Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-26

not send volunteers into Cuba during the
sckly season
He said il was the Presidents intention
after receiving word that the Spanish fleet
had entered Santiago harbor, to send a
force of not less than 1000 nien, In accord
ance with Admiral SIMPSONS request to
force the Spanish feet from the haTbOr and
take the city Then The general said that
instead of embracing 1000 men, he had to
take 1900, lin transports that were not fit
ted Cor the transDo"iaup1 III troops ana
had been merchant vessels.
Ships Were Unsuitable.
Our ships were uns lifted for the bust
ness" he continued However, l took
what 1 could get intending to do the best
| could with them. 1t wouldn't have done
any good to have done otherwise.
ION June u we reached the vicinity of
Santiago. | made arrangements to confer
with General Garcia. There We're no maps
of use to military operators to be had
only general maps giving the rivers and
mountain ranges. Fortunately there hap
pened to be an intelligent American who
had lived for many Yeas al Santiago. and
who knew much about the country. From
him and from General Garcia l made up
my mind what was Necessary to be done.
Il will say right here that there was no
strategy employed | learned of a consid
cradle body of Spanish troops in and about
Santiago, which, in round numbers, l will
place at 21,0Oo. ! knew We would have
sharp ard forced march straight to Santi
ago | had 2O,125 men, all of the light
artillery and all of the avGilabe cavalry.
"Of course we couldn't carry comfort
able homes with us. Every man had three
days raticns. All the generals, except Gen.
Wheeler. went on foot with their haver
sacks and rations like privates."
General Shafterl then described the va
rious marches and the methods of the Span
iards in fighting, and continued:
His One Mistake.
Il made one mistake in that march to-
ward Santiago It was the only serious
mistake I made. That was at the battle
of FL Caney. On the first day we ap-
preached the town from the northeast I
sent several of our best men to reconnoiter.
On their return they told me that the
place could be taken. On learning this
from them l ordered an advance on Ell
Caney." Bic q
General shafter complimented General
Kent's and General Lawton's forces. OF
the Ell Caney fight he said:
1T was the most direct way I knew
that sickness was certain, and l was de-
termined to reach Santiago before the sick
ness came upon the men.
II knew that the surrender of Santiago
was only question of a few days" said
the general Il was told by the British
consul afterward that the town was ours
when we arrived at the brow of the hill.
There was much clamor for me to assault
the town. I had to exercise the greatest
effort to Withstand 1t"
In speaking of the sufferings of the men,
he said:
I've had lots of suffering. / will admit.
There is always suffering in war. There
was not a moment when could have pre-
vented 1T that any man suffered unneces
sarily. Out of fifteen hundred wounded
but thirteen died. as j was informed in
July That is a small percentage. have
never heard a complaint from any officer
or man of the regular army
General Shafter closed with a tribute to
the Sons of the Revolution, and sat down
amid great applause.