The times., 1899-04-22
burr MINTOSH
TALKS ABOUT CUBA
The Correspondent Tells
of His War Experience.
He Thinks Colonel Roosevelt Play
ed for Political Advancement.
Shafter's order to Prevent Newspn-
per Men From Getting to the
Scene of Action.

large and fashionable audience gath
cred at the Columbia Theatre yesterday
afternoon to hear Burr Mcintosh. the
actor war correspondent. deliver his lee
ture on the incidents connected with his
life in Cuba during the Hispano- American
war. The subject of the lecture. or. more
properly speaking. the talk which Mr. Nc
Intosh delivered, was entitled The Little
l Saw OF Cuba" and consisted OF series
of pictures, 10 almost every one of which
was connected a story of some particular
event. Mr.. Mcintosh talked in quaint
half humorous, half sarcastic style, with
an inimitable drawl that added % the
attractiveness of the talk itself, and he
was frequently interrupted by the applause
and laughter at some peculiarly turned
phrase or word.
Mr.. Mcintosh traced his movements
from the time he received his credentials
from the War Department as correspond
ent to Tampa and through the Cuban cam
paign. He described in humorous man
ner the discomforts on board the trans
ports and the difficulty experienced in set
ting them off to Cuba. On one of the
ships, Mr.. Mcintosh stated, there were
number of mules and horses and three
hundred men were compelled TO sleep on
number OF days. The speaker said tfat
when the transports arrived off Cuba the
one he was on, which was also the head
quarters of Gen. John c. Bates, and on
which was part of the Twentieth Regular
Infantry, was TO have been the first TO
land. but the Yucatan, on which the Rough
Riders had taken passage, had pushed in
toward the landing and they were landed
first On the day of the arrival of the
hn
Shafter issued an order that persons not
connected directly with the Army would
not be permitted to land. This, Mr.. dc
Intosh said. was aimed at the correspond
ents, a number of whom We're on the
transports. and they experienced great
difficulty in getting around this order. Mr..
Mcintosh said he was compelled to get
ashore, and. seeing no other way available,
he dropped into the water from the side
OF the vessel and swan.
He then described in a graphic manner
the congestion of the troops at the landing
and the poor facilities for the same. Dur
ing the course of his remarks he paid
glowing tributes to the various men who
had distinguished themselves in the cam
paign, and refraned from any harsh or
unjust criticism. After talking for some
time on the scenes encountered on the
march toward Santiago the speaker came
campaign.
The Rough Riders were, everyone of
them. brave men, and their conduct on the
field was glorious" Mr.. Mcintosh said,
but there are some things regarding that
first battle that have never been published.
to my knowledge. In the first place, it
was not intended that a battle should take
place at the time and place OF the battle
of Las Guissmas, and there were no or
ders from corps headquarters to that effect.
None of the generals in the command
knew anything of the battle until it was
fought. and some did not arrive on the
field until two hours after il was over,
General Wheeler and Lieutenant Co.onel
Roosevelt were anxious for the battle, and
rushed ahead as fast as they could.
During his talk on the first battle in
which the Rough Riders played so promi-
nent a part and after stating that he did
not think the conduct of Colonel Roosevelt
proper at all times. the lecturer was in
terrupted by an individual in the gallery,
who said he wished to know whether or no
after his attack on Colonel Roosevelt Mr..
Mcintosh was going 10 say something good
about him.
"Colo1el Roosevelt has done that for
himself in the magazines the speaker
quickly replied. and the applause from the
audience was long and deafening. Mr.. Me
Intosh also stated that he greatly admired
Colonel Roosevelt as brave, fearless
man. but he firmly believed that he was
working to further his political fortunes
during his entire campaign in Cuba.
''At midnight. after the first battle.
continued Mr.. Mcintosh. General Wheel
er sent report to general headquarters
recommending Colonel Wood and Lieuten-
ant Colonel Roosevelt for promotion for
bravery on the field OF battle Now, In the
regular course of events. such rccommenda
tions for promotion OF officers must be
made from the reports received from the
commanders on the field of battle, and il
such reports were made TO General Wheel
er they must have come from these two
officers themselves, VINO were in command
al the time
The force OF this argument fully que ched
the interrogator in the gallery and the
audience again applauded the speaker,
having enjoyed the combat. The lecturer
continued his talk uninterrupted, and re-
cited the events of the campaign until he
was taken down with yellow fever and re-
moved TO the hospital about the LIST of Ju'y.
Many of the pictures shown by Mr.. Mcln-
tosh placed the scenes OF the campaign in
an entirely new light to the audience. and
the officers and men were seen just as they
weSs.
a number of regular army officers WIRE
in the audience, and were among the most
interested spectators. Admiral Schley and
Senator Stewart were also present. and