The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-07-21
MILES IS LEADING
Leaves Santiago With a Small
Force for the Attach on
Porto Rico.
Will Select a Landing Place
for the Thirty Thousand
to Follow.
CONTEMPLATE EASY VICTORY
Overwhelming American Force
Will Be Thrown Upon
the Island.
At the Same Time the Navy
Will Attack the Forts at
San Juan.
CONTEMPLATE EASY VICTORY

WASHINGTON. July l9.-After three
days consultation between the presi.
dent. Secretary Alger and General
Brooke, during which there was fire.
quent communication with General
Miles at Siboney, the details of the
Porto Rican expedition were perfected
and the expedition itself was gotten
under way, General Miles, with some
infantry and regular troops, sailing
during the day for Porto Rico on the
converted cruiser Yale, to be followed
quickly by an army of about $4,000
men. There are SOME notable differ
enses in the plan for this expedition
and for the stately naval pageant that
sailed away from Tampa under Cen
eral Skaters command to attack San.
tiago. First, there will be practically
no navy conveys. The navy depart.
ment has declared that this is unnec.
essary as there is not a Spanish war.
ship in the West Indies that
Dare Thrust Its Bow Out Of Port.
In tho second place the expedition does
not start from one point, but will be
divided among several ports, thus pre-.
venting the tremendous congestion
that was encountered at Tampa in the
effort to start the big feet. Lastly,
there will be no effort made to get the
ships away together, but the transports
will be allowed to find their own way
to their destination without concerted
movementa
General Miles leads the way. He
had been promised by the president
that he should go to Porto Rico and the
promise was redeemed when the Yale
headed from Siboney for Porto Rico,
SO miles distant. General Brooke
will be the senior officer in Miles com.
mand, and upon him will follow the
responsibility of the execution of the
details Of the campaign. 1t is expected
that General Miles will arrive in two
days at the point set for the land.
ing and
WIN Hoist the American Flag
at once over Porto Rican soil. The
point chosen for his landing is kept
secret as the general will land before
the full body of the expedition is at
hand, and it is consequently not de.
sirable that the enemy should be able
to assemble superior force to oppose
him. The distance from Charleston,
where the first body of troops of the
Miles expedition is to start, is more
than double the distance from Santi.
ago to Porto Rico, 90 that the trans.
ports which sail from the former city
can Scarcely reach General Miles be.
fore the early part of next week.
These Charleston troops are the First
brigade of the First division Of the
First army corps and are commanded
by Brigadier General Ernest. The
brigade comprises the Second and
Third Wisconsin and Sixteenth Penn.
sylvania regiments. The purpose of
Secretary Alger is to make the Porto
Rican campaign a short one.
An Overwhelming Force
viii be thrown upon the island, and it
is possible that q bloodless victory will
be achieved when the Spanish become
convinced that they have no reasonable
chance to resist successfully. The ex.
petition is to comprise $1,000 men at
the start, and it will be swelled soon TO
~, 600 men, and, if necessary, to 50, 600
men. The entire body Of troops 1t
Tampa will be taken, numbering about
$4,000 men. and including a number of
heavy and light artillery under com.
mand of General Rogers. The sxpedi.
ton will be particularly strong with
artillery, as some of that at Santiago
commanded by General Randolph is to
be drawn upon. General Brooke will
take with him from Chickomau4a park
most of the First and Second brigades
of hiss army corps, the First These
are in addition to General Ernest's
brigade at Charleston. Included in the
corps is the Fourteenth Minnesota.
The Naval Part Of the Proer.mm..
The part which the navy is to tahe
IN the assault against Porto Rico has
been fully matured. The several
transport fleets will have with them
enc or two auxiliary craft, carrying
strong secondary batteries. Secretary
Long said that no time had been fixed
tor the departure of Admiral Samp.
sons feet for San Juan. As to the naval
plans he would only say that they
would cooperate in every way with
the movements Of the army. The for.
tifications there are much like those at
Santiago. with MORO castle at the
entrance of the harbor and q number
of lesser Notifications leading up to the
city. These. however, are viewed with
little awe, since an examination of the
Moro batteries at Santiago has shown
them to be antiquated and capable Of
little effective resistance.