Though victorious, the American army was in danger: after great fatigue under a tropical sun by day, the time spared at night from digging trenches was spent on a rain-soaked ground; the soldiers' blankets and heavy clothing had been cast aside; and there was insufficient food. Brisk firing was continued on July 2 and 3, with a considerable number of casualties to the Americans. On the morning of the 3rd a demand was sent to the Spanish commander to surrender, with the alternative of a bombardment of the city to begin on the 4th.
On the morning of July 3 Samp son, in his flagship the "New York," left the fleet to confer with General Shafter at Siboney with regard to combined operations at the harbour entrance. At 9.31, when he had gone about 5 m., the "Maria Teresa" was seen coming out. The ships in front of the port were the yacht "Gloucester," the battleships "Indiana," "Oregon," "Iowa" and "Texas," the armoured cruiser "Brooklyn" and yacht "Vixen." The "Iowa" hoisted the signal "Enemy com ing out." All at once stood in toward the Spanish ships, which were standing westwards along shore, and began a heavy fire. The "Maria Teresa" (flagship) was followed at 800-yd. intervals by the "Vizcaya," "Colon" and "Oquendo." They were firing vigorously, but most of their projectiles went far beyond the American ships. The "Brooklyn" (flag of Commodore Schley, the senior officer present) made a turn to starboard, which seems to have caused the "Texas" to stop and back, and to have given the "Colon" the opportunity of passing almost unscathed. The "Maria Teresa" and "Oquendo" had taken fire almost at once, and were run ashore about 61 m. west of Santiago, burning fiercely. The "Vizcaya" and "Colon" were still standing westwards. The "New York," Sampson's flagship, had passed, and stood on sig nalling the "Iowa" and "Indiana" to go back and watch the port, lest an attack be made on the American transports. The "Viz caya" hauled down her colours off Aserraderos, 15 nautical miles west of Santiago, and was there run ashore burning. The "Iowa" was ordered to stop and rescue her men, and the "Oregon," "Brook lyn" and "Texas" (and behind them the flagship) settled down to the chase of the "Colon," some 6 m. ahead. She was, however, slacking her speed, and at 12.40 the "Oregon" opened with her 13-in. guns at a range of 9,00o yds., as did also the "Brooklyn," with her 8-in. When the "Oregon" had fired five shells, the "Colon" hauled down her colours, and was beached at the mouth of the Rio Turquino. The whole Spanish fleet was destroyed; Admiral Cervera was taken prisoner. Over 500 Spaniards were killed or wounded, and the survivors (except a few who escaped to Santiago) were prisoners. On the American side only one man
was killed and ten were wounded, and no ship received serious injury.
After the naval victory combined operations were arranged for attacking the batteries of the harbour, but little more fighting occurred, and eventually a preliminary agreement was signed on the 15th, and the besiegers entered Santiago on the 17th. The exposure of the campaign had begun to tell in the sickness of the Americans: yellow fever had broken out to some extent ; and no less than so% were attacked by the milder forms of malarial fever. The army, indeed, was so weakened by illness that the general officers united in urging its removal from Cuba.
On May 7 a telegram had been received from Dewey at Manila : "I control bay completely, and can take city at any time, but I have not sufficient men to hold." Major General Wesley Merritt, to whom was assigned the command of the troops for the Philippines, first requested a force of 14,00o, and afterwards asked for 20,000 men. On May 25 the first troops, 2,491 in number, under Brigadier-General T. M. Anderson, sailed from San Francisco. On June 20 possession was taken of the island of Guam, and on June 3o the ships arrived in Manila bay. A second detachment of troops, 3,586 in number, under Brigadier General F. V. Greene arrived on July 17; on July 25 General Merritt, who had been appointed governor-general, arrived; and on the 31st the five transports with which he had left San Fran cisco arrived with 4,847 men, making nearly Ii,000 men at Manila, with 5,000 more on the way. General Merritt moved his forces from Cavite, and established an entrenched line within a thousand yards of the Spanish position at Manila. On Aug. 7, a joint note from Dewey and Merritt, announcing that bombard ment might begin at any time after forty-eight hours, was sent to the Spanish captain-general, Fermin Jaudenes, who replied that he was surrounded by the insurgents, and that there was no place of refuge for the sick and for the women and children. A second joint note demanding surrender was declined by the Spanish com mander. Preparations were made for an attack. There were 13,00o troops within the city fortifications, but with the strong fleet in front, and with the beleaguering force of Americans and insurgents ashore, resistance was hopeless. When the combined assault of army and navy was made on the 13th there was no great resistance, and a white flag was hoisted at II o'clock. The total loss of the Americans during the whole campaign was 20 killed, 105 wounded.