Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-09-09
GEN. SHAFTER At M0NTAUk.
COMMANDER OF CUBAN INVASION
ARRIVES on MEXICO.
CAME SOONER THAN EXPECTED.
Wheeler Had Escort Ordered Out, But
the Program Miscarried-Tho
General Talks,

The transport Mexico, with General
Skater on board, was sighted OF
Montauk Point ct $40 q. m. Thurs
day and one hour later dropped anchor
in Fort Pond bay.
The City Of Mexico had on board
besides General Shafter the members
Of his staff.
As soon as General Wheeler was
notified OF General Skaters arrival he
ordered o salute Of fifteen guns to be
fired and troops NJ, L, G, H and x, Of
the Second regular cavalry, were de.
tailed to escort General Shafter into
camp when he should lend.
General Shafter and his staff were
landed from the City Of Mexico short
ly before l o'clock at the floating dock
some distance from the quarantine
pier. The coming ashore Of the com.
mander and his staff was unexpected.
General Wheeler had the cavalry
escort drawn up at the quarantine pier
and the guns waiting to salute Cen
eral Shafter. He was not aware that
General Shafter was on shore until
General Shafter and his staff had been
driven to the detention hospital in
carriages. General Wheeler was
little put out when he learned that
General Shafter had landed. General
Skater appeared in good health when
he came ashore. On the City Of Next
co, besides the general and his staff,
came one company Of the First regu.
lar infantry.
1t was difficult TO get near General
Shafter at the detention camp, but the
commander Of the Santiago campaign
sent word to the correspondents that
he was glad to be on American soil
once more, but was sorry TO learn that
so many Of his men had died and were
still sick OF Montauk. He said, how
ever, that had tho troops remained In
Santiago they would have Jared much
worse.
Likes Camp wikofY.
General Shafter Is now, strictly
speaking, by reason OF rank, In com.
mand Of Camp Wikoif, but he viii not
assume the reins OF control until his
term in the detention camp is finished.
In an interview Thursday afternoon
General Shafter said:
II enjoyed the trip north on the
Mexico greatly, but more on account
OF the ship being prize. From q
casual observation like Camp WikoR.
II seems just such place as ! should
have selected. j will soon acquaint
myself thoroughly with oil the details
OF the camp,
"I knew nothing Of the Miles.Alger
controversy Unit! ] was shown news:
papers on my arrival here. I will not
discuss that. am unfamiliar With
the phases Of the case, nor will ! ed
ter the controversy al any time. Sec.
rotary Alger and General Miles can
take care Of themselves and so can ].
"The Red Gross and other nurses
did good work OF Santiago, but tho
front is hardly the place for women.
There was never any real scarcity OF
food in Cuba, but that there were no
transportation facilities to get supplies
to the front, other than pack trains.
The army and sick In hospital down
there Jared as well as possible in such
a climate"
When told that II had been denied
that there was yellow fever In the
camp at Santiago General Shafter said
II was nonsense, as there was yellow
fever there and the doctors In Santiago
who knew,it like book, said II was
yellow fever and nothing else. Santi-
ago was on the mend, the general said,
and tho sanitary measures taken by
the Americans were having good
effect.
When asked II II would not be al.
most rs we'll TO allow the men now sick
at Santiago to fully recover In Cuba
now that the wet season is almost over,
he said the best place for every man
who could get there was home, and
that while the wet season was nearly
over, Cuba was not : good country
for sick men.