seriously they suffered as they floundered in the sea.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REAR-ADMIRAL JOHN C. WATSON.

Commander of the Blockading Fleet at Havana.]

The _Brooklyn_ and _Oregon_ dashed on after the cruisers, followed by the other big s.h.i.+ps, leaving the _Furor_ and _Pluton_ to the _Gloucester_, hoping the _New York_, which was coming in the distance, would arrive in time to help her out if she needed it. The firing from the main and second batteries of all the battles.h.i.+ps--_Oregon_, _Iowa_, _Texas_--and the cruiser _Brooklyn_ was turned upon the _Vizcaya_, _Teresa_, and _Oquendo_ with such terrific broadsides and accuracy of aim that the Spaniards were driven from their guns repeatedly; but the officers gave the men liquor and drove them back, beating and sometimes shooting down those who weakened, without mercy; but under the terrific fire of the Americans the poor wretches were again driven away or fell mangled by their guns or stunned from the concussions of the missiles on the sides of their s.h.i.+ps.

Presently flames and smoke burst out from the _Teresa_ and the _Oquendo_. The fire leaped from the port-holes; and amid the din of battle and above it all rose the wild cheers of the Americans as both these splendid s.h.i.+ps slowly reeled like drunken men and headed for the sh.o.r.e. "They are on fire! We've finished them," shouted the gunners.

Down came the Spanish flags. The news went all over the s.h.i.+ps--it being commanded by Commodore Schley to keep everyone informed, even those far below in the fire-rooms--and from engineers and firemen in the hot bowels of the great leviathans to the men in the fighting-tops the welkin rang until the s.h.i.+ns reverberated with exuberant cheers.

This was 10.20 A.M. Previously, the two torpedo boats had gone down, and only two dozen of their 140 men survived, these having been picked up by the _Gloucester_, which plucky little unprotected "dare-devil," not content with the destruction she had courted and escaped only as one of the unexplainable mysteries of Spanish gunnery, was coming up to join the chase after bigger game; and it was to Lieutenant Wainwright, her commander, that Admiral Cervera surrendered. The _Maine was_ avenged.

(Lieutenant Wainwright was executive officer on that ill-fated vessel when she was blown up February 15th.) Cervera was wounded, hatless, and almost naked when he was taken on board the _Gloucester_. Lieutenant Wainwright cordially saluted him and grasped him by the hand, saying, "I congratulate you, Admiral Cervera, upon as gallant a fight as was ever made upon the sea." He placed his cabin at the service of Cervera and his officers, while his surgeon dressed their wounds and his men did all they could for their comfort--Wainwright supplying the admiral with clothing. Cervera was overcome with emotion, and the face of the old gray-bearded warrior was suffused in tears. The _Iowa_ and _Indiana_ came up soon after the _Gloucester_ and a.s.sisted in the rescue of the drowning Spaniards from the _Oquendo_ and _Teresa_, after which they all hurried on after the vanis.h.i.+ng _Brooklyn_ and _Oregon_, which were pursuing the _Vizcaya_ and _Colon_, the only two remaining vessels of Cervera's splendid fleet. From pursuer and pursued the smoke rose in volumes and the booming guns over the waters sang the song of destruction.

In twenty-four minutes after the sinking of the _Teresa_ and _Oquendo_, the _Vizcaya_, riddled by the _Oregon's_ great sh.e.l.ls and burning fiercely, hauled down her flag and headed for the sh.o.r.e, where she hung upon the rocks. In a dying effort she had tried to ram the _Brooklyn_, but the fire of the big cruiser was too hot for her. The _Texas_ and the little _Vixen_ were seen to be about a mile to the rear, and the _Vizcaya_ was left to them and the _Iowa_, the latter staying by her finally, while the _Texas_ and _Vixen_ followed on.

It looked like a forlorn hope to catch the _Colon_. She was four and one-half miles away. But the _Brooklyn_ and the _Oregon_ were running like express trains, and the _Texas_ sped after the fugitives with all her might. The chase lasted two hours. Firing ceased, and every power of the s.h.i.+p and the nerve of commodore, captains, and officers were devoted to increasing the speed. Men from the guns, naked to the waist and perspiring in streams, were called on deck for rest and an airing. It was a grimy and dirty but jolly set of Jackies, and jokes were merrily cracked as they sped on and waited. Only the men in the fire-rooms were working as never before. It was their battle now, a battle of speed. At 12.30 it was seen the Americans were gaining. Cheers went up and all was made ready. "We may wing that fellow yet," said Commodore Schley, as he commanded Captain Clark to try a big thirteen-inch sh.e.l.l. "Remember the Maine" was flung out on a pennant from the mast-head of the _Oregon_, and at 8,500 yards she began to send her 1,000-pound shots shrieking over the _Brooklyn_ after the flying Spaniard. One threw tons of water on board the fugitive, and the _Brooklyn_ a few minutes later with eight-inch guns began to pelt her sides. Everyone expected a game fight from the proud and splendid _Colon_ with her smokeless powder and rapid-fire guns; but all were surprised when, after a feeble resistance, at 1.15 o'clock her captain struck his colors and ran his s.h.i.+p ash.o.r.e sixty miles from Santiago, opening her sea-valves to sink her after she had surrendered.

