The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-24
MAJOR WELLS LECTURE.
Our Army Before Santiago,
Cuba, Illustrated at J.. c.
Club Theatre Sat
urday. /

sour Army Before Santiago, Cuba,s as
nictured- in IAN illustrated lecture, Satur-
day evening, in the Jersey City CLUB
Theatre. by Major J. Hollis Wells, of
this city. under the auspices OF the La
dies Aid Society of the First Universal
ist Church, was most interesting
Major Wells is of the Seventy-frst Reg
iment and gave many personal reminis-
cences of it's sojourn in Cuba, the views
of which were taken on the field by
Sergeant Shepard, who was wounded on
the memorable first day Of July, and,
though ordered home. persisted in re-
manning with his regiment 1t was while
he lay wounded that the pictures were
snapped.
The Major also threw upon the canvas
about forty government views, which, he
said. hal ne been shown but once be-
fore and would probably never be seen
in public again. The majority OF these
showed the damage done Cervera's fleet.
The lecture began and ended with the
American flag.
rhe first three or four pictures thrown
upon the canvass were of the list as II
marched down Fifth avenue, New York,
en- route for Cuba. Then came a series
of pictures showing the various modes OF
transport. by rail and water, when the
major told how it took fourteen hours TO
travel forty miles by rail. Views showing
the confusion at Fort Tampa, when the
men had to wait for hous in the scorch-
ing docks for the transports and OF how
they boarded the transports by means or
a slippery plank and ropes. Various views
of the men landing in Cuba and camp
scenes were also shown. The Spanish
block house was also shown and de-
scribed.
The most interesting part of the lecture
was probably that which described the
positions of the various regiments before
San Juan Hill. when Roosevelt made his
famous charge. Here a diagram was
thrown on the canvass giving the various
/. positions, which proved conclusiyely that
the American soldiers were killed by bull
lets from their own batteries. The list
Regiment, he said, was ordered to a point
first in front OF Wheeler's batteries, where
it lay three hous awaiting orders.
A picture showing the war balloon just
before it was hit by a Spanish shell, and
various views of the blockhouse on San
Juan Hill; the American trenches. where
lH0 SulS WClO hCR+ IA ISL 10y
night, and of camping scenes on Mis-
cry Hill, were also of great interest, es-
peeially when the lecturer described the
difference between the Spanish and Am
erican trenches, showing how there was
absolutely no way of getting out of the
former a through the ~guardhouse.
Views were also shown of the men re-
porting for ~rations, and one view which
the lecturer said IVA one place where
you could buy canned beef fit to eat"
The canned beef furnished by the United
States, he said, was not fifth for dogs to
eat. and was refused by the starving
Cubans. OF the embalmed beef the Ma
jo- knew nbthing.
Here the theatre was again lighted, and
the audience rested q few moments be-
fore the government pictures were shown.
These consisted principally of the vari-
-ers ships in action, the Maine after the
explosion, a number of Cervera's ships
destroyed, especially the Riena Mercedes.
Views of Moro Castle, the New Maine
Unfinished and the New Maine as She
VIII Appear" as well as a picture of
Major Wells himself, which the lecturer
assured the audience was an entirely un-
expected joke on him, and a picture of
Dewey, for which no apology was nee
essary, concluded the lecture and were
heartily applauded.
Among those on the Entertainment
Committee were Mrs. George R. Hough,
Mrs. John Hilton, Mrs. A. j. Newbury
and Mrs. T. Fl Williams.