The Colored Regulars in the United States Army Part 24

Sir:--The fortune of war has thrown into my hands quite a number of officers and private soldiers, whom I am now holding as prisoners of war, and I have the honor to propose to you that a cartel of exchange be arranged to-day, by which the prisoners taken by the forces of Spain from on board the Merrimac, and any officers and men of the army who may have fallen into our hands within the past few days, may be returned to their respective governments on the terms usual in such cases, of rank for rank. Trusting that this will meet with your favorable consideration, I remain,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, Major-General, Commanding United States Forces.

Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 4, 1898.

To the Commanding Officer, Spanish Forces, Santiago.

Sir:--It will give me great pleasure to return to the city of Santiago at an early hour to-morrow morning all the wounded Spanish officers now at El Caney who are able to be carried and who will give their parole not to serve against the United States until regularly exchanged. I make this proposition, as I am not so situated as to give these officers the care and attention that they can receive at the hands of their military a.s.sociates and from their own surgeons; though I shall, of course, give them every kind treatment that it is possible to do under such adverse circ.u.mstances. Trusting that this will meet with your approbation, and that you will permit me to return to you these persons, I am,

Your very obedient servant,

WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, Major-General, Commanding United States Forces.

Army of the Island of Cuba, Fifth Corps, General Staff.

To His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief of the American Forces.

Excellency:--I have the honor to reply to the three communications of your Excellency, dated to-day, and I am very grateful for the news you give in regard to the generals, chiefs, officers and troops that are your prisoners, and of the good care that you give to the wounded in your possession. With respect to the wounded, I have no objection to receiving in this place those that your Excellency may willingly deliver me, but I am not authorized by the General-in-Chief to make any exchange, as he has reserved to himself that authority. Yet I have given him notice of the proposition of your Excellency.

It is useless for me to tell you how grateful I am for the interest that your Excellency has shown for the prisoners and corpse of General Vara del Rey, giving you many thanks for the chivalrous treatment.

The same reasons that I explained to you yesterday, I have to give again to-day--that this place will not be surrendered.

I am, yours with great respect and consideration,

(Signed) JOSE TORAL.

In Santiago de Cuba, July 4, 1898.

Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 6, 1898.

To the Commander-in-Chief, Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba.

Sir:--In view of the events of the 3d instant, I have the honor to lay before your Excellency certain propositions to which, I trust, your Excellency, will give the consideration which, in my judgment, they deserve.

I inclose a bulletin of the engagement of Sunday morning which resulted in the complete destruction of Admiral Cervera's fleet, the loss of six hundred of his officers and men, and the capture of the remainder. The Admiral, General Paredes and all others who escaped alive are now prisoners on board the Harvard and St. Louis, and the latter ship, in which are the Admiral, General Paredes and the surviving captains (all except the captain of the Almirante Oquendo, who was slain) has already sailed for the United States. If desired by you, this may be confirmed by your Excellency sending an officer under a flag of truce to Admiral Sampson, and he can arrange to visit the Harvard, which will not sail until to-morrow, and obtain the details from Spanish officers and men on board that ship.

Our fleet is now perfectly free to act, and I have the honor to state that unless a surrender be arranged by noon of the 9th instant, a bombardment will be begun and continued by the heavy guns of our ships. The city is within easy range of these guns, the eight-inch being capable of firing 9,500 yards, the thirteen-inch, of course, much farther. The ships can so lie that with a range of 8,000 yards they can reach the centre of the city.

I make this suggestion of a surrender purely in a humanitarian spirit. I do not wish to cause the slaughter of any more men, either of your Excellency's forces or my own, the final result, under circ.u.mstances so disadvantageous to your Excellency being a foregone conclusion.

As your Excellency may wish to make reference of so momentous a question to your Excellency's home government, it is for this purpose that I have placed the time of the resumption of hostilities sufficiently far in the future to allow a reply being received.

I beg an early answer from your Excellency.

I have the honor to be,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. R. SHAFTER, Major-General, Commanding.

Headquarters Fifth Army Corps, Camp near Santiago, July 9, 1898.

Hon. Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.

I forwarded General Toral's proposition to evacuate the town this morning without consulting any one. Since then I have seen the general officers commanding divisions, who agree with me in that it should be accepted.

1st. It releases at once the harbor.

2d. It permits the return of thousands of women, children and old men, who have left the town, fearing bombardment, and are now suffering fearfully where they are, though I am doing my best to supply them with food.

3d. It saves the great destruction of property which a bombardment would entail, most of which belongs to Cubans and foreign residents.

4th. It at once releases this command while it is in good health for operations elsewhere. There are now three cases of yellow fever at Siboney in a Michigan regiment, and if it gets started, no one knows where it will stop.

We lose by this, simply some prisoners we do not want and the arms they carry. I believe many of them will desert and return to our lines. I was told by a sentinel who deserted last night that two hundred men wanted to come, but were afraid our men would fire upon them.

W.R. SHAFTER, Major-General, United States Volunteers.

Reply.

Washington, D.C., July 9, 1898.

Major-General Shafter, Playa, Cuba.

In reply to your telegram recommending terms of evacuation as proposed by the Spanish commander, after careful consideration by the President and Secretary of War, I am directed to say that you have repeatedly been advised that you would not be expected to make an a.s.sault upon the enemy at Santiago until you were prepared to do the work thoroughly. When you are ready this will be done. Your telegram of this morning said your position was impregnable and that you believed the enemy would yet surrender unconditionally. You have also a.s.sured us that you could force their surrender by cutting off their supplies. Under these circ.u.mstances, your message recommending that Spanish troops be permitted to evacuate and proceed without molestation to Holguin is a great surprise and is not approved. The responsibility for the destruction and distress to the inhabitants rests entirely with the Spanish commander. The Secretary of War orders that when you are strong enough to destroy the enemy and take Santiago, you do it. If you have not force enough, it will be despatched to you at the earliest moment possible. Reinforcements are on the way of which you have already been apprised. In the meantime, nothing is lost by holding the position you now have, and which you regard as impregnable.

Acknowledge receipt. By order of the Secretary of War.

(Signed) H.C. CORBIN, Adjutant-General.

Headquarters United States Forces, Camp near San Juan River, Cuba, July 11, 1898.

To His Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Forces, Santiago de Cuba.

Sir:--With the largely increased forces which have come to me, and the fact that I have your line of retreat securely within my hands, the time seems fitting that I should again demand of your Excellency the surrender of Santiago and your Excellency's army. I am authorized to state that should your Excellency so desire, the Government of the United States will transport your entire command to Spain. I have the honor to be,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM R. SHAFTER, Major-General, Commanding.

Reply.