vessels back to their stations. The
Colon, fleeing westward and far ahead of the American ships, was pursued
by the Brooklyn, the Oregon, the Texas, the New York, and the armed
yacht Vixen. It was a stern chase, although the American vessels had
some advantage by cutting across a slight concave indentation of the
coast, while the Colon steamed close inshore. At 1:15 P.M. a shot from
the Oregon struck ahead of the Colon, and it was evident that she was
covered by the American guns. At 1:30 P.M. she gave over her flight and
made for shore some forty-five miles west of Santiago. The victory was
won. It has often been the good fortune of Americans to secure their
greatest victories on patriotic anniversaries and thereby to enhance
the psychological effect. Admiral Sampson was able to announce to the
American people, as a Fourth of July present, the destruction of the
Spanish fleet with the loss of but one of his men and but slight damage
to his ships.

On the hills above Santiago the American Army had now only the
land forces of the Spaniards to contend with. Shafter's demand for
unconditional surrender met with a refusal, and there ensued a week
of military quiet. During this time General Shafter conducted a
correspondence with the War Department, in judging which it is
charitable to remember that the American commander weighed three
hundred pounds, that he was sweltering under a hot sun, and that he was
sixty-three years old, and sick. Too humane to bombard Santiago while
Hobson and his men were still in Spanish hands, he could not forgive
Sampson for not having forced the narrow and well-mined channel at the
risk of his fleet. The War Department, sharing Shafter's indignation,
prepared to attempt the entrance with one of its own transports
protected by baled hay, as had been done on the Mississippi during the
Civil War. Shafter continued to be alarmed at the situation. Without
reenforcements he could not attack, and he proposed to allow the
Spaniards to evacuate. The War Department forbade this alternative and,
on the 10th of July, he began the bombardment of Santiago.

The Secretary of War then hit upon the really happy though quite
unmilitary device of offering, in return for unconditional surrender, to
transport the Spanish troops, at once and without parole, back to their
own country. Secretary Alger was no unskillful politician, and he was
right in believing that this device, though unconventional, would make
a s