Major General William R. Shafter to Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, Commander, North Atlantic Fleet
Headquarters 5th Army Corps.
Camp near Santiago-de-Cuba,
July 4th 1898
Sir
The Spanish Commander1 will consult his home government as suggested in my letter of yesterday.2 If it becomes necessary to run a ship into Santiago Harbor. I can give you a double screw transport. Would it be practicable to run such a vessel in dragging an anchor to catch torpedo connections, manned by a force just sufficient to handle the boat? My men are getting sick very fast, and if the result of the first days bombardment is not decisive it will be absolutely necessary for the Navy to break into the harbor at once.
I send herewith a map of Santiago, upon which our positions are indicated.3
Very respectfully,
Wm. R. Shafter
Major General, U.S.V.
Commanding.
Source Note: LS, DNA, AFNRC, M625, roll 234. Addressed before opening: “Admiral Sampson, U.S.Navy,/Commander-in-Chief North Atlantic Station,/ss “New York.” Stamp: Document was “RECEIVED/FLAG-SHIP N. A. STATION/JUL 9 1898.” Document is on “5th Army Corps,” stationery.
Footnote 1: Gen. José Toral y Vázquez.
Footnote 2: See: Shafter to Toral, 6 July, 1898.
Footnote 3: The referenced map was not attached.
