FREE ESSAY ON SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

SPANISH AMERICAN WAR

CHRONOLOGY OF THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 
1898 
Jan. 25.--U.S. battleship Maine, Captain C.D. Sigsbee, U.S.N., is ordered to Havana,
Cuba. 
Feb. 8.--The publication of a letter written by Senor Dupuy de Lome, Spanish Minister of
the United States, speaking disparagingly of President McKinley, leads to the Minister's
resignation of his post, and the appointment of Senor Luis Polo y Bernabe. 
Feb. 15.--The U.S. battleship Maine, lying in the harbor of Havana, is destroyed and sunk
by an explosion between 9 and 10 o'clock p.m. Two hundred and sixty-six lives were lost.

Feb. 17.--Rear Admiral Sicard, commanding the North Atlantic Squadron orders a court of
inquiry into the loss of the Maine. 
Feb. 19.--The request of the Spanish officials in Havana for a joint investigation into
the loss of the Maine is declined. 
Feb. 21.--The United States Senate orders an investigation into the Maine disaster. 
Mar. 8,9.--Congress votes to place $50,000.000 at the unqualified disposal of the
President as an emergency fund. 
Mar. 16.--Spain remonstrates against the presence of the United States fleet at Key West,
and against other measures of defence by our Government. 
Mar. 19.--Facts concerning Cuba stated in the Senate by Senator Proctor of Vermont, as
the result of a personal observation. 
Mar. 28.--Court of Inquiry's report on the Maine sent to Congress. Apr. 5.--Consul
General Lee recalled. 
Apr. 10.--Consul General Lee leaves Cuba. 
Apr. 11.--President McKinley sends a message to Congress recommending armed intervention
in Cuba. 
Apr. 15.--Army ordered to mobilize. 
Apr. 16.--Senate belligerency resolutions passed. 
Apr. 18.--Congress votes against Cuban recognition. 
Apr. 19.--Congress passed resolutions demanding the withdrawal of Spanish forces from
Cuba. 
Apr. 20.--Queen opens Cortes with war speech. Government announces its opposition to
privateering. President signs notification to the nations of intention to blockade. 
Apr. 21.--Our Minister at Madrid, General Stewart L. Woodford, informed by the Spanish
Minister of Foreign Affairs that diplomatic relations between Spain and the United States
are terminated. 
Apr. 21--President McKinley cables our ultimatum to Spain, demanding a reply by April 23.

Apr. 21.--Senor Polo y Bernabe, Spanish Minister, receives his passports and leaves
Washington 
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Apr. 22.--Cuban ports blockaded by the American squadron. Apr. 23.--The President issues
his proclamation calling for 125,000 volunteers. 
Apr. 24--(Sunday)-A Spanish decree declaring war against the United States was gazetted
at Madrid. 
Apr. 25.--Congress passed a resolution declaring that a state of war had existed from
April 21. 
Apr. 26.--Recruiting volunteers began in New York City. 
Apr. 27.--Seventh Regiment (N.Y.) declines to enlist. 
Apr. 28.--Commodore Dewey's squadron sails from Hong Kong for Manila. 
Apr. 29.--Spanish squadron sails from Cape Verd for the West Indies. 
Apr. 30.--Commodore Dewey's squadron arrives off Manila. 
May 1.--U.S. cruiser, Topeka, arrived at New York from Falmouth. May 1.--Commodore
Dewey's squadron destroys the Spanish fleet at Manila. 
May 2.--Cable from Manila to Hong Kong cut by Dewey. 
May 4.--Battleship Oregon and gunboat Marietta sail for Rio Janeiro. 
May 7.--Commodore Dewey informs State Department of the seizure of Cavite. 
May 9.--Congress thanks Rear Admiral Dewey. Governor Black (N.Y.) disbands 13th regiment.

