Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-03

u
that if 10000 men were there the city
and feet could be taken; that every
consideration demanded immediate
army movement, and if DELAYED the
city would be defended more strongly
by guns taken from the fleet. Follow
ing. without explanation. is this dis
patch to Gen. Shafter at Port Tampa,
from Secretary Alger, dated the It'll:
Since telegraphing you ar hour
since, the President directs you to sail
at once with what force you have
ready
In reply, Shafter said he would sail
the next morning, which was as early
as steam could be gotten up. That
was at 8 p. M, and at 1884 p. m. Miles,
at Tampa. telegraphed directly to the
President
From the commanding o~lcers
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
MILES.
Major General Commanding.
A dozen kilograms at this point ex-
plain the sudden detention OF the expe-
dition owing to the report OF the ficti-
tiOus Spanish squadron in Nicholas
channel. In the midst of them appear
these kilograms which have not before
been published:
Headquarters of the Army.
Tampa. Fla, June 8, s.: so p. M.
Secretary of War, Washington, ID. G.;
Think it would be well TO announce
that the army got on board transports
and started. as they did yesterday.
Say nothing about its being recalled,
but let our naval vessels go oter the
course that our transports would have
gone over, with the hope of hnoins
those Spanish ships. Does not the
presence OF Spanish war vessels in Gu
ban waters render it extremely hazar-
dous to send troops on transports until
they are captured. destroyed or driven
away And, under the circumstances,
is it expected that / shall organize ex-
petition No. .? Arrangements had
been partly made before the presence
of the Spanish ships was announced.
MILES,
Md1Or tISnPTdl AIM!
War Department,
June 9, 1898.
Major General Miles, Tampa, Fla:
THE President directs me TO say that
no change of plan will be made; that
expedition No must be organized as
rapidly as possible. We are looking
for transports and am satisfied the
navy will take care of that problem.
Give nothing QUO.
''R. A. ALGER,
Secretary of War"
On June 8, Acting Secretary Alien,
of the navy, wrote the Secretary OF
War that by the 18th the naval convoy
from Sampson feet would be ready
to start without regard to the Spanish
ships.
The explanation of Miies's summons
from Tampa is afforded by the FOLLOW
ing extracts from the report;
THE following dispatch was sent
Major General Miles, June Is, after
Gen. Shafter had sailed, the object be-
ing to have the major general COM
handing fit out the expedition for
Porto Rico:
Washington, ID. c.. June 10.
Major General Miles, Tampa, Fla.
important business requires your
presence here. Report at once.
"R A. ALGER,
Secretary of War"
Tampa. Fla, June IS.
Secretary of War. Washington:
81 leave by the first train, 7:25 this
evening. MILES,
Major General Commanding.
EolIouripo tbeca are co-ne kilograms
announcing the further movements OF
the transports and the landing of the
Shafter expedition at Daiouiri.
The Secretary includes in his report
the plan of campaign in written form
submitted by Gen. Miles on June "a,
and already published as part of the
latter's report This. in substance.
was to proceed after the capture of
Santiago to capture fort on the north
shore of Cuba, land force of $4,000
cavalry and make a march through
the interior of the country upon Ha-
vana from that base. The Secretary
has this to say.
THE plan Of campaign <2commend-
ed by Gen. Miles in his letter dated
June "a, was not approved.
Under date of June %, Gen. Shafter
reports TO Adjt-Gen. Corhin. from
Playa del Este. the facts attending the
landing OF the troops at Daiauiri. AT
this point a communication y inserted,
directed to Gen Miles by the Secretary,
ordering the formation under com
mand OF Cen Brooks Of the eXpedi
ton against Porto Rico, and directing
that immediate preparations be made.
Several kilograms from ShafteT fol-
low. telling the story Of each days
event in the campaign. coming down to
the battle of the LIST of July when
Shafter first estimated his loss at four
hundred, and then reported that this
was an underestimate.
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