The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-08
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SKATER AND SANTIAGO.
Interesting Lecture by Mr.. John Fox
at the y. Vi. c. 4.

Interesting Lecture by Mr.. John Fox
at the y. VI. c. A.
Mr. John Fox. in his description of the
battle of Santiago, and in readings from
his stories of Kentucky life, was the at
traction of the Y NJ. c. A. star course a t
the Guards Hail last night.
Mr. Fox was the war correspondent for
Harpers Weekly during the Spanish
American war and was with Skaters
army at the taking of Santiago. He was
introduced by Mr.. z. A. Stovall. His lee
ture consisted of facts and incidents that
came under his personal knowledge and
these ranged from the peasanries of
camp-lfe to the dramatic scenes of the
battlefield.
His experience, he said, began in a camp
of recruits in Kentucky and were contin-
ued in the camps at Chickamauga and
Tampa and throughout the campaign that
ended in the surrender of Santiago.
OF Gen Shafter he spoke in no glowing
terms attrbutng to him the mismanage-
men which he said began in the camp al
Tampa and characterized the whole cam
paign. In his recent magazine article,
Cen Shafter explains, he said, the general
hostility of the correspondents who accom-
panied his army by his refusal to answer
their questions and to allow them to make
suggestions regarding the conduct OF the
siege.
THE truth of the matter" continued the
speaker, 'is that Gen. Shafter had never,
previous TO this appointment, had any po-
sition so large that he could not person
ally overlook all of its departments, and il
was this habit of interfering with the most
trivial details that threw into confusion
the whole of his army in Cuba. At best he
cut but a sorry figure throughout the cam
paign."
After~the fight of July 2, while the speak
er was on his way to his tent he saw
Gen. Shafter lying on cot in the shade
of a mango tree, While one OF his AIDES
scratched his head.
Mr.. Fox also mentioned Gen Skaters
appearance at the front on a blackboard,
drawn by a mule, whose speed was ac-
celera led on the return trip as soon as bull
let's began to fly"
But when all is said" he continued, 1t
cannot be denied that Shafter in this bat
tie eXceIled even Caesar himself, for while
Caesar came, saw, and conquered, Shafter
only came and conquered without even
seeing"
A modern battle, he went on, has but
few dramatic features; there are no
Charge, Chester, charge" effects. Some
of the soldiers at Santiago actually went
through the whole battle without seeing
an enemy and without firing a gun
The correspondent position was defin-
ed as peculiar one. He lives like a pri-
vate. except that his ratons are not so
regular and he has not the satisfaction
of shooting at the enemy; he has to stand
still, be shot at and analyze his feelings,
which is rather dificult when under fire.
Speaking of Gen. Wheeler, he went into
battle, he said, with his temperature at
l0, and came out with it a normal in
the trenches, while under fire, he walked
about, his hands behind his back as cool
as a deacon in a chuTchyard trying to de-
cipher Inscriptions or tombstones.
In concluding the speaker said he hoped
the army would soon be taken out of poll
tics entirely, AID the sentiment was
heartily applauded by the audience
After the lecture Mr. Fox read a num-
Der of his shorter stories and told anec-
dotes about the Kentucky mountaineers,
particularly those who live along
Greasy" creek, which flows into Frying
Pan" creek, which is in turn continued
by 'Hell-forSartin," and is finally en-
quilted by " Kingdom Come creek.
The stories were told in dialect and their
quaint humor and homey. but sturdy hu-
manness, found most appreciative au-
dience.
The attendance. considering the wealth
er, was large and the speaker was heard
with the grea test interest throughout the
evening