The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-12-08

,cn llp,vr num eheciivo fighting force OF +,
,,n - "urihg tho war. separated int c,...,
tai n. "-'.e Ahlps OF the nrSi-clas.: ono ba
a. crui... III" sccond-c class: two srmor,
- e's' SIX coast defense monIto,,. .,
70 1rmored rom; 70 protected cy,,se,". -, " "
10 po.oooeu cruisers; ls sunboa.. ono dr.,
.o OrulSer' u torpedo boats. IA old v....
~ VIC oiu navy. Including monitors Auyt ia,
h HIeVen auxiliary cruisers: 2s conv.r,e
n ;,e">' - converted iugs: 10 converted 70
4 80 80 revenue cutters: four lighthouse Ia ,
No 0e'S ana ~ miscellaneous vessels
TX THE COAST DEFENsE
!" 'U'" alarm WAS felt along our entire Aria,
N ~ a1"snore lest some attack might he mad
J. o enemy Every preeaution was tnke
' ,plo'ent possible Injury TO our great cItic
d s "'ong the coast Temporary garrison
81 80 provided drawn from tie state militia
' ,'',y anu Ilsht batteries we're drawn from
II ''' volunteer force About II COO troop. ,.er,
- mus employed The coast sirnal ,or,,poo -.
* established for observing the npnroach y, =,
= cHcIiy ships TO the coast OF the uri,cJ
o D'""s' ana the life saving and lIph, bou,.
W." cO-opcratcd. which enabled the nav,
~Dp"' 'hchl 10 have all portions Of the Atlantic
vo1SV from Maine TO Texas. under obs.rv..
- tion '' 0Ooor'a-
nc uuXlilary navy was created undor ,b,
, [ ~ VI 'onBfeSS, ana was Differed and
manned by the naval militia or tho .a,.ra1
states. This organization unIroIlod ,ho co..,
ana performed the duty OF a second r,rn =, a. ;
fensc Urn" VI oc-
ohdcr the direction OF the chief O, eno,,..r,
"u'"idr'hc mines were placed at the most or
PV'0" poIhlS. The aggregate number OF mines
p,'ocu was l'53o at the principal horbors from
maIhc TO California. Preparations were also
"i'uc ior me planting Of ninos at certain othe,
,, u"i oorS' Dut owing to the carly destruction OF
INC spanish fleet these mines were not placed
THE SIGNAL CORPS.
inc Slehai corps was promptly organized
ana performed service Of the most d raouI, ard
important character. Its operations during
'ne war covered the electrical connection ~
an coast foriifcations the es. ablishmcnt ~
telephonic and telcgraphic facilities for Tho
camps al Manila Santiago and IN Porto Rico |
In Porto Rico cable communications wero |
opened over discontinued route. and on land |
'"c headquarters OF the commanding officer
WIS kept In telegraphic and telephone COM
munication with the division commanders
on iour olherent lines Of operations
Ihere was placed I'm Cuban waters n oom.
pIelely outhtted cable ship with war cnhles
ana caole gear, suitable both for the destruc-
tion Of communication beloncinO Tn thec cr.rr
ana the establishment OF our own Two ocean
cablcs were destroyed under the enemy's bat
terleS at santiago. The day previous to tho
i"Hulhg OF Gen. Skaters corps at Calmnnera
"Ithln ~ miles OF the landing place cable COM
VI nuhIcatohS were established and cable sta
uon opened. giving direct communication with
Tue government at Washington. This service
was invaluable 10 the executive in directing
thc operations OF the army and navy With a
total force OF over 1900 the loss vas by disease
III camp and field. officers and men included
only five.