May 11.--Ensign Worth Bagley and four of the crew of the torpedo boat Winslow, killed by
a shell from the Spanish forts at Cardenas. 
May 12.--Admiral Sampson's squadron bombarded the forts at San Juan, Porto Rico. 
May 12.--The Spanish Cape Verd fleet arrived at Fort de France, Martinique. 
May 13.--Commodore Schley's fleet sails south to meet the Spanish squadron. 
May 14.--Spanish Cape Verd fleet sighted off Curacao. 
May 15.--Sagasta's Cabinet resigns. 
May 15.--Spanish torpedo-boat destroyer Terror, disabled at Fort de France, Martinique. 
May 15.--Spanish fleet leaves Curacao. 
May 15.--General Merritt ordered to the Philippines as Military Governor. 
May 15.--Governor Black authorizes reorganization of disbanded 13th regiment. 
May 18.--Ninety thousand troops ordered to mobilize in Chickamauga. 
May 20.--Spanish fleet arrives at Santiago de Cuba. 
May 23.--Troops A C arrive at Camp Alger, Falls Church, Va. May 24.--The Spanish fleet
bottled up at Santiago de Cuba. May 25.--Three transports start with 2.588 men for
Manila. 
May 25.--President issues a call for 75,000 more volunteers. 
May 26.--Oregon arrives at Key West. 
May 26.--Commodore Schley is in touch with the insurgent leaders. 
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May 26. --Ninth and sixty-ninth regiments of New York arrive at Chattanooga. 
May 26.--Florida expedition landed without opposition, near Guantanamo, Cuba. 
May 29.--Commodore Schley reports the trapping of Cervera in the harbor of Santiago de
Cuba. 
May 29.--Cruiser Columbia arrives at New York, having been in collision with the British
steamer Foscolia, which sank. 
May 30.--Troops embark at Tampa for Havana. 
May 31.--Rear Admiral Sampsons fleet bombards fort at Santiago de Cuba. 
June 1.--Transports for Manila arrive at Honolulu, H.I., and the boys in blue become the
guests of the city. 
June 1.--Monitor Monadnock ordered to Manila from San Francisco. 
June 3.--American squadron bombarded Santiago de Cuba. 
June 4.--Lieutenant Hobson sinks cruiser Merrimac in the mouth of the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba. 
June 6.--Fortifications of Santiago de Cuba reduced. 
June 7.-American squadron bombards and silences batteries at Santiago de Cuba. 
June 8.--Assault on fortifications of Gauntanamo Bay. 
June 9.--House agrees on war revenue conference report. 
June 10.--Admiral Sampson reports that he has held Gauntanamo Harbor since the 7th. 
June 10.--Senate agrees on conference report on war revenue bill. June 10.--Marines from
the Panther land at Caimanera. 
June 11.--Four Americans are killed at Caimanera in a fight with the Spaniards. 
June 13.--Thirty two transports with Shafter's troops sail for Santiago de Cuba. 
June 13.--President McKinley signs the war tax bill. 
June 14.--Two Americans and several hundred Spaniards killed in a battle at Caimanera. 
June 15.--Second expedition sailed from San Francisco from Manila. 
June 15.--Great destruction results to the Santiago forts through the use of the dynamite
guns on the Vesuvius. 
June 17.--Spanish squadron sailed from Cadiz and passed Gibraltar. 
June 19.--General Shafter reports that he can take Santiago in 48 hours. 
June 20.--Transports with General Shafter's troops arrive off Santiago de Cuba. 
June 22.--Part of Shafter's troops landed. 
June 23.-Admiral Camara's fleet arrives at Island of Pantellaria. 
June 24.--Sixteen American soldiers killed, and forty wounded, in driving back Spanish
soldiers at Santiago. 
June 27.--President McKinley recommends thanks of Congress for Lieut.Hobson, and that he
be transferred to the line. 
June 28.--President proclaims blockade of southern Cuba from Cape Frances to Cape Cruz. 
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July 1.-- Shafter's army began the assault upon Santiago, capturing the enemy's outer
works. 
July 2.--Shafter renewed the attack upon Santiago, losing about 1,000 killed and wounded,
and making 2,000 Spanish prisoners. The Spanish casualties probably exceeded those of the
Americans. 
July 3.--Cervera's fleet destroyed at Santiago, with great loss of life. July 6.--Spanish
transport, Alfonso XII., blown up off Mariel by American gunboats. 
July 6.--Hobson, the hero of the Merrimac, and his comrades, exchanged for Spanish
prisoners outside Santiago. 
July 7.--President signs Hawaiian annexation resolution. 
July 7.--Admiral Dewey took Subig and 1,300 prisoners. 
July 11.--Cruiser St. Louis brings Admiral Cervera and 746 prisoners to Portsmouth, N.H.

July 11.--Admiral Sampson's fleet bombarded Santiago. 
July 13.--Announced that yellow fever had broken out in General Shafter's army, 
July 14.--General Toral and the Spanish army surrendered Santiago at 3 p.m, July 17.--Old
Glory raised over Santiago at noon. 
July 18.--President issues a proclamation providing for the government of Santiago de
Cuba. 
July 18.--Seven American vessels bombard Manzanillo and destroy seven Spanish ships. 
July 21.--General Miles, with 3.415 men on transports convoyed by war ships. starts to
take Porto Rico. 
July 21.--American gunboats captured Nipe, and sank the Spanish cruiser Jorge Juan. 
July 25.--General Nelson A. Miles, in command of United States troops,landed at Guanica,
Porto Rico. The town surrendered after a few shots from the Gloucester. 
July 26.--The Spanish Government through M. Cambon, the French Ambassador, asks President
McKinley for terms of peace. 
July 28.--Ponce, second largest city in Porto Rico, surrendered to General Miles, and
received the American army with open arms. 
July 30.--President McKinley gave M. Cambon a statement of terms upon which he would
agree to end the war. 
July 31.--United States and Spanish troops engage at Malate, near Manila, Spaniards were
repulsed with considerable loss. 11 American soldiers were killed and forty-four wounded.

Aug. 9.--Spain's reply accepting the terms of peace, presented to President McKinley by
the French Ambassador. 
Aug. 10.--United States under General Schan took Mayaguez, a city of Porto Rico.
Spaniards were repulsed with heavy loss. Two Americans were killed, and forty wounded. 
Aug. 12.--The war was ended, and the blockade of Cuba, Porto Rico, and Manila was lifted;
protocol agreeing as to the preliminaries for a treaty of peace having been signed by
Secretary Day and the French Ambassador.