The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-22

The vessels that have arrived of Santiago
with the troops on board of them, according
to data supplied to the War Department by
Gen. Shafter, number, with the conveys
forty-nine vessels, and Is the most numer-
Gus fleet that ever left the waters of the
United States for foreign port. 1t is ex-
pected that the transports will remain off
Santiago, or perhaps nearer the exact land
ing point of the troops until Santiago has
been captured, when they will take aboard
the greater portion of the invading army,
If they can be spared from that locality, and
convey the troops to Porto Rico to effect
the capture of that island.
Story of the Voyage
WITH THE UNITED STATES TRANS
PORTS, OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA,
Monday, June 20. noon, via Mole st. Ncho-
las. Hayti, Tuesday, June 81, l am.-The
fleet of United States transports having on
board 10000 men under the command of
General Shafter, arrived off Santiago de
Cuba at noon today, being exactly six days
out from Port Tampa.
The army of invasion left Egmont Key at
noon on Tuesday, June IA, conveyed by the
u. S. warships Indiana, Castine, Helena.
Annapolis, Bancroft, Merrill and Hornet.
The passage was necessarily slow, as two
big water barges and the schooner Stevens,
also used for water, had to be towed.
At Rebecca shoals light house the fleet
was Joined by the United States warships
Detroit, Manning, Osceoa, Wasp and
Ericsson. When the transport fleet left
Tampa it was the intention of those in
authority to take the western course, around
Cape Antonio but later 1t was decided to &c
| via the Florida straits, that being shorter
distance.
| After the fleet got into the rough waters
of the straits the transports were formed
| into three lines about 1000 yards apart, while
| GOO yards separated the ships.
| The easily advancing transports presented
a very impressive spectacle stretching for
miles over the blue waters. 1t was one OF
the largest fleets ever gathered together
| the grim looking men-of-war lowering like
watch dogs on the outskirts of the human
| freighted ships.
| At night every precaution was taken to
guard against any possible attack. Nc
| lights were allowed on the transports and
the gunboats in the direction of the shore
were doubled in number, while at frequen.
| intervals shifting searchlights swept the
of hostile vessels. Throughout the voyage
not one Spanish gunboat or sign of the
enemy was seen.
On Friday the conveying fleet of warships
was reinforced by the Montgomery and
Porter Off Puerto Principe. The voyage
throughout was tedious and uninteresting
To the weary soldiers life on board the
| transports is as unwarlike as journey on
a freighter.
The spectacle of transferring the sick at
sea was presented on Saturday. For four
hours the fleet lay to, while the ships boats
carried fourteen patients to the hospital
ship Olivette.
In the rough waters of the Bahama chan
mel this work for the little boats was quite
difficult and the hosting of the limp forms
to the rolling deck of the Olivette seemed
dangerous. But 1t was accomplished in
safety.
The weather throughout the voyage was
excellent and consequently there was little
suffering from seasickness. But fourteen
| cases of typhoid fever and some measles
developed, the former being especially on
the boats which carried horses and mules
Surgeons, however, say the health of the
men is unexpectedly good.
| The first sight of land was obtained il
| the vicinity of Santiago de Cuba and when
| the topmasts Of the blockading ships were
seen, they sent a thrill of enthusiasm
| through the soldiers and they are now
| eagerly awaiting the landing in Cuba.
The men seem confident of swift and
easy victory, but they seem rather to hope
for hard fighting.
Another Account
NEW YORK, June 21.-A dispatch to the
Herald from Port Antonio, Jamaica, SAYS:
Advices received here this (Monday) af-