The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-31
WAR BEGUN IN EARNEST.



ish fleet at Santiago, he had gone to the
War Department and had issued tele-
graphic orders putting the troops, in motion,
and thus starting the forward movement OF
the military arm of the service Further
than this those attending the conference
would not discuss their plans.
1t was said at the War Department that
the chief reliance would be placed at the
outset on the United States regulars. most
of whom are centered in Florida, and i'll
such volunteer regiments as were thoroughly
equipped and reasonably well seasoned for
service. Although the officials will not state
how many troops are available for active
service, it is roughly estimated that there
are about 10000 regulars and 1900 volunteers
at Tampa. These include seventeen regi-
ments of regular infantry and fourteen reg
iments of volunteer infantry twelve bat
talions of artillery, and five regiments of
regular cavalry. The infantry force. regu-
lar and volunteer, is about 2SOOO men the
cavalry about 4,O00 the artillery about 1900.
How many of these have been or will be
dispatched to any given point, or to what
points, is not disclosed as that is a part of
ment. Back of this force are other availa-
BILE regiments at Mobile, New Orleans and
other points easily accessible to Tampa.
Still further back is the large volunteer
10000 infantry volunteers, 1900 cavalry vol
unteers, and three regiments of artillery vol
unteers.
1t is understood to be the plan--although
as to this there is no precise official state
ment-to have the troops at Chckamauga
take the place of those at Florida ports as
thus keeping large force always ready for
embarkation from Florida Aside from the
troops already specified. there are the $4,000
men at Camp Alger near Washington, and
in the various States. The 5000 volunteers
under the recently issued second call con-
stitute still another reserve which, how
ever, is yet to be organized and equipped
Unless there is a change of programme
General Miles and his entire staff, with the
exception of General Gilmore, will leave for
the South about IL o'clock tonight. 1t was
in anticipation of this that the final plans
were gone over with the President this
afternoon. General Miles will not state
where his headquarters will be located, and,
indeed, it is probable that he will move from
place to place as circumstances may de-
mand. General Shafter will be in immediate
command of the forces now embarking,
while General Miles will have general SUI
movements.
1t was with deep qualification that the
secretary of the navy last night received
a message from Commodore Schley that
finally removed from the field of conjecture
any question to the location of Cervera's
squadron. The commodore's telegram was
brief but to the point. The text of his dis
patch has not been given out. but the sub
stance has been made public The commo-
dore said that he had sighted the Spanish
fleet in Santiago harbor The department
construed his words to mean that the Of
ficer had himself with his own eyes seen
Cervera's fleet, and as near as can be
learned this gratifying spectacle was be-
held by Schley yesterday morning He ex-
pressed the belief that the whole fleet was
within Santiago harbor. but he did not
actually see but two of the big cruisers,
men at Tampa and other Southern points
commodore, the naval officers here are con-
fdent that these two cruisers are in the
harbor, for they say it would be very bad
policy for an admiral in Cerveras position
to divide his fleet. Even if it should prove
to be true, however, that the Vizcaya and
Oquendo are at large, they can do little
harm unless their commanders have arrived
at that desperate state of mind when they
are willing to submit their ships to certain
destruction for the sake of infiicting some
small injury on one of the unprotected
vessels of the American navy or for the
glory of running the blockade. The Navy
Department has taken note of the reported
arrival of the torpedo boat destroyer Terror
at San Juan. They say she has made her
last cruise under the Spanish flag, whence
it is inferred that one of the American
cruisers is already on her way to bottle her
up in San Juan harbor.
1t is believed that Sampson, confident of
Scheys ability to hold the Spaniards in
Santiago harbor, is now prepared to convoy
the military expeditions. Sampson has re-
iusorced Schley's fleet with some of the best
ironclads, the Iowa, for instance, so that
there is no question of his overma itching
the Spaniards in point of force. The Glen
fuegos blockade. which was not abandoned,
but was temporarily weakened to insure
the safety of some of the blockading yes
sells from attack by the Spanish flying
squadron, will now be re-established in all
of its old rigor.
GENERAL LEES PLANS.
VIII String His Army Corps Along the
East Coast of Florida.
Ma Nav 20-PIans have hPen