The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-22
Shafter Tells of the
Hot Conflict.
OUR SOLDIERS AS FIGHTERS
DEAD SHOTS AND FEARLESS IN
A CHARGE.
Spanish Officers Paid Tribute to the
Invaders-Union League Club
Entertains the Gen
eral.

At the dinner rendered to Major General
William R. Shafter by the Union League
Club al the Palace Hotel last evening the
gallant conqueror of Santiago de Cuba
told in simple words few stories of the
famous fight. His remarks were in
measure a reply to the address of State
Senator John f. Davis, welcoming the
general back to California. General
Shafter began by stating that next Oc-
tober he would go on the retired list and
would make his permanent home in this
State. His remarks in part were as fol-
lows:
Relative to my work In Cuba, l sim
ply did what | was required to do and,
while the orders to me were changed a
number of times, l was fortunate In be-
ing able to carry them out successfully
was first sent to Tampa to prepare and
lead a recognizance in force into Cuba
for the purpose of finding General Go
mez; to learn the number of his men and
to supply his wants, etc. 1 was to land at
Marietta, a little port about thirty miles
east of Havana, with %, 1000 men. On June
z 1 was called to the telephone and or
dered to go to Santiago de Cuba instead
few days later l was told over the tel
ephone wire from Washington that por-
ton of the Spanish fleet had been seen
W TIE HOTlH Oh CuDa anu L was directed
to stay where was. Five days afterward
was told that Cervera was bottled up in
Santiago harbor and could be captured.
- odo crowded 1 my transports, with about
IL 900 troops, and was soon looking for a
Landing place to the eastward of the
city of Santiago: / knew from several
little towns in that locality roads could
be found running to that point.
AT the same time l took in considera-
ton the health of my troops. l have had
yellow fever myself, and 1 knew that in
fnyI n Ia hot no frin lyar
So it was rush, rush always. Then we
landed and began to fight; and one of the
best tributes to our. lighters came from
the Spanish themselves.
They told their officers that they stood
and fired on the Americans as they
charged into the intrenchments, and that
they still kept coming. l knew this char
acteristic Of our soldiers, and when l or
dered an advance If they got we'll started
did not attempt to recall them, because
nothing can stop an, American soldier
when on a charge He won't come back
till he is beaten or killed.
There is another thing l want to men
ton, Not many rounds of ammunition
were thrown away. Our troops to-day
are marksmen; and when gun was fired
in the battle of Santiago de Cuba 1t gen
lions on this subject were for individual
firing. The Spaniards fired IN companies
and regiments, and while out of the great
mass of bullets some did execution, thou
sands and thousands only hit the grass
and trees. | cannot understand why the
Spanish did not make better or at least
a longer defense If our army had been
in their positions 1000 men could not have
dislodged them.
Nov in regard to the incorrect report
that intended to fall back and wait for
reinforcements. Remember, l had IA, 900
troops stretched out on line OF ten miles,
between q 900 Spanish soldiers and the
city AT o'clock on the evening of July
| called a council of division command
ers, and, after consultation, said in these
words Wen stay where we are. And
we did stay. There was never a step
taken; there was never thought OF re
firing from our positions. did try TO
recall Lawton from the attack on I'll
Caney, believing that we could use his
troops to better advantage before San
tiago but his gallant men had got started
and could not be stopped till they had
taken the town.
render which he uld, as YOU know
tried to have Garcia keep back Pando
with his reinforcements, but the Cubans
were always too slow. However, it was
all right in the end, for We took Toral and
While talking with Toral regarding the
number of troops he had to surrender he
mentioned thousands stationed IN the
neighboring towns, ana INQUIRED II
many more troops than / was bargaining
for, but 1 thought bold bluff was IN or
der and told him emphatically all So
we got all OIL IHeI
THE only anxious moment | had was
after / had sent Lawton to attack Ell
Caney. l thought | had thus weakened
my lines and made mistake, put the po7
sition was gallantly carried and it was all
right"
Accompanying General Shafter were
General Merriam and Major Noble, u. S.
A. Addresses were made by Mayor Phe-
LAM Colonel j., P. Jackson, Major Fields,
Hon. TREY L. Ford and Hon, M. M. Estee
Following is list of the guests:
General w. r. Shafter. General Merriam.
General N. p Chapman, Major Noble Mayor
Phelan. G. M. Balthaser, Major Ed Fields,
Wells, NJ. M Estee, George D. Clark, j. K.
Firth, ]. B. Fuller, Captain r: p. Thomas.
J. r. Folsom. william Hood, N. K. Masten.
W. F. Perkins, Henry L. Smith, c. A. Fuller,
p B. Cornwall. H. L. Smith, Bruce Corwell.
Major A K. Wilton, Lieutenant Floyd w.
Haines Charles Sutro Jr., H. N. Brandon
stein l. w. Hellman Jr., John P. Albro. c. S.
tague, j. A. Waymire, DR.. f. S. Breyfogle, ].
w Germany, Colonel George r. Burdick, Jo-
seph s Spear, Jr., Converse ]. Smith, John
w Lireh. n Blackstock E. b. Edison. S. j,
Hendy 1. r. Wilbur, A. S. Mangrum, George
n Bahrs John Caffery. o. NJ Brennon, s. f.
Slade o. c. Haslett d. E. McKinlay. NJ.
Abbott. Joseph l.. Crittsnden, Daniel Wilson,
b. Pott. E. L. Reese, John Herd, John F.
Davis, A. G. Booth. George N REYNOLDS, G.
E. Bittinger. j. C. Currer,-George F. Curtis.
Colonel George Stone, DIR. w. K. Cole, W. j.
Herrin A G. Weland John Haynes. W. H.
H Hart DIR. O. f. Westphal. Judge B. MeFar
land DR. C. G. Kenyon. William Cooper. TREY
L. Ford. George H. Puppy. Dan I. Cole.