American Leaders and Heroes: A preliminary text-book in United States HistoryGordy, Wilbur F. (Wilbur Fisk)
History
American Leaders and Heroes: A preliminary text-book in United States History
Gordy, Wilbur F. (Wilbur Fisk)
United States -- Biography
During the remainder of June, the American fleet kept watch at the
harbor entrance. Before the end of the month an American army of 15,000
men was ready to advance through a tropical forest upon the Spanish
defences outside of Santiago. On July 1st the Americans made a vigorous
attack upon these outworks, and won a glorious victory.
It looked to Cervera as if he might be compelled to surrender his fleet
without striking a blow. Although he was likely to suffer defeat in a
battle, there was nothing to gain by remaining in the harbor. So he
decided to dash boldly out, in a desperate effort to escape. When at
about half-past nine of that quiet Sunday morning (July 3d) the foremost
Spanish war-vessel was seen heading at full speed out of the harbor, the
American sailors sent up a shout, "The Spanish fleet is coming out!" and
leaped forward to their places at the guns. As at Manila, the battle was
one-sided. The superior seamanship and gunnery of the Americans enabled
them quickly to win a victory as brilliant as that won by Dewey and his
men. Every Spanish vessel was destroyed, 600 Spaniards were killed, and
1,300 captured. Not one American ship was seriously injured, while but
one American was killed and one badly wounded. About the middle of July
Santiago and a Spanish army of 22,000 men surrendered to the Americans.
Although this ended the serious fighting of the war, the treaty of peace
was not ratified by the United States Senate until February 6, 1899. In
accordance with this treaty Spain gave up Cuba and ceded Porto Rico to
the United States; and she also ceded to us the Philippine Islands, in
return for which we agreed to pay her $20,000,000.
But some of the most striking results of the war with Spain received no
mention in the terms of the treaty. From the beginning of the struggle,
Spain doubtless hoped that one or more of the Great Powers of Europe
might intervene in her behalf. Some of them, with ill-concealed dislike
for the United States, were quite ready to interfere in Spain's
interests. But England refused to take any part in the movement. Her
friendly attitude toward us in this struggle has done much to bring the
two countries into closer sympathy with each other. A reflection of this
good-will toward England was especially evident at the time of Queen
Victoria's death in January, 1901.
[Illustration: Portion of the Coast of China and the Philippine
Islands.]
But, after all, one of the most striking results of the war with Spain
has been the bringing of the various sections of our own country into
closer sympathy and union. It is safe to say that never before have the
North, the South, the East, and the West felt so closely bound together
in thought and feeling. Let us hope that with noble ideals of the high
destiny that awaits us, we shall go forward to greater achievements than
we have yet known in our history.
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