Part 31 (1/2)
GENERAL LEE'S SURRENDER.
GENERAL GRANT'S KINDNESS AND DELICACY OF FEELING.
HIS PERSONALITY.
HIS TOUR AROUND THE WORLD; HIS LAST DAYS.
TO THE PUPIL
1. Tell as much as you can about the boyhood of Grant.
2. What can you say of his record in the Mexican War?
3. Give an account of his capture of Vicksburg.
4. Picture the scene of the interview which took place when Lee surrendered.
5. What can you tell about Grant's personality? About his ability as a speech-maker?
6. What traits in Grant's character do you admire?
CHAPTER XXVI
Some Leaders and Heroes in the War with Spain
[1898-1899]
Thus far we have directed our attention to the prominent events in American history centring about certain leaders and heroes. In so doing we have in every chapter given emphasis to the achievements of some one man. But in all these cases there were many other men that received no mention by name, and yet their co-operation was necessary to the success of the leader in working out his plans.
This is no doubt true of all times and countries, but it is eminently true of our own country, whose history is full of striking instances of individual heroism and devotion to the flag. We shall find no better example of patriotic daring than in the late war with Spain--a war which exhibited to us and to the world the strong and manly qualities of American life and character. It seems fitting, therefore, that we should in this closing chapter briefly consider a few of the recent events that help us to understand what manner of people we have come to be, and what we are able to accomplish in time of earnest endeavor.
[Ill.u.s.tration: The United States Coast and the West Indies.
Distances are given in geographical or sea miles, sixty miles in a degree of lat.i.tude.]
From the very beginning of her dominion in Cuba, Spain ruled the people there with extreme cruelty and oppression. Again and again did the Cubans, driven to desperation by unjust treatment, rise in rebellion, without success. But in 1895 they organized an uprising that Spain strove in vain to put down. In the last extremity of her power, she sent over as governor-general a man who tried to starve the Cubans into submission. A large part of the population lived in the country, and furnished the Cuban troops with food and recruits. The Spanish commander's brutal method was to drive these country people into the towns and cities, burning their homes, and destroying everything that might be of use to feed and support the fighting Cubans. But the Cubans were determined to win their independence or die in the attempt.
[Ill.u.s.tration: The Wreck of the Maine.]
As the war continued, and this inhuman policy of starvation grew more brutal, the horror and indignation of the United States were aroused.
Our Government tried to induce Spain to stop her barbarous methods, but while the attempt was still in progress an event took place which greatly embittered the feeling of Americans against Spain. On the night of February 15, 1898, one of our battle-s.h.i.+ps, the Maine, was blown up in the harbor of Havana, and 266 of our sailors were killed. Many believed that this awful deed was the work of Spanish officials; and this conviction deepened when a careful investigation was made by a court of naval inquiry. In all parts of this country the excitement of the people increased until they were ready to go to war with Spain if she would not change her policy toward Cuba.
But Spain was so stubborn that President McKinley, after trying in every possible way to prevent hostilities, was obliged to say in a message that ”the war in Cuba must stop”; and on April 25, 1898, Congress took the momentous step of declaring war.
Our Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Long, lost no time in sending a despatch to Commodore Dewey,--who was in command of an American fleet of six war-vessels at Hong-Kong,--directing him to proceed at once to the Philippine Islands and capture or destroy the Spanish fleet stationed there.
Two days later Commodore Dewey's fleet was steaming southward toward Manila Bay, in search of the Spanish squadron of ten war-vessels and two torpedo-boats. It was extremely important that these s.h.i.+ps of war should be captured or destroyed before they could make their way to our Pacific coast and attack American cities.
On the night preceding May 1st our fleet entered Manila Bay. The supreme moment in the life of Commodore Dewey, now in his sixty-second year, had come. He was 7,000 miles from home and in hostile waters. Without even a pilot to guide his fleet as it moved slowly but boldly into the bay, he knew well that he might be going into a death-trap. Two torpedoes exploded just in front of the flag-s.h.i.+p Olympia, which was in the lead, but the fearless commander did not swerve from his course.