Victory was at last complete. As the _Brooklyn_ and _Oregon_ moved upon the prey word of the surrender was sent below, and naked men poured out of the fire-rooms, black with smoke and dirt and glistening with perspiration, but wild with joy. Commodore Schley gazed down at the grimy, gruesome, joyous firemen with glistening eyes suspicious of tears, and said, in a husky voice, eloquent with emotion, "_Those are the fellows who made this day_." Then he signaled--"The enemy has surrendered." The _Texas_, five miles to the east, repeated the signal to Admiral Sampson some miles further away, coming at top speed of the _New York_. Next the commodore signaled the admiral--"_A glorious victory has been achieved. Details communicated later_." And then, to all the s.h.i.+ps, "_This is a great day for our country_," all of which were repeated by the _Texas_ to the s.h.i.+ps further east. The cheering was wild. Such a scene was never, perhaps, witnessed upon the ocean. Admiral Sampson arrived before the _Colon_ sank, and placing the great nose of the _New York_ against that vessel pushed her into shallow water, where she sank, but was not entirely submerged. Thus perished from the earth the bulk of the sea power of Spain.

The Spanish losses were 1,800 men killed, wounded, and made prisoners, and six s.h.i.+ps destroyed or sunk, the property loss being about $12,000,000. The American loss was one man killed and three wounded, all from the _Brooklyn_, a result little short of a miracle from the fact that the _Brooklyn_ was. .h.i.t thirty-six times, and nearly all the s.h.i.+ps were struck more than once.

The prisoners were treated with the utmost courtesy. Many of them were taken or rescued entirely naked, and scores of them were wounded. Their behavior was manly and their fort.i.tude won the admiration of their captors. Whatever may be said of Spanish marksmans.h.i.+p, there is no discount on Spanish courage. After a short detention Cervera and his captured sailors were sent north to New Hamps.h.i.+re and thence to Annapolis, where they were held until released by order of President McKinley, August 31st.

THREATENED BOMBARDMENT OF SANTIAGO AND FLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES.

On July 3d, while the great naval duel was in progress upon the sea, General Shafter demanded the surrender of Santiago upon pain of bombardment. The demand was refused by General Toral, who commanded the forces after the wounding of General Linares. General Shafter stated that he would postpone the bombardment until noon of July 5th to allow foreigners and non-combatants to get out of the city, and he urged General Toral in the name of humanity to use his influence and aid to facilitate the rapid departure of unarmed citizens and foreigners.

Accordingly late in the afternoon of July 4th General Toral posted notices upon the walls of Santiago advising all women, children, and non-combatants that between five and nine o'clock on the morning of the 5th they might pa.s.s out by any gate of the city, all pilgrims going on foot, no carriages being allowed, and stating that stretchers would be provided for the crippled.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM R. SHAFTER.]

Promptly at five o'clock on the following morning a great line of pilgrims wound out of Santiago. It was no rabble, but well-behaved crowds of men and women, with great droves of children. About four hundred persons were carried out on litters. Many of the poorer women wore large crucifixes and some entered El Caney telling their beads. But there were many not so fortunate as to reach the city. Along the highroads in all directions thousands of families squatted entirely without food or shelter, and many deaths occurred among them. The Red Cross Society did much to relieve the suffering, but it lacked means of transporting supplies to the front.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE SURRENDER OF SANTIAGO, JULY 17, 1898.

After a little ceremony the two commanding Generals faced each other, and General Toral, speaking in Spanish, said: "Through fate I am forced to surrender to General Shafter of the American Army the city and strongholds of the City of Santiago." General Shafter in reply said: "I receive the city in the name of the Government of the United States."]

While the flag of truce was still flying on the morning of July 6th a communication was received from General Toral, requesting that the time of truce be further extended, as he wanted to communicate again with the Spanish government at Madrid concerning the surrender of the city; and, further, that the cable operators, who were Englishmen and had fled to El Caney with the refugees, be returned to the city that he might do so.

General Shafter extended the truce until four o'clock on Sunday, July 10th, and the operators returned from El Caney to work the wires for General Toral. During all this time the refugees continued to throng the roads to Siboney and El Caney, until 20,000 fugitives were congregated at the two points. It is a disgraceful fact, however, that while this truce was granted at the request of the Spanish general, it was taken advantage of by the troops under him to loot the city. Both Cuban and Spanish families suffered from their rapacity.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAJOR-GENERAL NELSON A. MILES.]

THE LAST BATTLE AND THE SURRENDER OF THE CITY.

On July 8th and 10th the two expeditions of General Miles arrived, reinforcing General Shafter's army with over 6,000 men. General Toral was acquainted with the fact of their presence, and General Miles urgently impressed upon him that further resistance could but result in a useless loss of life. The Spanish commander replied that he had not received permission to surrender, and if the Americans would not wait longer he could only obey orders of his government, and that he and his men would die fighting. Accordingly a joint bombardment by the army and navy was begun. The artillery reply of the Spaniards was feeble and spiritless, though our attack on the city was chiefly with artillery.

