The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-21
SHAFHBR'S TESTIMONY.
Jonqueror Of Santiago Before the
: War Investigators. ...,..,.
CAMPAIGN A MILITARY SUCCESS.

Events Had to Be Gone Through
Again-He Speaks Flatteringly Of the
Civilians on His STAFF.
Washington, Dec. 2l.-General Shaf-
ter appeared rather Unexpectedly be-
fore the war Investigating commission
yesterday afternoon and told his story
of the Santiago expedition. He was
supported by his aide. Colonel Miley.
who was with him In Cuba, and flanked
by a large portmaneauc Of papers, to
which his aide occasionally applied
for reference.
General Skaters story Of the opera
tions around Santiago was tersely told.
but at times quite vivid In Its recital
and interesting in detail. Briefly sum-
med up, his statements of the San
tiago expedition was that 1t had been
q military success and cheap at the
cost Of the 500 men lost In the fight.
He considered the expedition to have
been as well fitted out as the time al
lowed would permit, and said that in
locking back he had no criticism of his
plans to make, and would not change
them if the events had to be gone
through again. He said he had no
complaints of any sort. to make, and
would be loath to intrude them at this
time If he had.
After a brief preface General Shafter
went into detailed account of his
preparations for the Santiago expedi-
ton. He said his plans were changed
three times by the department, and
once he actually started, but was call
- h.vt thn nf Cnonish
ships off the coast. He said the trans
port fleet was not sufficiently large to
accommodate 1900 men for any length
of time at sea, but all were SO anxious
to go that he rlsked considerable
crowding to take all the men possl-
BILE. He admitted that he took chances
in doing this, but said the weather
was good and there was no mishap to
regret. The men were regulars almost
entirely, fully equipped, and he saw
that they were made as comfortable
as. circumstances permitted.
As to the medical supplies, General
Shafter said You know medical sup
plies are the one thing that a COM
manding general or a line officer never
knows anything about. The surgeon
My medical officer said he thought he
had enough medical supplies for the
temporary service to which we thought
we were destined. Events proved,
however, that the surgeon was mis-
taken. The ammunition supply was
ample"
As to supplies, General Shafter said
there was nothing essential left be-
hind.
How about the ambulances?" asked
General Beaver.
"As to those ambulances," said Gem
eral Shafter, II take the whole respon-
sbility OH myself 1 ordered and
supervised their landing. After events
proved that it would have been better
to have taken ten or fifteen additional
ambulances and left that many wagons
behind But wagons can be used for
two purposes and ambulances can be
used for but one. l took the wagons,
and the wounded had to be transported
in them after the first days fighting.
I must say that on q rocky, muddy
road, such as we had there, there is
little difference in comfort between an
ambulance and an escort wagon. AM
balances would have been better. but
then hindsght Is always better than
foresight"
General Shafter said he regarded the
landing of the expedition as eminently
successful. They lost only two men
and 30 animals out CT total Of 10000
men. 1t was a remarkable record.
AS to the care of the wounded, Cen
eral Shafter said they were cared for
as carefully as the circumstances would
permit. 1.-THE doctors worked like Tro-
JAMS They deserved and received COM
mendation from everyone. They work.
ed till they were sick and worn out.
The doctors were mostly young men.
You can't get very old and experienced
surgeons to go on summer campaign
for 800 a month. But they were splen-
did fellows. AS compared with the
civil war, the wounded were better
cared for in Cuba than they were then"
Asked if he thought his own sickness
had any effect on the success of the
Cuban campaign, General Shafter said:
mo, most decidedly. The campaign
was carried out as planned from the
start, and my health or sickness did
not alter a single plen. l was not seri-
ously sick 1t is true had the gout so
1 had to wrap my foot up in gunny
sack and could not get it in a stirrup,
and so had to build a platform from
which to get on my horse. But l GER
tainly had not expected to be subjected
to personal criticism for this. 1t was
a military necessity"
Governor Woodbury. asked how the
staff officers appointed from civil life
turned out. General Shafter said:
'"They were men as rule who had
no previous military experience and
might not have been OF much use in
executing a military maneuver But
had three of them on my staff, and for
carrying orders, distributing rations to
the refugees and a thousand things
they were invaluable. Beginning with
Colonel John Jacob Astor who was
perhaps the most inexperienced, they
were splendid fellows, and did what
they had to do. Astor fell in with the
work, ate his beans and did his duty as
cheerfully and expeditiously as though
he had not a dollar. Captain Brice, the
son of Senator Brice, was an excellent
officer, and did fine work in feeding the
hungry people at Caney. At times he
had to take an ak helve and stand off
some of the men, who were keeping
back the weaker women and children.
And he did 1t effectively"