The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-14
BATTLE PROBABLE THIS WEEK
THE INVADERS EXPECTED To
REACH SANTIAGO ON THURSDAY.
List of Regiments i'm the Expedition
Army That Goes TO Porto Rico.

WASHINGTON, June 13.-The first army
| of invasion to Cuba is now we'll on it's way
| thirty-two transport steamships, bearing
over fifteen thousand officers and men, con-
| voyed by battle ships. cruisers, gunboats
and auxiliary craft, sixteen in number, hav
| ing actually sailed from Key West at day.
break this morning. An authoritative state
| ment to this effect was made at the War
| Department to-day setting at rest all re-
| ports that the expedition was on its way,
| or had landed last week. The authorities
| made the announcement for the reason that
| the time for secrecy was now past. as the
| scout boats had made sure that the path
| was clear before it and that possible
menace could come from the Spanish ships
| or troops even should the enemy know
that our forces were now advancing against
them. With the expedition off, officials here
feel that there will be period of compare
tive inaction for a few days. BY Thursday,
at the latest, the transports will be off San
tiago and large American army will make
its landing on Cuban soil. Admiral Sampson
has cleared the way for this undertaking
and little danger is apprehended in getting
ashore. 1t will be after that when the ad-
vance is made, that the actual dramatic de-
velopnents may be expected. BY that time
1t is likely the American commanders will
be in direct cable communication with the
authorities here. Admiral Sampson has TAX
en- the shore end of the cable landing at
Guantanamo and force of cable experts
is rapidly restoring the line to working or
der. The progress of this work has been so
satisfactory that one of the leading officials
of the State Department said tonight that
it was hoped the direct cable communication
would be established by Thursday. 1t will
put an end to the dearth of official infor-
nation and will enable the authorities here
to keep in close touch with those executing
the strategic movements.
GENERAL SHAFTER'S ARMY
Major General Shafter, who commands
the military expedition, has with him a
force of 773 officers and 1864 enlisted men,
The United States regular troops make up
the greater part of the force there being
but three volunteer organizations on the
ships. These are the Seventy-first New York
Infantry Volunteers. the Second Massa-
chusetts Infantry Volunteers and two dis
mounted squadrons of four troops each
from the First United States Volunteer Cav
commands and of which Theodore Roose-
welt is the lieutenant colonel. Whether
either of these officers is with the two
squadrons named is not yet known at the
War Department. 1t was difficult to prevail
upon the mounted riflemen to leave their
mounts behind, but this was a matter of ne
cessity, 1t is said, owing to the lack of ac-
commodations for the horses on Shipboard.
The best that the department could do at
this time in the way of supplying the cav
airy contingent for the expedition was to
include among the troops one squadron of
the Second United States Cavalry, fully
mounted, with nine officers and $50 enlisted
men. The full list of the troops that make
up this expedition, reported to the War De-
partment by General Shafter. is as follows:
Infantry Regiments
First United States regulars.
Second United States regulars.
Third United States regulars.
Sixth United States regulars.
Eighth United States regulars.
Ninth United States regulars.
Tenth United States regulars
Twelfth United States regulars.
Thirteenth United States regulars.
Sixteenth United States regulars.
Seventeenth United States regulars.
Twentieth United States regulars.
Twenty-first United States regulars.
Twenty-second United States regulars.
Twenty-fourth United States regulars.
Twenty-fifth United States regulars.
Seventy-first New York volunteers
Second Massachusetts volunteers.
Total infantry, SCI officers and 10,7O9 en-
listed men.
Cavalry
Two dsmounted squadrons of four troops
each from the Third, Sixth, Ninth, First
and Tenth regular regiments.
Two dismounted squadrons of four troops
each from the First United States volunteer
cavalry.
Total dismounted cavalry. 159 officers and
ISIS enlisted men,
Mounted cavalry. one squadron of the
Second, nine officers and $50 enlisted men.
Artillery
Light Batteries and K, First Artillery;
A and F. Second Artillery, fourteen officers
and 1923 enlisted men.
Batteries and H. Fourth Artillery, siege,
four officers and 1872 enlisted men.
-Engineers.-
Companies C and E, nine officers, two
hundred enlisted men,
Signal Corps
One detachmant, two officers and forty
seven enlisted men.
Hospital detachments are included in the
foregoing figures. The staff corps numbers
fifteen officers.
The grand total of the expedition is 773
officers and 14.564 enlisted men.
TAMPA AN UNSUITABLE PORT.
General Shafter in his report indicates the
great obstacles that had to be overcome
in order to embark his force at Port Tampa,
and it is not likely. If his recommendation
carries weight, that the effort will be made