Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-10-20
a BIT OF HISTORY.

A story comes from Santiago as fol-
lows:
General Shafter on July 8 sent for
General Breckenridge to come to his
tent. AT the interview which then
took place there were present the two
generals, Lieutenant SIN. FoOte, aide to
General Breckenridge, and others. The
conversation that enSued was almost
verbatim as follows:
breckenridge" said General Shafter,
what in the hell is the matter with
you?'
General Breckenridge, in surprise, re-
piled:
why, Shafter, what do you mean?'
General Shafter, who was lying on
his iron braced cot, made especially to
sustain bis enormous weight, and with
his face red and swollen from the effects
OF the intense heat and his great ex.
element, replied with much fire:
You look so damned well, and here ]
am sick in body and mind-what's the
matter with you?''
why" said General Breckenridge,
II never felt better In my life. You
see, Shafter, we say in my State of
Kentucky that horse needs roughness
sometimes, and reckon 1 was SO ham.
pered in Washington that, like a stall
led horse, am thriving on the rough
ness we are meeting down here"
General Shafter rose on his couch
and said:
,"Breokinri,dIge, you must take charge
General Breckinridge replied: "What
II am SICK" was General Skaters
answer. Look at the ulcers on my leg
look at my head; my brain is upset. I'm
not fit to lead the army" !
To this General Breckenridge an
swered: I'D :
''Shafter, 1 d take it in fifteen min.
utes, but you must listen to me first.
You have made ready to retreat. will
not retreat. Tomorrow is the Fourth
of July. No army under me retreats on
the Fourth of July.
Il will take your army, but when l
do will order it not to retreat on the
Fourth of July. but to move on Santi.
ago, and I vii lead my men. I know
they will go. may die in the attempt,
but I am an old man, and had as well
die here as later"
But" said General Breckenridge, 81
am not the man to take this command,
even though you are not fit to retain it.
You know that nothing that I do will
please the War Department. You know
that whether ] win or lose will be
found fault with. You ought not to
give up the command, but if you insist
on so doing you have men here besides
me abundantly able to take your place. u
10 all of this General Shafter listened.
Presently he said
who is there fit to take my place
except you 2"
Then General Breckenridge began to
name the other commanding officers
but objections were made to ALL. At
last General Breckenridge said
"Shafter, you must, for your own sake,
stay at the head of this army, and you
must not retreat"
To this General Shafter replied to
summon back his courage
''Give me twenty-four hours to think
about IT.
General Breckenridge answered
IF you please at the end of that time
will take your army if you so insist,
but remember il 1 do take it it will be
to advance on Santiago, and not to re-
treat"
General Shafter then ordered his SER
want to bring him something to eat,
saying he had not eaten anything for
several days. And when the food came
its nOurishing effect began to arouse the
energies of General Shafter. He tnrned
to General Breckenridge and said
Breckenridge, feel better. This is
the first food have taken for several
days.
Here the interview practically closed.
No twenty-four hours consideration on
the part of Shafter was necessary. Ger
vera's attempt to escape gave back to
General Shafter what he hoped to regain
by twenty four hours meditation, and
the surrender of Santiago followed as an
easy consequence.
This is true story, as is known to
persons Of Staunton, who saw letters
relating to it few days after the battle
of Santiago was fought.