They seemed to depend most upon their small arms, and returned the volleys fired from the trenches vigorously. Our lines were elaborately protected with over 22,000 sand-bags, while the Spaniards were protected with bamboo poles filled with earth. In this engagement the dynamite gun of the Rough Riders did excellent service, striking the enemy's trenches and blowing field-pieces into the air. The bombardment continued until the afternoon of the second day, when a flag of truce was displayed over the city. It was thought that General Toral was about to surrender, but instead he only asked more time.

On the advice of General Miles, General Shafter consented to another truce, and, at last, on July 14th, after an interview with Generals Miles and Shafter, in which he agreed to give up the city on condition that the army would be returned to Spain at the expense of America, General Toral surrendered. On July 16th the agreement, with the formal approval of the Madrid and Was.h.i.+ngton governments, was signed in duplicate by the commissioners, each side retaining a copy. This event was accepted throughout the world as marking the end of the Spanish-American War.

The conditions of the surrender involved the following points:

"(1) The 20,000 refugees at El Caney and Siboney to be sent back to the city. (2) An American infantry patrol to be posted on the roads surrounding the city and in the country between it and the American cavalry. (3) Our hospital corps to give attention, as far as possible, to the sick and wounded Spanish soldiers in Santiago. (4) All the Spanish troops in the province, except ten thousand men at Holguin, under command of General Luque, to come into the city and surrender. (5) The guns and defenses of the city to be turned over to the Americans in good condition. (6) The Americans to have full use of the Juragua Railroad, which belongs to the Spanish government. (7) The Spaniards to surrender their arms. (8) All the Spaniards to be conveyed to Spain on board of American transports with the least possible delay, and be permitted to take portable church property with them."

TAKING POSSESSION OF SANTIAGO AND RAISING THE AMERICAN FLAG.

The formality of taking possession of the city yet remained to be done.

To that end, immediately after the signing of the agreement by the commissioners, General Shafter notified General Toral that he would formally receive his surrender of the city the next day, Sunday, July 17th, at nine o'clock in the morning. Accordingly at about 8.30 A.M., Sunday, General Shafter, accompanied by the commander of the American army, General Nelson A. Miles, Generals Wheeler and Lawton, and several officers, walked slowly down the hill to the road leading to Santiago.

Under the great mango tree which had witnessed all the negotiations, General Toral, in full uniform, accompanied by 200 Spanish officers, met the Americans. After a little ceremony in military manoeuvring, the two commanding generals faced each other, and General Toral, speaking in Spanish, said:

"Through fate I am forced to surrender to General Shafter, of the American army, the city and the strongholds of the city of Santiago."

General Toral's voice trembled with emotion as he spoke the words giving up the town to his victorious enemy. As he finished speaking the Spanish officers presented arms.

General Shafter, in reply, said:

"I receive the city in the name of the government of the United States."

The officers of the Spanish general then wheeled about, presenting arms, and General Shafter, with the American officers, cavalry and infantry, chosen for the occasion, pa.s.sed into the city and on to the governor's palace, where a crowd, numbering 3,000 persons, had gathered. As the great bell in the tower of the cathedral nearby gave the first stroke of twelve o'clock the American flag was run up from the flag-pole on the palace, and as it floated to the breeze all hats were removed by the spectators, while the soldiers presented arms. As the cathedral bell tolled the last stroke of the hour the military band began to play "The Star-Spangled Banner," which was followed by "Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue." The cheering of the soldiers were joined by more than half of the people, who seemed greatly pleased and yelled "Viva los Americanos." The soldiers along almost the whole of the American line could see and had watched with alternating silence and cheers the entire proceeding.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GENERAL JOSEPH WHEELER.]

GENERAL SHAFTER'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE VICTORY.

Having a.s.signed soldiers to patrol and preserve order within the city, General Shafter and his staff returned to their quarters at camp, and the victorious commander, who two weeks before was almost disheartened, sent a dispatch announcing the formal surrender of Santiago. It was the first dispatch of the kind received at Was.h.i.+ngton from a foreign country for more than fifty years. The following extract from General Shafter's telegram sums up the situation:

"I have the honor to announce that the American flag has been this instant, 12 noon, hoisted over the house of the civil government in the city of Santiago. An immense concourse of people was present, a squadron of cavalry and a regiment of infantry presenting arms, and a band playing national airs. A light battery fired a salute of twenty-one guns.

"Perfect order is being maintained by the munic.i.p.al government. The distress is very great, but there is little sickness in town, and scarcely any yellow fever.

"A small gunboat and about 200 seamen left by Cervera have surrendered to me. Obstructions are being removed from the mouth of the harbor.

"Upon coming into the city I discovered a perfect entanglement of defenses. Fighting as the Spaniards did the first day, it would have cost five thousand lives to have taken it.

"Battalions of Spanish troops have been depositing arms since daylight in the armory, over which I have a guard. General Toral formally surrendered the plaza and all stores at 9 A.M. About 7,000 rifles, 600,000 cartridges, and many fine modern guns were given up.