The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-26
ARMY UNUSED TO HARDSHIP
DID ADMIRABLY UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
Compelled to Strike Quickly to Es-
cape the Epidemic That Threat
ened to Destroy His
Entire Force.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK Nov. 25.-General Shat
ter was the principal guest tonight at
a banquet given at Delmonico's by the
Sons of the Revolution Of the State of
New York. In the course of a speech
he said:
I wish to say something about the late
war-about the success in Cuba sup
pose you all know how that campaign has
been bitterly criticized. l want to tell
you that 1t IS much easier for a man to
say how thing should be done than to do
General Shafter then detailed the
preparations for the Cuban campaign
and the embarkaIion for Santiago.
Continuing, General Shafter said:
War was declared in April at the begin
ming OF the Sickly season in Cuba. 1t was
and he told me so himself-to delay the
war until after that season, no matter
what the public clamor was. He would
not send volunteers to Cuba during the
sickly season.
After referring to the conditions
which made earlier action necessary.
General Shafter told of the embarka-
ton at Tampa, of his arrival at San
tiagO with his forces, and said:
I will say right here that there was no
strategy employed. l learned of a con-
siderable body of Spanish troops in and
about Santiago, which in round numbers
I Will place at $1,000.
I knew we would have some sickness,
and l determined to make sharp and
forced march straight to Santiago.
had 20,125 men, all of the light artillery
and al! of the available cavalry. There
were three regiments of volunteers, one
composed of cowboys, who, while they
lacked the discipline of the regulars, were
Injured by their past lives to hardship,
Seventy first New York and the Second
Massachusetts., They were good regi-
plauseD There is not regiment in the
volunteers on the face of the earth who
could be made soldiers in the short time
and with, the training that these regt-
of course we could not carry comfort
able homes with US. Every man had
cept General Wheeler went on foot with
their haversacks and their rations. like
privates.
General Shafter then described the
various marches and the methods of
the Spaniards in fighting, and con-
tinued:
I made one mistake in that march to-
ward Santiago. 1t was the only serious
mistake l made. That was at the battle
of Ell Caney. on the first day. we APP
preached the town from the northeast. l
sent several Of our best men to recon-
hotter. on their return they told me
that the place could be taken. On learn
ing this from them 1 ordered an advance
on FL Caney.
General Shafter complimented Gen
eral Kent's and General Lawtons
forces. OF the Ell Caney fight he said:
1t was the most direct way. knew that
sickness was certain and !! was deter
mined 20 reach Santiago before the sick
ness came upon the men.
I knew that the surrender of Santiago
was only a question of few days. l 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 l had to ex-
erclse the greatest effort to withstand 1t.
In speaking of the sufferings of the
men he said:
There is always suffering in war. There
was not moment when could have pre-
vented 1t that any man suffered unneces-
sarily. Out Of 1900 wounded but thirteen
died. as l was informed, in July. That is
q small percentage. l have never heard
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.
Rev. Henry Van Dyke, DID, was in
troduced and created a sensation by
vehemently denouncing the policy of
expansion. He declared that the pur-
poses for which we went to war were
freedom for Cuba and the cause of hu-
manity, and not for the aggrandiZe-
ment of territory. He referred to the
evacuation of the British and said:
Imperialism means a reaction to the
days Of 1873, when the colonial policy was
banished from America by Washington
Do you propose, Sons of the Revolution
To change the republic into a conquering
empire?
The greatest excitement prevailed at
this point and the speaker had to wait
for quiet. Then he paid a wonderfully
eloquent tribute to the flag and hoped
1t would never float above any country
whose people were unwillingly under
the dominion of this Government and
that it should never stand for con-
quest and imperialism, instead Of hui
mainly and enlightenment. He read
sections from Washington's farewell
address and declared that Washington
was not a fool or a fogy, but had a
prophetic vision of the present situa-