182 



CONGRESS. (PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



Here the fleet was joined by the Annapolis and 

 the Wasp, while the 'Puritan 'and Amphitrite went 

 to San Juan and joined the New Orleans, which 

 was engaged in blockading that port. The major 

 general commanding was subsequently re-en- 

 forced by Gen. Schwan's brigade of the Third 

 Army Corps, by Gen. Wilson with a part of his 

 division, and also by Gen. Brooke with a part 

 of his corps, numbering in all 16,973 officers 

 and men. 



On July 27 he entered Ponce, one of the most 

 important ports in the island, from which he 

 thereafter directed operations for the capture of 

 the island. 



With the exception of encounters with the 

 enemy at Guayama. Hormigueros, Coamo, and 

 Yauco. and an attack on a force landed at Cape 

 San Juan, there was no serious resistance. The 

 campaign was prosecuted with great vigor, and 

 by the 12th of August much of the island was in 

 our possession and the acquisition of the remain- 

 der was only a matter of a short time. At most 

 of the points in the island our troops were en- 

 thusiastically welcomed. Protestations of loy- 

 alty to the flag and gratitude for delivery from 

 Spanish rule met our commanders at every stage. 

 As a potent influence toward peace the outcome 

 of the Puerto Rican expedition was of great con- 

 sequence, and generous commendation is due to 

 those who participated in it. 



The last scene of the war was enacted at Ma- 

 nila, its starting place. On Aug. 15, after a brief 

 assault upon the works by the land forces, in 

 which the squadron assisted, the capital sur- 

 rendered unconditionally. The casualties were 

 comparatively few. By this the conquest of the 

 Philippine Islands, virtually accomplished when 

 the Spanish capacity for resistance was destroyed 

 by Admiral Dewey's victory on the 1st of May, 

 was formally sealed. To Gen. Merritt, his officers 

 and men, for their uncomplaining and devoted 

 service and for their gallantry in action, the na- 

 tion is sincerely grateful. Their long voyage was 

 made with singular success, and the soldierly 

 conduct of the men, most of whom were without 

 previous experience in the military service, de- 

 serves unmeasured praise. 



The total casualties in killed and wounded in 

 the army during the war with Spain were: Offi- 

 cers killed, 23; enlisted men killed, 257; total, 

 280: officers wounded, 113; enlisted men wounded, 

 1,4(54; total, 1,577. Of the navy: Killed, 17; 

 wounded, 67; died as result of wounds, 1; inva- 

 lided from service, 6; total, 91. 



It will be observed that while our navy was 

 engaged in two great battles and in numerous 

 perilous undertakings in blockade and bombard- 

 ment, and more than 50,000 of our troops were 

 transported to distant lands and were engaged 

 in assault and siege and battle and many skir- 

 mishes in unfamiliar territory, we lost in both 

 arms of the service a total of 1,668 killed and 

 wounded: and in the entire campaign by land and 

 sea we did not lose a gun or a flag or a trans- 

 port or a ship, and with the exception of the 

 crew of the Merrimac not a soldier or sailor was 

 taken prisoner. 



On Aug. 7, forty-six days from the date of the 

 landing of Gen. Shafter's army in Cuba and 

 twenty-one days from the surrender of Santiago, 

 the United States troops commenced embarka- 

 tion for home, and our entire force was returned 

 to the United States as early as Aug. 24. They 

 were absent from the United States only two 

 months. 



It is fitting that I should bear testimony to the 

 patriotism and Devotion of that large portion of 



our army which, although eager to be ordered 

 to the post of greatest exposure, fortunately was 

 not required outside of the United States. They 

 did their whole duty, and, like their comrades at 

 the front, have earned the gratitude of the na- 

 tion. In like manner the officers and men of the 

 army and navy who remained in their depart- 

 ments and stations faithfully performing most 

 important duties connected with the war, and 

 whose requests for assignment in the field and 

 at sea I was compelled to refuse because their 

 services were indispensable here, are entitled to 

 the highest commendation. It is my regret that 

 there seems to be no provision for their suitable 

 recognition. 



In this connection it is a pleasure for me to 

 mention in terms of cordial appreciation the 

 timely and useful work of the American National 

 Red Cross both in relief measures preparatory to 

 the campaigns, in sanitary assistance at several 

 of the camps of assemblage, and later, under the 

 able and experienced leadership of the president 

 of the society, Miss Clara Barton, on the fields 

 of battle and in the hospitals at the front in 

 Cuba. W r orking in conjunction with the govern- 

 mental authorities and under their sanction and 

 approval, and with the enthusiastic co-operation 

 of many patriotic women and societies in the 

 various States, the Red Cross has fully main- 

 tained its already high reputation for intense ear- 

 nestness and ability to exercise the noble pur- 

 poses of its international organization, thus 

 justifying the confidence and support which it 

 has received at the hands of the American peo- 

 ple. To the members and officers of this society 

 and all who aided them in their philanthropic 

 work the sincere and lasting gratitude of the 

 soldiers and the public is due and is freely ac- 

 corded. 



In tracing these events we are constantly re- 

 minded of our obligations to the divine Master 

 for his watchful care over us and his safe guid- 

 ance, for which the nation makes reverent ac- 

 knowledgment and offers humble prayer for the 

 continuance of his favor. 



The annihilation of Admiral Cervera's fleet, 

 followed by the capitulation of Santiago, having 

 brought to the Spanish Government a realizing 

 sense of the hopelessness of continuing a struggle 

 now become wholly unequal, it made overtures 

 of peace through the French ambassador, who 

 with the assent of his Government had acted as 

 the friendly representative of Spanish interests 

 during the war. On the 26th of July M. Cambon 

 presented a communication signed by the Duke 

 of Almodovar, the Spanish Minister of State, in- 

 viting the United States to state the terms upon 

 which it would be willing to make peace. On the 

 30th of July, by a communication addressed to 

 the Duke of Almodovar and handed to M. Cam- 

 bon, the terms of this Government were an- 

 nounced, substantially as in the protocol after- 

 ward signed. On the 10th of August the Spanish 

 reply, dated Aug. 7, was handed by M:* Cambon 

 to the Secretary of State. It accepted uncondi- 

 tionally the terms imposed as to Cuba, Puerto 

 Rico, and an island of the Ladrones group, but 

 appeared to seek to introduce inadmissible reser- 

 vations in regard to our demand as to the Philip- 

 pine Islands. Conceiving that discussion on this 

 point could neither be practical nor profitable, I 

 directed that in order to avoid misunderstanding 

 the matter should be forthwith closed by propos- 

 ing the embodiment in a formal protocol of the 

 terms upon which the negotiations for peace were 

 to be undertaken. The vague and inexplicit sug- 

 gestions of the Spanish note could not be ac- 



