Although orders had been issued to the Ameri can advance to await the completion of the dis embarkation and landing of supplies, the ieading division under General Wheeler (June 24th) at tacked the Spanish troops at Las Guasimas and after a. sharp engagement dislodged them, with casualties of 68 Americans and 36 Spaniards. When the preparations had been completed for a general advance, the United States troops on July 1st, having taken up positions on the slopes of the hills in front of Santiago with a detachment of Cubans protecting their flanks, opened fire with a field battery, which, using black powder, became a target for the Spanish gunners. A battery of rapid-fire guns, however, did much execution. The character of the the absence of roads, and the stout of the garrison of El Caney (q.v.) retarded the ad vance of a part of the American force under General Lawton, but by sundown Shafter's troops were in full possession of the line of hills along the San Juan River, one and a half miles from the city. These engagements were fought chiefly by regulars, but efficient services were rendered by the First Volunteer Cavalry, popularly known as the "Rough Riders," under Colonel Leonard Wood and Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Roose velt. The following day was utilized by both sides in strengthening the lines and by the Amer icans in bringing up ammunition and rations. The exposed position of the American forces ren dered an immediate advance or temporary with drawal necessary.
On the morning of Sunday. July 3d, Cervera, taking advantage of the operations on land, had sought to escape from the harbor of Santiago. The appearance of the leading ship was the signal for every ship in the American squadron to close in upon the fugitives with a hot fire, which was returned with spirit, but without material effect. Within two hours the six Spanish ships were totally destroyed, with a loss of about 350 men killed and about 1700 men and officers captured, including Admiral Cervera. Early in the morning Sampson in his flagship _Yew York had started for Siboney, where he had planned to hold a con ference with Genera] Shafter, and Schley was thus left as the ranking officer. At the begin ning of the battle, however, Sampson. about ten miles away, started back, arriving before the battle was over. During the battle the Ameri cans lost only one man killed and ten wounded. The seven American vessels engaged had a total of 225 guns, while the Spanish fleet had only 146; the weights of metal the two fleets could throw per minute were 6720 and 4S27 pounds respectively. On the same day as that on width the naval battle occurred General Shafter noti fied the Spanish commander, Toral, that unless he surrendered by the morning of the 4th, the city would be shelled. After several communica tions had passed between these officers, and the request of foreign consuls for an extension of time had been complied with, a final demand brought the truce to an end on the 10th and the joint attack by ships and troops was resumed. On the 11th another demand upon the besieged was made, culminating on July 15th in articles of capitulation providing for the surrender of all fames, material, and territory of the district of Santiago, and the transportation of all Spanish soldiers to Spain. The Spanish forces in the cap tured territory numbered 23,500 and of these 10,000 defended the city. Their losses aggre gated nearly 1000, while the Americans killed and wounded numbered 1014, of whom 114 were officers. On Sunday (July 17th) at noon the Stars and Stripes were hoisted in the plaza of Santiago. On July 27th General _Miles,
U. S. A., at the head of an expedition landed at Ponce, Porto Rico, and a few days later formally took possession of the island. On the 25th General Merritt ar rived at Manila to assume command of 20.000 United States troops, of which the advance guard had already been sharply en gaged with the Spanish forces stationed there. On August 7th Admiral Dewey and General Mer ritt united in a demand for the surrender of the city and the islands. This being refused, a com bined attack was made, and 7000 regular and 4000 volunteer Spanish soldiers fell into the hands of the Americans, who lost 50 men killed and wounded. Meanwhile, the Filipinos had been organized by Aguinaldo, who subsequently con dueted hostilities against the American troops for the purpose of gaining independence. See PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
On July 26th Spain made overtures for peace through the French Ambassador at Washington, Cambon, who was authorized to act as Min ister Plenipotentiary for Spain during the com ing negotiations. On August 12th the peace pro tocol and preliminary arrangements were con cluded. It was provided the final treaty should he made by a commission to meet at Paris not later than October 1st. The representatives of the United States were William II. Day (chair man), Senator Cushman K. Davis, Senator William P. Frye, Whitelaw Reid, and Senator George Gray. After prolonged discussions and threatened failure, the treaty was signed on De cember 10th. It was ratified by the United States Senate on February 6, 1S99, signed by the Queen Regent of Spain on Karel 17trt, and final ratifications were exchanged on April Ilth. Diplo matic relations were soon resumed. By the treaty, Porto Rico and the other Spanish West Indian Islands, Guam in the Ladrone,s, and all of the Philippines were ceded to the United States, which in return agreed to pay $20,000,000 and to yield some temporary commercial privileges in the Philippines. The political status of the in habitants of the new possessions was to be determined by the new Government.
The finances for the war were provided by spe cial taxes. On June 13, 1899, an act was ap proved for that purpose. internal taxes were in creased and a stamp tax imposed on certain papers and articles. A popular loan was also negotiated. This war tax continued in force un til March 2. 1901, when a reduction was made, and on April 14, 1902, the remainder was re pealed. The total expenses for the war from the opening to October 31, 1898, were estimated at 8165,000,000. During that period the lives of 2910 American soldiers were lost. all but 306 from disease. The enormous death rate in the camps brought out serious charges of maladmin istration against the War Department that cul minated in the appointment of a committee of investigation, which after a thorough examina tion of charges reported in general in favor of the department, laying most of the blame upon the want of preparation at the time war broke out. For further details concerning the results of the war, see UNITED STATES; CUBA PORTO RICO PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
Consult: Lodge. The War mith Spain. (New York, 1899) ; Bigelow, Reminiscences of the San tiago Campaign (ib., 1899) ; Alger, The Spanish American War (ib., 1901) ; Sigsbee, The Maine (ib., 1899) ; Hobson, Sinking of the Merrimac (ih., 1899) ; Kenna n, Cam pa ign ing in Cuba (ib., 1899) ;_Miley. In Cuba with Shaper (ib., 1899) ; Spears. Our Nary in the War with Spain