The Santiago Campaign of 1898

This story is an account of the Santiago Cuba land campaign of the Spanish-American War as conducted by General William R. Shafter''s Fifth Army Corps. The narrative is based on firsthand information gathered from handwritten diaries memoirs and regimental and company histories of the men who participated in the campaign. These chronicles of frontline action paint an entirely different picture of what has been called The Splendid Little War. The opponent far from being the cowardly Spanish soldier of myth is revealed to be a courageous resourceful foe. Furthermore the attack on the outer defenses of Santiago was totally mismanaged by William Shafter the American General in command and his incompetent staff. Only the U.S. Navy''s victory over the Spanish squadron on July 3 1898 rescued the army from disaster.