APPROPRIATIONS FOR THEwAR
Inc national defense fund OF $4,000. 900 I
was expended in large part by the army 9
hhu navy ana the objects for which it suScd n
arc fully shown in the reports OF the several II
secretaries This fund. being inadequate to
inc requirements OF equipment and for the y
conduct OF the war, the patriotism OF the con- "
grcSs provided the means in the war revenue o.
act oi June 10. by authorizing q three per cent 81
popular loan not TO exceed 800. 10000 and by
evying additional mposts and taxes or the u
loan. 500. 900 900 were offered and uI
promptly taken U
1t is not within the nrovince ., ,bis r,os.oco fo
o narratc the history OF the extraordinary "
var that followed the Spanish declaration a. '"
'prli u. but q brief recital OF its NOR, salient "
oatures ~ appropriate. The FIRST encounter =.
the war in point OF date took place April g. - =,
hen detachment Of the blockading squadron "
heied the harbor forts and demolished sew " "
raj new works in construction at Matanzas. 80 80
THE BATTLE OF MANILA
Inc next engagement was destined to mark a 10
emorable epoch in maritime warfare The or
acfc fleet under command OF Commodore SCI
Gorge Dewey, had lain for some weeks al s'i
0ngkong Upon the colonial proclamation OF o'
being issued and the customary % oa
'urs' notice being given, it repaired TO Mrs me
IInnnfnnn rh /
@ Philippine Islands under telcgraphed Or
rs 10 capture or destroy tho formidable r
'anish fleet then assembled at Manila
lhe message then reciteS tho battle OF Ma -
ia III Whlch the Spanish squadron under COM -.
md OF Adm Monlcjo was annihilated by the VIC VIC
SSolS commanded by Adm. Geo Dewey w. W.,
IN the seventh day OF May the government S''t S"s
S advised oifically Of the victory at Manila. 49,
at once inquired OF the commander OF our ',t, W.
marion wos recotos -. W, ~. w sigr
the first army expedition sailed May 95. -, -,
! arrived of Manila June go Other cxpcdi- 49,
ms soon followed, the total force consisting go
i4l officers and IL. .068 men. ~"
My reluctance to cause needless loss OF life 49,
property prevented tho early storming pts,
capture OF the city, and herewith the alb 20
. In, rro,,, , . ". W - e'o"p near
,iIo o,' !, mo. All, .,., M .'o' ''Nins was
done in the way OF decisive operations In go
me, or,,, -, ,ho Ir,,,oa " 'nc Rico
10 :, -. --.' - ~ ~, a'0''0 wy late
.cornin', - 80 nS'... "u,s" enIoins 'hc VIM
~ htc ,,o,ya- ,rno~a,'- 90 ~ conn
Nv .,d 80 - -. -. - on W. term
,rv ,Yos No, ror,r,..io,,o -, " ,".,'Ie with
he rights and responsibilities attcnding
enforcement Of n Just and advantageous "a
o could be thought or ~
THE FIGHTING IN CUBA. wh.cl
, until Admiral C,or,.r. ,oo,. 80, l., OF
or ~ SANTIAGO do Cnho ,ho,,, s,a'.o,s - ne sion
II nrac,icanIe ., ,Io,, n ss,o,,',a'ta peace
attack upon the Antilean possessions OF ', u,v',
'oral demonstrations occurred on the ra,ia,
,,o - -, ~ c. - -. P..p",a''o" prope
',to -. 10y '1an 'nc nortn benif
On May S0th Commodore Schley's 49,
Iron BON barded the forts guarding the r,,,o =
i Of Santiago harbor Neither attack -.
my material result 1t was evident that 1ntor
ordered land operations were indlspcn- ,rt,h :
10 achieve decisive advantage. 80.
president next tells OF tho heroic decd OF shaII
nObson and the seven devoted volun- -,
'O I'm Wv io t''',"o ~ lno i'ou.n o' should
,,., ,,,,.ia 1 =" '.,N,, ~ I'm ,'oA way 70
,t W., ,,,'r, , ~ ~" "'os encour
''"N''' WV ''"''e '''' '"0 "P"ii'"'u sist tn
free ar
june 9 .he cutting OF the last CUBAN aspira
isoia'eu 'he lsiahu' Ihercaitcr the IN Span
was vigorously prosecuted On June 10, r.voIc
" "C"'S Pro'cot'hs h'c' u iahu'hB OF VVo the pee
y ""h thc otceoh' maroichead ana interna
O. was ehectcu III guantanamo Day courag
1t had been determined 10 establish a promoi
station inhabi,