New-York tribune., 1898-12-02
NO REPLY TO SAMPSON.
GENERAL sHAFTER SPEAKS Al
BROOKLYN DINNER.
THE GUEST OF U. 8. GRANT POST Al ihh "'N
TAUK cLUB-MANY MILITARY AND

THE GUEST OF U. 8. GRANT POST AT THE MON
rAUK cLUB-MANY MILITARY AND
NAVAL MEN PRESENT.
Maior-General William r. shafter. o. s A.;
Captaln Francis A. Cook, Y. S. ~, and other
officers OF the Army and Navy were at the
Montauk club last night in full dress unitor'n'
They were the guests Of L. s. Grant POST NO
327 G. A. r. which was holding us anhuai
dinner 1t was a typical military ana haVdi
dinner. as most OF the Grand Army men were
In uniform. Flags were freely draped about the
walls the shades on the little banquet lamps
were in the National colors and were spanSied
with stars The sorbet boxes had the National
coat of arms on a shield. which served as the
cover. 1t was a genuine old campfire. at which
stories cf two wars were exchanged by men
who had been in both. General stewart L.
Woodford presided He was introduced by Past
Commander Heman =. Smith, who welcomed
the guests and associate members. and made a
short speech Iaudatory OF L. s. Grant Post
B T. Parsons, secretary Of the post, read let
ters Of regret from Governor-eect Roosevelt
whose name was enthusiastically received, and
q number of others.
The toastmaster then. after brief remarks, IN
troduced General Shafter. The General was
warmly greeted.
Contrary to expectations. General Shafter
made no reply to the charges published in Ad-
miral SIMPSONS report yesterday in his speech
In concluding his remarks he said: MY cam
paign has been criticised, and by son'e severely
II seemed to me that the American Arr'y was
on top and that hadn't any explanations u
make so | have abstained from entering ih'o
any controversy. 1t seems to me that we shouiu
be patting each other on the back lhs,ead "a
calling each other names
General Shafter was received in the most en-
thusiastc manner and he seemed 10 appie.'" -.
the warmth of the greeting Wneh ne so'e -
respond to the toast THE Army ne Saiu' ~
Il do not feel that | have done anything Ifloie
than my duty, for which have peeh wen P'u Fn',,
When thirty seven years ago went AVA ava t'ov'' @
my fathers farm il was beyond my hishest eN
pectations that | should ever command 'ISto
rous army. Now have what Is NOR p neiniaI
to a man. and that is to know that ne NJ "nt n,,n
career has received the approval OF ms VGun ~
trvmen II is unnecessary to say that priVa-
ton goes with war. and you VINO nave pee" ~, ~
the Civil War know what it is tNoce from en en'
rear: Yes, and We never grumped' uen
eral Shafter: NO, and we do not grunpie ~.
nowD had the best army that ever s'ouu 'ater ~
America. and this Is no reflection on Sou 'e'0'
ans" prolonged applause) .,..
General Shafter repeated his statement OF last
week that he had made a mistake wheh ne a.,
tempted to fight the battles OF ri SaIvs I,,i hnd
San Juan on the same day lie salu tnal i,'' ~
Iawton's brigade been available on that uay
he might have taken the city but at tnal u ll'lle W.
he would not have received the surrender Oh 80
large force. and he believed he WouId ho'
have brought the war to so sudden terl''.ia IA,
ton The only fear that he had during 'he
entire campaign that his men would not DE
able to hold out as long as the SpanlaruS oi, " az
count Of increasing sickness In speaking aDout
the large force OF twenty thousand men at Hoi-
gun, fifty miles distant, he SAID:
Il wondered continually why they uu nol
make an attempt to assist the beleaguered CITY,
but they did not. However. could not bank on
such supneness or stupidity as tha,. o,,...
In closing he paid tribute 10 tne eilclehCS
which the Navy showed in assisting MS lahoihs'
He said: - 10,
the most able and honest support OF the Navy,
Without their assistance we would not nave
been able to make the landing .,uo osart
General Shafter surprised all those present
vhen he made the statement that in the minus
of ,be authorities the Santiago and Porto Rican
exhibitions were supposed To be merely SIDE
shows and that in the fall the great pallle vi
the war would be fought near havana
In snsaking of the privatinns WHICH, ne salu'
u,ara az nothing compared with what the vet
erans Of the Civil War had undergone ms re-
marks received the hearty lhdoIseineh' VI N
vetsrans present many of them interJectihg
laronic "reminiscences Of the hard times whch
they had undergone. 49,, ,;,o.h tro,,
connral Iinares TO the Spanish Minister OF war,
which was printed in The Tribune on August
last. ,, o.oordad FOR
tho Navy Lieutenant Governor Woodruff ma le
a short address. and was followed py w. ~,
Cassard the chaplain OF the tniteu states snip
Indiana and the Rev. George +. StroWprust,
lieutenant Of the l34th Illinois Volunteers dur
ing the Civil War. now pastor OF the hhlou'y
Methodist Episcopal Church mona.
Those who sat at the table OF honor VIZ ere
Chaplain W G. CasWrd. L. $. n. the Key; Dr.
| r. Il. Meredith. the Rev. George +: Stroworluge
Lieutenant Governor Timothy l.. w oouruli,
| Maior-General William r. Smarter. l.: = A.
| General Stewart L. Woodford Heman +. smith,
| CAPTAIN Francis A. Cook [. 3. n; CoIonei
George A. Price, +. W. Wurster' John ~, MAJ MA
| lock William II. Miller Charles Gray, Charles
: Brooks Colonel \. s. Bacon, the Rev. MARX
| b. Taylor Silas B butcher. Colonel n.
| Sprague Andrew r. Rogers. Marshall J. DuVlu-
son and General William c. Wallace Inc othets
| present included large number Of weH-knoWn
| Army and Navy men and civilians.
| THE NETROPOLIT4N FORWARD NOV EHENI