Siege of Santiago was a Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts engagement fought in Cuba, 1898. It was a US Army victory.
The siege of Santiago, also known as the siege of Santiago de Cuba, was the last major operation of the Spanish-American War on the island of Cuba.
The primary objective of the American Fifth Army Corps' invasion of Cuba was the capture of the city of Santiago de Cuba. U.S. forces had driven back the Spaniards' first line of defense at the Battle of Las Guasimas, after which General Arsenio Linares pulled his troops back to the main line of defense against Santiago along San Juan Heights. In the charge at the Battle of San Juan Hill U.S. forces captured the Spanish position. At the Battle of El Caney the same day, U.S. forces took the fortified Spanish position and were then able to extend the U.S. flank on San Juan Hill. The destruction of the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba allowed U.S. forces to safely besiege the city.
On July 3, 1898, the same day as the naval battle, Major General William "Pecos Bill" Shafter began the siege of Santiago. Shafter fortified his position on San Juan Heights. General Henry W. Lawton's division moved up from El Caney extending the U.S. right flank to the north. To the northwest, Cuban rebels under the command of Calixto Garcia extended the U.S. line to the bay. General Arsenio Linares had been severely wounded at the Battle of San Juan Hill and was replaced by General José Toral y Velázquez. The Spanish also had German military advisors helping to man and operate their artillery. Toral had a good defensive position and Shafter knew he would sustain severe casualties from a frontal assault. All Spanish ships were destroyed bringing forth the reason for surrender.
The Americans began their siege of the city. U.S. artillery sited on the heights pounded the city, while U.S. forces supported by Cuban rebels choked off all water and food supplies to the city. On July 3, a relief column was able to fight its way through Garcia's rebels and into the city bringing Toral's force to a total of 13,500. On July 4, a cease fire was enacted to evacuate roughly 20,000 citizens from the city. Also, on July 4, four .30 Army Gatlings from Lt. John Parker's Gatling Gun Detachment were moved to Fort Canosa in support of the siege, as was a dynamite gun and sixteen field guns. Over the next thirteen days, the Gatlings were used to fire 6,000 to 7,000 rounds into the city of Santiago, causing many casualties.
On July 8, Toral proposed to surrender Santiago if his troops could be evacuated to Holguin. Washington officials would not accept Toral's proposal and the truce ended on July 10. Shafter was now pressed for time as Yellow fever appeared. Shafter and the U.S. Navy under William T. Sampson continued to bomb the city with little effect militarily. General Miles arrived on July 11 along with several regiments, eight field guns and eight light mortars.
Approximate location. The nearest recorded settlement is shown; the exact site is unrecorded.
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