Society of the Army of Santiago de Cuba Society of the Army of Santiago de Cuba Society of the Army of Santiago de Cuba was an organization, the purpose of which was to record the history and conserve the memory of the events of the campaign which resulted in the surrender, on July 17, 1898, of the Spanish army, the city of Santiago de Cuba, and the military province to which it pertained during the Spanish–American War. Organized in the Governor's Palace, Santiago de Cuba, July 31, 1898. Constitution adopted at Camp Wykoff, Long Island, N. Y., September 15, 1898. The membership of the Society shall consist of
Battle of Santiago de Cuba the more powerful U.S. Navy. Before taking command of the Spanish Caribbean Squadron, Cervera had served a variety of military and political roles, retiring after a dispute with opposing politicians. However, when war with the United States broke, Cervera was recalled into the Spanish Navy and given command of the Caribbean Squadron. This squadron was to be dispatched from Spain with the ultimate destination of the Caribbean, initially Puerto Rico but then changed to Cuba, to reinforce the Spanish garrison, to defend the island from American invasion, and to break the American naval blockade. Before the outbreak of war, Cervera