ns. The
leading and indisputable facts are, that the Spaniards fought well
on land, but were ineffectual afloat, in their attempts to inflict
injuries, though they put to sea in dashing style, and did not flinch
in efforts to evade a superior force, until the fire of the Americans
crushed them. In the incidents of warfare on the hills around and
the waves before Santiago, it is fair to say that the Spaniards
redeemed themselves from imputation of timidity, and fought in a
manner not unworthy of the countrymen of the Garrison of Morro Castle,
Havana, whose gallantry in resisting the army and fleet of England,
in 1762, commanded the respectful regard of their conquerors, and is
a glorious chapter in the story of Spain. The Santiago events were
most honorable to American arms, and it would lessen the splendor of
the reputation of the American soldiers if one failed to do justice
to the sturdy fighters they overcame. It is too early or too late
for participation in the debates whether civil or acrimonious, as
to the merits or faults of those engaged at Santiago, further than
to quote that golden sentence from the report of Commodore Schley,
that there was "glory enough to go around." We, whatever is said,
remember what was done on those hills that have an everlasting place
in history. There forever is to be application of marvelous propriety,
of the mournful and noble lines of Kentucky's poet, Theodore O'Hara:

"On Fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And Glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead."

There was a speedy realization by the country, and all the intelligent
peoples of the earth, when our troops were embarked for the Santiago
campaign, that the crisis of the war was at hand. No American thought
of failure. The only questions were as to the power of the defense
of Cuba by Spain, and the cost to us in men and money to overcome the
defenders. Those who knew the most about the conditions in Cuba had the
least confidence in the efficiency of the Cuban Army. The only body
of organized Cubans of importance was that under command of Garcia,
and it was the province of which he was in partial occupation that
we invaded in force. The public had been considerably interested and
entertained by the rousing accounts of the various naval bombardments
of Spanish shore fortresses. But the firing from our ships had not
materially shaken the Spanish defenses. The sea power had not shattere