town surrounded,
that he could not hurt us, while we could bombard him and do some
little damage, perhaps, and that it was only a question of a few days.

"I found out a few days later what the hitch was which caused the
delay, for General Toral had told me that he had been authorized by
Blanco, the Governor-General, to enter into negotiations and make
terms for surrender, and in Cuba you know General Blanco was in
supreme command. His authority was such that he could even set aside
a law of Spain. Knowing that, I felt sure that after very little
delay they would surrender. They desired to get permission from
the Madrid government to return to Spain. It was that that delayed
them. Immediately upon receiving the permission to return to Spain
they surrendered.

"I had in line when the fighting was going on, about 13,000 men--not
more than that at any time. Inside the Spanish trenches there were
about 10,000. There were 11,500 surrendered, and I think about 1,500
of them were sick. The disproportion, considering the difference of
situation, is not very great. In fact, I think that 10,000 American
soldiers could have kept 100,000 Spaniards out had they been in the
same position (applause), although I do not wish to disparage the
bravery of the Spanish troops. They are gallant fellows, but they
have not the intelligence and do not take the initiative as do the
American soldiers; and they have not the bull-dog pluck that hangs
on day after day.

"Toral made the first proposition to surrender. He said if I would let
him take his men and such things as they could carry on their persons
and on a few pack mules that they had and guarantee him safe conduct
to Holguin, which was fifty-two miles away to the north and in the
interior, they would march out. I told him, of course, that was out
of the question; that I could not accept any such terms as that, but
I would submit it to the President. I did so, and was very promptly
informed that only unconditional surrender would be received, but I
was at liberty to say to General Toral that if they would surrender
they would be carried, at the expense of the United States government,
back to Spain. When that proposition was made to him I could see his
face lighten up and the faces of his staff, who were there. They were
simply delighted. Those men love their country intensely, they had been
brought to Cuba against their will, and had stayed there three years,
poorly clad, not paid at