The herald., 1898-06-21
ON THE TRANSPORTS
Orders to Move Hailed With Great
Satisfaction

Orders to Move Hailed With Great
Satisfaction
TAMPA BAY, June 9. 1898, on board
steamer Olivette-Troops had been moving
water-ward in a somewhat leisurely man
ner for two days and two brigades on trans
ports from Mobile were in the harbor when
persons on the watch for news noticed that
the regular Western Union operator in the
office at the hotel had been supplanted by
military one, and that Gen. Miles and Gen.
Shafter were both in the office.
OF course something was thought to be
brewing" but most of US went to bed al
the usual hour. But sleep had scarcely
reached us before we were reused by some
wakeful ones with the information that q
special train was to be sent to Port Tampa
at 2:3O a. M, and all correspondents who
wished to accompany the expedition must
be ready to go on board at daybreak. My
blankets had been rolled, valise and trunk
packed and my tent sent to Company H,
Tenth infantry, with which l expected to
travel, and it took but a few minutes to get
into my clothes, get my baggage down to
the porters room, trunk checked and stored
to await further orders and valise and roll
of bedding checked for Port Tampa. In the
the Tenth infantry, SO l attached myself to
Gen. Miles party and sat down to wait the
three hours which interviewed between the
present and 2:30 a. M.
But 2:3O and $3.50 and 4:3O passed, and no
train appeared Meanwhile one had the
pleasure of seeing on the bulletin board
synopsis of the news so carefully concealed
from us earlier in the evening" which mad
| W. 6aty h
and wired back to a correspondent with us
here.
At length, at 4:55, our Special pulled
out but within half mile was blocked by
train on which the Sixteenth infantry
was loading. The single track to Port Tam
pa groaned under the pressure of trains, and
some brigade commanders marched them
commands down through the deep sand to
save time
Owing to the lack of transportation, some
regiments left their tents standing, the re-
oruits being left behind because they were
recruits
But the wharf Cor pier, or mole, as you
may choose to call iD was scene of dire
confusion. No one seemed to know on
which ship his command was to go, and
regiments waited long before it could be
two things: The necessity of more thorough
organization of the transportation depart
ment, and the folly OF expecting a single
track road, equipped for a single track
business, and very limited terminal facili-
ties, to be able to handle such an amount
as now comes to this one.
Better, far better, use Mobile and Jack
sonville for lighter-draft vessels, and ship
fro oil rf,{c 70
Key West, than to try to rush all through
here.
AS I failed to find the Tenth infantry, or
to ascertain 10 which ship it would be as
signed, cast in my lot with most of the
correspondents, and we were sent out to
this vessel When he got us here. the CEN
sor must have rejoiced, for We have been
in the harbor all day, delivering wafer to
other vessels of the fleet.
The Olivette in addition to a tank capac-
ity of 70 900 gallons storage, has a condenser
with capacity of 1000 gallons per day, so is
a valuable part of the fleet.
The Cowboys
While it may not be admissible to give
number and strength of commands going
on the expedition, l wish to speak OF one
concerning which much has been sail
and of which little has been said that is
complimentary. I refer to the Cowboy
regiment" or, as generally called, "Roose-
velts Rough Riders"
In common with scores of Others l have
noticed this command, have seen it in
camp and elsewhere, and have for it only
words of commentator, and 1 am not
boasting when l say that 36 years of service
should enable me to judge.
In company with foreign correspondent
visited their camp With its men in shell
ter tents and its officers under tent-f1ies.
with no surplus baggage, and its we'll
appointed pack train of $50 mules the men
in brown canvas clothing, that of the Of
ficers trimmed with the yellow of the cav
airy, it looked like business.
l have not heard of a serious breach of
discipline in it since it came here, though
slight ones. for which extra fatigue or con-
finemert to camp limits were imposed,
have occurred. Six hundred of these were
selected for the expedition, and were
marched over TO the Tampa Bay Hotel
grounds and paid after night, that they
might be ready to go. And despite what
has been said of the helplessness Of the
cowboy or foot they were to go without
their horses, because there was no trans
portation for them.
Its personnel has been largely commented
upon. 1t has in It's ranks as privates young
men Of fortune and education. I saw one
taking care Of two horses near the picket
line, whose language and bearing would
have stamped him the gentleman anywhere
and was told that one company from Ari-
IONA represented a capital of millions of
dollars.
1t has been said that they would not be
amenable 10 discipline. I must say that I
saw less of the "hail-felow- well-met"
style of behavior toward officers than I
have seen In some volunteer regiments
At the same time, any officer who tries TO
be martinez would have a hard time Of 1t
am certain.
Two transports had started down the bay
yesterday afternoon, and were about "huil
down" to us when gunboat started in
pursuit, with orders for their return. The
men had cheered wildly as they left, and
were answered by those on other boats, but
when 1t was found that they were to re-
turn. not sound was heard--feelings were
too deep for. utterance," Why the delay,