Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-06-23
Gen. Miles Praises the Vol
unteer Soldiers.
FULL OF ENTHUSIASM.
He Tells of Scenes at Tampa
When Shafter's Men Left.
EXPECTS AID FROM GARCIA.
The Cuban General Has Promised to As
sist in Every Manner Possible the Land
Ing of Our Soldiers at Santiago and tor
Intercept Spanish Reinforcements.


Intercept Spanish Reinforcements.
Washington, June 1S.--Maj jor Gen.
Miles arrived in Washington yesterday
after having directed the departure
of the first army of invasion to Cuba
He conferred with Secretary Alger be-
fore the cabinet meeting and then
had long talk with Gen. Luddington,
quartermaster general, on the condi-
ton of quartermaster's supplies. lie
came in response to summons from
the secretary of war, who desires to
go over certain phases OF the campaign
with him.
Gen. Miles said: Having spent
some time with the troops during II
trying period of hurried preparations,
am glad to say that they are
splendid body of men, which the coun-
try may we'll be proud of. AS to the
regulars, they are the finest corps in
the world. OF course the volunteer
army is not so well equipped. Some of
the states sent men into the field in
very good condition, notably Massa-
chusetts and New York. Others sent
their quotas without arms, equipment.
or clothing"
Gen Miles attention was directed to
the reports coming from Tampa OF
great confusion and delay in prepar-
ing the expedition and getting it Off
for Cuba. Yes" he said, there were
causes contributing to this delay. In
the first place the post office service
At these points of army concentration
is very deficient.
THAT has been one of the troubles
at Tampa and other places, and as Il
result the official communications to
and from the war department, on
which depend the regularity of NOV
ing many kinds of stores, have been
seriously delayed. Then in gathering
the munitions of war for an army 1t
was necessary to have the service or
A great number of trains loaded with
stores, crowding the railroad lines far
beyond their usual capacity. However,
all this is getting Strengthened out
now and already most of it has been
overcome. The troops at Tampa are
in very good health.
''The spirit of the men is of the best,
nd this was shown when the trans
ports started for Cuba last Tuesday.
They were all anxious to go and there
we're wild scenes of enthusiasm as the
men marched aboard and the ships got
under way.
Lieut.. Rowan and Lieut.. Wilcox in
making their journey to eastern Cupa
and to Porto Rico gave splendid nus
trations of the courage of the Amerl-
can soldier Three expeditions which
carried arms to the Cubans have de-
veloped the finest kind of courage
Capt. Connell and Lieut.. Crawford,
who participated in these expeditions.
were with the Cubans during IA sharp
engagement with the enemy. capt
Dorst's expeditions have been of great
service. his last one in particular
bringing important results.
'.Dorst landed a steamers load or
supplies for the Cuban army, including
$500 rifles. over million cartridges
and great quantity of stores. a thou
sand Cubans came to him while there.
The special Importance of this trip,
however, was in opening up direct
communication between Gen. Garcia
and myself
Gen. Miles was asked for the CONF
mlInications between him and Garcia
and he gave their general purport.
'In my communication to him l asked
him to move as large force as possi-
BILE to the vicinity of the harbor or
Santiago and cooperate with our
army on their arrival. He was to drive
in and harrass any Spanish troops
near Santiago, threatening and at
tacking them at all points, and pre-
venting any reinforcements from
reaching that point Pending the ar
rival of our troops he was to seize any
positions east or west of Santiago
which could be used to advantage by
our artillery. He replied that he would
regard my wishes as orders and would
Immediately adopt measures to con-
centrate his forces as indicated.'