The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-06-02
TROOPS Begin TO MOVE.
Where They Are Going Is Kept
Secret by the Authorities for
Reasons of Policy.
SANTIAGO MAY PROBABLY BE ATTACKED
A Plan to Secure the Harbor So That the
Spanish Fleet Cannot Escape and Then
Reduce the City and Capture the Fleet
Hot Exchange of Dispatches with
Commodore SckIey.

Hot Exchange of Dispatches with
Commodore schIey.
WASHINGTON, May 3I.-The move
ment of troops to Cuba has begun
AT one o'clock yesterday morning, as
soon as II was officially known that
Cervera's squadron was at Santiago,
Gen. Miles sent orders TO Tampa and
other gulf points where troops have
been modified to begin the forward
movement Secretary Alger and Gen.
Miles both admitted that a movement
of troops was on, but declined TO dis
close the destination or number of
men in the expedition. Last night
Gen. Miles and his staff, making a
party of 81 persons, left for Tampa on
special train over the Southern rail-
way, giving added significance to the
events of the day.
The war departments plans have
contemplated the replacing of the reg
ulars now in the south with volun-
teers as fast as the former moved. In
pursuance of this orders were issued
for the movement of eight regiments
of infantry from Chickamauga to
Tampa. Thirty-six transports have
the preparations were is such shape
that they could sail in an hour after
the troops marched aboard. SIX war
ships have been detailed to convoy the
transports. One of them, the Ban
croft, will carry Maj Gen. Miles and
his staff. Whether the transports and
warships will sail as one large feet of
between 80 and 40 vessels, or will go
nOunced.
How many troops started yesterday
morning, where they took ship, where
| they are bound, are questions which
| the directing spirits of the campaign
| refuse positively to answer. They
| have no desire that the Spanish should
| have opportunity afforded them TO
| gather forces to attack our soldiers as
| they land Therefore nothing of the
| details of this first movement can be
| learned. 1t is probable that there
| will be no less than four separate mill
| itarv expeditions and that these will
| be landed at four different points
| Whether Porto Rico IS one of these
points or not cannot be learned. Be
| fore the entire force which it Is pro-
posed to use in Cuba can be landed the
| transports must make four separate
voyages across the straits
1t was said at the war department
| that chief reliance would be placed at
| the outset on the United States regu-
| lars, most of which are -centered in
| Florida, and on such volunteer regi-
| ments as were thoroughly equipped
| and reasonably well seasoned for serv-
! ice. Although the officials will not
state how many troops are availa BILE
| for active service, it is roughly esti-
| mated that there are about 20, 900 regu-
| lars and Is, 900 volunteers at Tampa
| Back of this force are other avail
| able regiments at Mobile, New
| Orleans and other points easily
accessible to Tampa Still further
back is the large volunteer camp
| at Chickamauga, comprising about
| 40, 600 infantry volunteers, /, 900 cavalry
volunteers and three regiments of
artillery volunteers 1t is 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 points as fast as
| the latter leave for active service, thus
keeping a large force always ready for
| embarkation from Florida. Aside
from the troops already specified,
| there are the Is, 900 men at Camp
| Alger. near Washington, and lesser
odies of troops on Long Island and
! in various states
Santiago to Be Attacked.
| WAsHIN GToN, May 3I.-Now that the
| navy department has heard from Com
| modore Schley that he has seen part
| of Cervera's feet in Santiago harbor
and believes the whole of il is there,
| plans for the treatment of the situa-
| ton are being seriously considered.
! The one favored by the department is
to secure the entrance of the harbor Sc
| that the Spanish fleet cannot escape and
| then to go deli berately about the reduc-
| ton of the city and defenses and cap
ture of the feet Commodore Schley has
| such latitude of orders that he may at
tempt to force an entrance and bring
| on a battle One fact that is strength
ening the inclination to make Santi-
! ago the destination of the first move
| rncnt IS that it appears a land force
| will be absolutely necessary TO com
| plete the work. Now that il is known
| from actual sighting that the Spanish
| fleet is in Santiago. the war board has
determined that not only must the
| ships be captured or destroyed, but
| Santiago harbor must be occupied
| and the surrender of the city OF
Santiago must be compelled There
are $4,000 Spanish soldiers in and
| about Santiago They viii be made
| prisoners. The country back of them
is full of patriots. To march out o.
Santiago and proceed overland through
the mountains of the provinces Of San
| tiaro de Cuba and Puerto Principe, 25i
miles to a junction with other portions
| of BIauco's army, is impossi bic. 4 hot
| exchange of dispatches between Com
nodore Schley and Washington ha:
occurred during the last S6 hours and