The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-31
THE MILITARY INVASION
Sending Of Our Troopsto Cuba Has
Already Begun. - '''
INSURGENTS WILL AID LANDING.

Our Government Has Sent Expeditions
to Large Number of Points with
Arms and Ammunition-Gen. Miles
Leaves Washington For the Front.
Washington, May 31.-The military
invasion of Cuba has begun. Unless the
the orders of the war department mis-
carried, at an early hour yesterday
morning the troops that have been
gathered at the gulf ports began to
break camp and march aboard trans
ports waiting to carry them to the
enemys territory. About 2h of these
ships, the biggest and fastest that
could be obtained suitable for the pur-
pose, had been gathered ready to re-
ceive the troops. They will accommo-
date about 10000 men. for in a short
voyage like that from one of the gulf
ports to Cuba 1t Is possible with safety
and comfort to carry much larger
number of men aboard ship than would
be admissible in the case of cruise
to the Philippines. for instance. How
many troops started yesterday, where
they took ship and where they are
bound are questions which the direct
ing spirits of the campaign refuse posi-
lively to answer. They have no desire
that the Spanish should have oppor-
tunity afforded them to gather forces
to attack our soldiers as they land.
Therefore, nothing of the details of this
first movement can be learned
There Is suspicion that the start
will be made from Tampa and Mobile,
and 1t is probable that in such case
the fleets of transports will converge
at Key West to pass under the conveys
of the warships which Admiral Samp-
son has provided to ensure the safety
of the troops during the passage across
the Florida straits to ensure them
against attack at the hands of some
stray Spanish cruiser or gunboat. 1t
Is probable that there will be no less
than four separate military expeditions,
and that these will be landed at four
different points. Whether Porto Rico
is one of these points or not can not
be learned. Before the entire force
which it is proposed to use in Cuba
can be LANDED the transports must
make four separate voyages across the
straits. Arrangements have been made
to utilize the services of the insur-
gents to the largest possible extent.
The government already has sent ex-
pnditions to large number of points
on the island and landed arms and
ammunition for the insurgents. Most
CT the parties succeeded perfectly IN
the object. and ii was said at the war
DEPARTMENT today that a sufficient
number of the insurgents have been
armed to constitute very effective
support for the troops as they land.
A war conference was held at the
White House at 5 o'clock yesterday af-
ternoon between the president and his
two war secretaries, Alger and Long,
and Major General Miles, in command
of the army. Vice President Hobart,
who accompanied the president to Ar
lington and returned with him to lunch,
was present part of the time, and
Secretary Day, who had just returned
to Washington, also dropped in dur
ing the conference. After the entire
situation naval and military. had been
gone over Secretary Long retired and
Secretary Alger and General Miles re-
manned to discuss more in detail the
military operations now about to be
put into execution as result OF the
definite official information that the
Spanish squadron is securely held With
in Santiago harbor
Naturally, those who participated in
the conference observed strict reticence
regarding it. 1t was stated, however.
in an authoritative quarter that the
discussion had covered the entire range
of naval and military operations. with
particular view to the active move
mcnts about to begin. General Miles
made known that at l O'Clock yester-
day morning, Immediately following
the receipt of definite information as
to the presence of the Spanish fleet at
Santiago, he had gone to the war de-
partment and had issued telegraphic
orders putting the troops in motion,
and thus starting the forward move
ment of the military arm of the SER
vice.
1t was said at the war department
that chief reliance would be placed at
the outset on the United States reg
uars most of whom are centered in
Florida, and in such volunteer regi-
ments as were thoroughly equipped
vice. Although the officials will not
state how many troops are available
for immediate service, 1t is roughly es-
timated that there are about 10000 reg
ulars and 1900 volunteers at Tampa
These include II regiments of regular
infantry and IA regiments of volunteer
infantry, 12 battalions of artillery and
five regiments of cavalry. The infantry
force, regular and volunteer, Is about
Is 900 men, the cavalry about 4,000 the
artillery about 1900.
Back of this force are other available
regiments at Mobile, New Orleans and
other points easily accessible to Tampa.
Still further back Is the large volunteer
camp at Chickamauga, comprising
about 10000 infantry volunteers, 1000
cavalry volunteers and three regiments
of artillery volunteers. 1t is understood
to be the plan-although as to this
there is no precise official statement
to have the troops at Chickamauga
take the place of those at Florida ports
as fast as the latter leave for active
service, thus keeping large force al
ways ready for embarkation from Flor
ida. Aside from the troops already
specfied there are $4,000 men at Camp
Alger, near Washington, and lesser
bodies of troops on Long Island and in
various states. The $4,000 volunteers
under the recently issued second call
constitute still another reserve, which.
however. is yet to be organized and
equipped.
General Miles and his staff. making a
party of "a persons, left for Tampa
| last night on a special train over the
Southern railway. General Miles would
| not state where his headquarters will
be located. and indeed 1t Is probable
that he will move from place to place
as circumstances may demand. Cen
eral Shafter will be In immediate COM
mand of the forces now embarking
| while General Miles will have general
| supervision over these and all military
movements.
Q A.9ToE A.