David H. Montgomery

“ The Americans at once set out to find the enemy. The Spaniards had hidden in the underbrush, where they could fire on us without being seen. They opened the battle, and as they used smokeless powder, it was difficult for our men to tell where the rifle balls came from or how to reply to them. But in the end, after pretty sharp fighting, we got possession of some high ground from which we could plainly see Santiago, where Cervera's fleet lay concealed behind the hills. ”

“ Piece by piece Spain lost the whole of these enormous possessions, until at last she had nothing left but the two islands of Cuba and Porto Rico.
266. The rebellion in Cuba.— Many of the Cubans hated Spanish rule, and with good reason. They made several attempts to rid themselves of it and fought for ten years (1868–1878) , but without success. Finally, in the spring of 1895, they took up arms again, and with the battle cry of “Independence or death!” they set to work in grim earnest to drive out the Spaniards. Spain was determined to crush the rebellion. ”

“ Many other Americans, who are equally patriotic and equally proud of their country, believe that it would be a mistake for us to keep all of these islands. They say that distant possessions would make us weaker instead of stronger, that they would be likely to get us into quarrels with other nations, and that in the end we should have to spend enormous sums of the people's money in building more war-ships and fitting out new armies. ”

“ President McKinley resolved to strike two blows at once, and while we hit Spain in Cuba, to hit her at the same time at Manila (Man-il′ah) , the capital of the Philippines. It happened, fortunately for us, that Commodore Dewey8 had a fleet of six war-ships at Hong Kong, China. The President telegraphed to him to start at once for Manila and to “capture or destroy” the Spanish fleet which guarded that important port. The Spaniards at that place were brave men who were determined to hold Manila against all attack; they had forts to help them; they had twice as many vessels as Commodore Dewey had ”

“ At the South many new and flourishing towns and cities have sprung up. Mines of coal and iron have been opened, hundreds of cotton-mills and factories have been built, and long lines of railroads have been constructed. ”

“ The battles of El Caney and San Juan were fought mainly by the “regulars”—that is, by the soldiers of the regular standing army of the United States. Volunteers are men who enlist to fight in a war but do not belong to the regular standing or permanent army of the country.
11 Cruisers (krew′zers) , vessels of war.
12 Columbus spent the last years of his life there. But it is said that the remains of Columbus were not actually carried to Valladolid, but were deposited in the Cathedral at Seville in Spain. ”

“ He declared himself an Anarchist, that is, one who wishes to overthrow all government. He was executed at Auburn, New York, October 29, 1901. President McKinley is the third President who has been murdered ”