The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-03
sANTIAGo CAMPAIGN.


was bent to concentrate a military
force near Santiago to aid in the de-
struction of the, Spanish fleet and the
capture of the city
The great difficulty was the want Of
Says the secretary: Major General
Shafter was selected to command the
expedition to Santiago. Results
prove the wisdom of the assignment
Next in order the secretary quotes
his dispatch of May 81, sent at 2:30
o'clock at night, to Gen. Shafter at
Tampa, directing him to start for San
tiagO, to land east or west of that point
in his own judgment, and move on to
the high grounds in such position as to
destroy the garrison there and cover
the navy as it sends its men in small
boats to remove torpedoes, or, with the
aid of the navy, capture or destroy the
Spanish feet reported to, be in the har-
Der General Shafter was to accom-
plish this with the least possible delay,
making use of the insurgents, but be
ing careful not to put too much conf
dence in any persons outside of his own
troops.
The report states that May &c. Cen
eral Miles left for Tampa to assist in
the embarkation of troops. June the
secretary telegraphed Shafter at Tam
pa that Sampson reported Cervera
safely bottled in Santiago harbor and
urged immediate aid from his troops.
Sampson reported $500 Spanish troops
as the garrison of the vicinity.
DELAYS At TAMPA.
The following day a dispatch was re-
ceived from Shafter at Tampa, explain
ing the delays in the embarkation of
the troops as not preventable. The
main cause of delay is said to be that
E rms
in promiscuously with no facilities to
handle or store them. The railroad for
ten miles back from the wharf was a
single track and a narrow place in
which to work The capacity of the
place had been greatly exceeded. He
(Sampson) would not delay a minute,
but would not send his troops away
until they were properly equipped
General Corbin, in reply, expressed the
presidents satisfaction at General
Skaters accomplishments.
Then follows the dispatch of June D
of General Miles, already published in
his report, saying that the expedition
had been delayed through no fault of
any one connected with it, and continu-
ing: This expedition is so important
that I desire to go with this army corps
or to Immediately organize another and
go with it to join this and capture posi-
ton No . Now that the military is
about to be used, I believe it should be
continued with every energy, making
the most judiciouS use of it to accom-
plish the desired results"
A telegram from Sampson of the 1th,
transmitted by the secretary to Major
General Shafter or Major General
Miles, at Tampa, declares that he has
sflenced the works at Santiago; that If
lO.O 600 men were there the city and fleet
could be taken; that every considera-
ton demanded immediate army move
ment. and if delayed the city would be
defended more strongly by guns taken
from the fleet.
PEREMPTORY ORDERS.
Following. without explanation, is
this dispatch to General Shafter at
Port Tampa, from Secretary Alger,
dated the It'll:
Since telegraphing you an hour
since. the president directs you to sail
at once, with all force you have ready.
In reply, Shafter said he would sail
the next morning. which was as early
as steam could be gotten up. ms was
8 D. m, and at 9:3A p m, Miles, at
Tampa, telegraphed directly to the
president:
From the commanding officer down
to the drummer boys, every one is
impatient to go and annoyed at the
DELAY. The last of the troops from
Chickamauga arrived this morning and
have been equipped and hurried to the
steamers. Feel confident they will all
do their best to carry out the wishes
and directions of the president.
Major General Commanding.
A dozen telegrams at this point eX-
plain the sudden detention of the eX-
petition. owing to the report of the
| fictitious Spanish squadron in Nicholas
channel In the midst of them appear
! these kilograms. which have not been
published:
HEADQUARTERS of the Army, Tampa,
! Fla, June 9, $50 p. m.-Secretary OF
| War. Washington, D. c.: Think ii would
/ be we'll to announce that the army got
on board transports and started. which
I they did yesterday. Say nothing about
its being recalled, but let our naval
/ vessels 20 over the course that our
/ transports would have gone over, with
J the hope Of finding those Spanish ships
! Does not the presence of Spanish wal
/ vessels in Cuban waters render it eX-
! tremely hazardous to send troops on
! transports until they are captured
] destroyed or driven away? And, under
/ the circumstances, is it expected that
[ shall organize expedition No. ,? AT
rangements had been partly made be-
/ fore the presence Of the Spanish ships
was announced. MILES,
Major General Commanding
war Department. June 9. 1S9S.-Ma-
jor General Miles, Tampa, Fla: The
! president directs me to say that nc
! change Of plan viii be made; that eX-
| pedition No. . must be organized as
/ rapidly as possible. We are looking fol
transports. and are satisfied the navy
will take care of that problem. Give
nothing out. 4. A ALGER,
Secretary of War"
Tampa, Fla. June ., PAS p. M
Secretary of War, Washington: i
seems that ii is q naval problem ye
unsolved. and it might be advisable
for the command now on board trans
/ ports to have the protection OF the en-
tire navy to convoy it to No. !, No. ?
| or NeuVitas. or, if this is considered
too hazardous, then keep the troops
in bealtbful camps. as they are now
and assist the navy to destroy thu
Spanish fleet There are here twenty
five good steamers that could be useC
to carry water, coal and supplies, guns
revolving cannon and mortars, etc.
and they could be added to the force
of the navy. 1t seems strange to bt
| suggesting that the army assist tn,
navy in this way, but l am sure W,
would receive most loyal support wheI
the waters are safe for crossing Will
the army. MILES.
Major General Commanding
SKATER SAILS.
On June 9, Acting Secretary Allen o
the navy wrote the secretary of wa
that by the 18th the naval convoy from
SIMPSONS fleet would be ready to star
without regard to the Spanish ships
and in sending this dispatch to AIajo
General Miles at Tampa, Adiutan
General Corbin, by orders of the secre
tary, directs that Miles transmit it t
Shaffnr On the 18th the Adiutanf Gen