Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-12-22
war INVESTIGATION
Gen. Shafter Appears Before the
Committee aad Tcst.1.s.
STORY CT SANTIAGO EXPEDITION.
He Considers the Operations n military
success -AdMi's Mistakes Wsr- Msds-
Htndslvht Is tt-r Than Foresight
Gen ME. Cnwi,iiug q L, sGisy.

Washington, Dec. q. Gen. Shafter
appeared rather unexpe ctedly before
the war investigation committee yes
terdav afternoon and told his story Of
the operations around santiago. which
was at times quite vivid IN its recital
and interesting in detail. Briefly
summed up. his estimate VI the SAnti-
ago expedition was that 1t had been
military success aud cheap ut the cost
Of 800 men lost in the fight He con-
sidered the expedition to have been rs
we'll fitted. out as the time allowed
would permit and said that in looking
back he had no criticism of his plans
to make and would not change them
If the events had to be gone through
again. lie said he had no complaints
Of any sort to make, aud would be
loath to intrude them at this time II
he had.
The commission stated that ten.
Miles communicated to the commission
his unwillingness TO volunteer testi-
mony. A message was accordingly
sent to the adjutant general directing
him to request the appearance Of Gen.
Miles before the board. No reply had
been received to this communication
when Gen. Shafter rather unexpe cted.
" appeared.
After a brief preface, Gen. Shafter
went into a detailed account of his
preparations for the Santiago expedi-
ton. He said his plans we're changed
three times by the department and
once he actually started, but was
called back by the report OF Spanish
warships off the coast He said the
transport fleet was not sufficiently
large to accommodate 1900 men for any
length Of time at sea, but all were so
anxious to 60 that he. risked consider
able crowding to take all the men pos
sible. He admitted he took chances in
doing this, but said that the weather
was good and there was no mishap to
regret.
As to medical supplies, Gen. Shafter
said:
You know medical supplies are the one thing
that commanding general or o line officer
never knows anything about The surgeon Is
supposed to know what he wants My medical
officer sud he thought he had enough medical
supplies for the temporary service to which
we thought we were destined Events proved
however. TINT the surgeon was mistaken The
supply vas ample
As to supplies, Gen. Shafter said
there was nothing essential left be-
hind. Continuing. he said:
As to those ambulances, take the whole re-
on myself ordered and super
vised their loading After events proved that
1t would have been better to have taken
10 or Is additional ambuances md left that
many wagons behind But wagons can be used
Tor two purposes and ambulsnces can be used
but for one / took the wagons and the
wounded had to be transported In them after
the first days fighting l must say that on
rocky, muddy road, such as we had there. that
here Is very little difference In comfort be-
tween on ambulance and an escort wagon The
men were put on straw in the bottom Of the
wagons and we did the best we could for them.
Ambulances would have been better, but the
hndsight Is always better than foresight.
An interesting incident Of the land.
ing was brought out by Gen. Shafter,
who said he had arranged with the
Cuban general, Castillo, the day prior
to the landing, to have 1000 men back
Of Baiquiri to catch the Spaniards
when they were shelled out by the
navy. Castillo was three hours late,
however, and all the Spaniards got
away. "How about getting the sup.
plies to the front for the menp" asked |
Gen. Beaver. ut was the one prob
EN- of the campaign, and 1t taxed us
to the utmost" said he. "If it had not
been for the pack train we could not
nave done it and the expedition would
nave been failure"
As to the care OF the wounded, Gen.
shafter said that they we're cared for
rs carefully as the circu instances would
permit
The doctors worked like Trojans They de-
erved and received commentator from every
me. They worked till they were sick and worn
tut The doctors were mostly young men,
You can't get very old and experienced sur
.eons to 20 on summer campaign for 400 Q
month. But they were splendid fellows. Com
Jared with the civil war, the wounded were
,etter cared for in Cuba than they were then
Capt A. E. Hardy, Of the Fifth ILL.
lois regiment, also testified.