Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-26
TELLS IN 4 SPEECH OF THE SAN
TIAGO CAMPAIGN.
DEFENDS HIS LINE OF ACTION
SAYS THAT HE MADE ONLY ONE
SERIoUS MISTAKE.
That Was in Making the Assault on
FL Cancy-GcneraI Shaftcr the
Guest of Honor Mt Sons
of the Revolution
Banquet.

NEW-YORK. Nov. 25-General Shafter
was the principal guest. tonight at a
banquet given al Delmonico's by the Sons
of the Revolution of the state OF New York
In the course OF a speech, he said:
Il wish TO say something about the :ate
war. about the success in Cuba. Al San
tiago. there was no rancor or enmity be-
tween the Spanish and American forces.
They flocked together thicker than feas.
ff l may use the term. They swapped coats
and experiences as best they could, not
knowing each otEer's language, and using
an interpreter when one could he had
General Shafter then spoke of letter he
had received from Spanish officer just
before leaving Santiago. in which the writer
said it was a source of great qualification
10 all the Spaniards to have experienced 20
much generosity and naSnanimity from
foe. = -
Il suppose continued General Shaftar,
'that you all know how that campaign has
been bitterly criticised. | want to tell you
that IL Is much easier for a man to say
how i thing should be done than TO do it.
in the carly part of April, while in COM
nand of the forces of the United States
on the Pacific coast, / was suddenly ordered
10 Florida to. take charge of the six OF
seven regiments in Tampa
General Shafter then detailed the num-
i vi uoops ana 'he equipment IN tampa,
and stated that he had orders to proceed
Immediately to Il point about twenty-five
miles from Havana with such forces as
were il Florida. it being the design of the
eo.ernheht d. mat time 10 wage a cam
psh IA anu "pout iiaN ana. NefNera meet
su'u"s appeafeu III Supah waters anu
,ne Pians were changed. Ienerai smarter
'-"h was ue'iaiea Ill .dt the
oesihnihs OIL tne siekiy season IN Cuna. IL
was lhe eNpresseo intention OF the pfesi-
ueh'' anu ne toio me hirhseii' 10 delay the
wa u,ilii a,.er that season, no matter
Nnst ,i,e pupiic ciamor was. he would not
send volunteers into Cuba during the sickly
season.
"eherai Shaiter saiu II was the presi-
ueh' ih'enton' diter Receiving word that
.he Spanish meet hao ehtered Sahtlago
.ai ~ ooi' u sehu iofce ol NOT less than
!"'vV Weh' IN accordance with ADMIRAL
sampson request, 10 force the Spanish
nect De from the harbor and take the city.
men tne general SAID that, instead of eni-
parkins ".oeo men, he had to take 1900
IN trahsports that were not htted Tor the
transportation OF troops and had been mer-
chaht vessels.
our ships We're unsuited for the bust
ness ne continued However, | took
what could get, intending to do the best
4 could with them II uouId no, hove
d,,a o., -. =. = i't nave
Ni.s s0ou " nave uohe oiherwlse.
on June q We reached the vicinity of
Santiago. i made ARRANGEMENTS TO con-
fer with General Cart, Thara - -
mans Of nse -, n,r,,,;,a,,' oa,ta ine,e were no
mays VI use 10 HiiitHfv operations 10 be
had. only general maps giving the rivers
and mountain ranges Fortunately. ther.
happened to be an intelIipent Amer;oan
,,.ha Ia - "e an ni'eiiiseht american
VINO hao hVed Tor many years at Santiago
and who knew much about the country.
From him and from General Garcia
~ up nay n,iho "nat was necessary TO
De zone. VIII say right here that there
was no strategy employed. / learned of a
considerable body of snanisb troons IN
and ahou, S,rtiaoo Ill, -; -, ~ ~
hars LII n,aa "inen, u, H. ii rouhd NUM-
"eas' VIII place AT N,Wo.
Il knew We would have some sickness
and / determined IN mako n sb,rn ara
forced march stra;eh, 80 S.a.,a aia i
% ,oe -, ~ Saii.iaSo- hdu
",i-o nieh All OIL the light artillery and all
CT the available cavalry. There were three
regiments of yolunte eers one co,nnosed or
cowboys who uhiIe ~, i,ot,od ~ ,,o
c,n,ina ., ,ha - '1e 49, NJ ',ie uis
1'p'ihe , Vi me reg uiars were Injured by past
NVes TO hardship and did good work. There
were also the Seventy-first New York and
the second Massach,,.et,s T.a,, - ara
pood ,eeirnarts or, ,,;d III -, -
tAppiause) There Is not regiment in
The volunteers on the face of the earth who
could be made soldiers in the short time
and training that these regiments had
of course. We could not carry conf forta-
bic homes with us. Every man had three
DAYS rations. All the generals except Gem
rrai Wheeler went on foot with their hay-
ersacks and their rations. like priyates."
General Shafter then described the vari-
gus marches and the methods of the Span
iards in hghting, and continued:
Il made one mistake in that march
towards Santiago: IL was the only serious
mistake made. That was at the battle of
III Caney. On the first day We approached
inc Town frcm the northeast. i sent sew
crai OF our best men TO reconnoiter On
their return they told me that the place
Sould De taken; on learning this from them,
ordered an advance on FL Caney.''
General Shafter complimented General