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Siege of Santiago

The siege of Santiago, also known as the siege of Santiago de Cuba (Spanish: Asedio de Santiago de Cuba), was the last major operation of the Spanish–American War on the island of Cuba.

This article is about the 1898 land battle in Cuba. For the 1898 naval battle, see Battle of Santiago de Cuba. For other uses, see Battle of Santiago (disambiguation).

Santiago campaign[edit]

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.

Aftermath[edit]

The siege effectively ended the major fighting on Cuba, but the war was not yet over. Yellow fever had spread through the U.S. Army before the surrender had taken place, and some 4,000 U.S. soldiers were ill with malaria, yellow fever, and dysentery by July 28.[1]: 210–211  Many officers, notably Theodore Roosevelt, fought for the removal of the army from Cuba, writing the Round Robin, which was leaked to the press.[1]: 212  The Fifth Army Corps was recalled and sent to Camp Wikoff, where of the 20,000 men sent there, only 257 died from yellow fever or malaria.[1]: 213 


The Red Cross ship, City of Texas, with Clara Barton aboard, was the first ship into Santiago harbor.[1]: 210  Plans were made for a major assault on Havana, but the next major campaign of the war came on Puerto Rico, led by General Miles.[1]: 201 

Battles of the Spanish–American War

Santiago order of battle

Konstam, Angus San Juan Hill 1898: America's Emergence as a World Power (1998)

Marrin, Albert The Spanish–American War (1991)

Parker, John H. (Lt.), The Gatlings At Santiago, Middlesex, U.K.: Echo Library (reprinted 2006)