The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-26

WASHINGTON, June 25.-Another army
will be dispatched to eastern Cuba at once.
The War Department intends to reinforce
General Shafter with sufficient troops to
promptly crush the Spaniards.l Dur
ing the day Secretary Alger and
General Miles held several confer
ences over military preparations for
the great struggle yet to come. AS re-
suit heavy reinforcements will go forward
Immediately both from Tampa and from
Newport News. An expedition of 5000 men
is expected 70 leave Tampa within the next
three days. 1t comprises the command of
Brig. Gen. Snyder, the Third Division of the
First Army Corps. The stores are already
going aboard the transports and the start
Of the expedition only awaits the arrival of
the naval convoy Some of the war ships
sent over with Skaters expedition have
been released from Admiral Sampson and
are now on their way back to Tampa to es-
cort the additional troops. Others will fol-
low, and then another formidable marine
PAOSCooAOAA
Cuba. Whether the battle ship Indiana will
lead this expedition, as it did the last, is
not definitely settled. There will be several
heavy war ships, however, as well as light
er craft, to give safe conduct to General
Snyders division. Simultaneous with this
General Henry's division will be moving
along the Atlantic coast and thence to San
tiago. In all, the reinforcements from Tam
pa and Newport News will be in the neigh
borhood of 1900 or 1900 men. Drafts on
Chickamauga are likely to follow soon, as
the hurry orders recently given have led to
the full equipment of several commands.
The War Department is acting on the
theory that it is not polite to take any
possible chance of serious reverse near
Santiago. The latest information reaching
the authorities here shows that the Spanish
army is greater than has been estimated
thus far. Lieutenant Joyce of the regular
army, reported to General Miles to-day,
giving much information as to the number
and location of the Spanish troops. Before
Joyce entered the United States army he
had served with General Garcia and had
traversed a good part of Santiago province
He was on the ground only a few weeks
ago. leaving there in April, and at that time
he had opportunities to get an accurate idea
of the Spanish forces at the eastern end of
the island He reports the number at S7,OOO
of which 1900 are in Santiago, 10000 at Hol-
guin, and 1900 at Manzanillo. If con-
centrated at Santiago this would make a
formidable army, but separated by forest
and mountain, the insurgents are expected
to keep the forces at Holguin and Manza-
milo from getting to Santiago.
Secretary Alger ond General Miles look
for desperate fighting very soon. The main
attention is being given to hurrying forward
reinforcements and stores to General Shaft
er. In this connection, serious loss came
to the knowledge of the War Department
to-day when it was learned that the one
lighter sent with the Shafter expedition for
the purpose of unloading the heavy guns
had been lost. 1t leaves the invading army
without proper means of getting the heavy
siege guns and ordnance from the trans
ports to the shore. There is one small tug
with the transport fleet, but 1t is not be-
lieved this be made available for get
ting the big guns ashore. Besides the guns,
there are the heavy mounts, caissons,
trucks etc, which nothing short of a big
lighter can take ashore. How the loss of the
one lighter occurred is NOT known. Speedy
steps were taken 10 remedy this misfortune
as far as possible. AdJutant General Corbin
telegraphed General Coppinger. at Jackson
Vile, to see that two large lighters were
sent at once to the fleet of transports with
Shafter. The order told General Coppinger
there was need of the utmost Laste. 1t is
probable that General Coppinger's quarter
master has lighters near at hand; other
wise 1t is expected he will adopt urgent
means to secure anything within reach on
the Florida coast. After that they will have
to be towed over. which is a slow process
with hat-bottomed craft of this kind. In the
meantime it is expected that the naval ves-
sells off Santiago Will assist in getting the
guns ashore, although 1t is doubted If they
can afford much more aid than the tugs.
One of the curious features OF the situa-