The Forrest City times., 1898-06-24
ARRIVAL Of The TROOPS.
A Welcome Sight to the Jackies on
Board SIMPSONS Fleet Of
Santiago de Cuba.
sPIED BY THE BRooKLYN's LOOKOUT
a Majestic Sight Presented as the Great
Fleet of Transports and Accompanying
Warships Gradually Came Into View
Cheers from the Jackies Answered by
the Soldiers.

On BOARD THE DISPATCH BOAT DAN
DY, OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Monday,
June 20, p. m, via MOLE ST. NICo.
LAS, Hayti. Tuesday, June 81. The
United States army for the invasion of
Cuba, about 10000 strong, commanded
by Gen. Shafter, arrived off Santiago
de Cuba at noon to-day. The time OF
its Decentralization has not been deter
mined upon, but it probably will be
within the next three days.
When the feet of 81 transports, with
its freight of fighting men, swept up
the southern coast and slowed up with.
in sight Of the doomed city of Santiago,
the anxiously-awaited soldiers were
greeted with ringing cheers, which
family echoed to the transports from
the decks of the blockading warships
far in shore. They were answered
by the troops most enthusiastically
and in kind. The weeks of anxious
waiting on the one hand, and of i'm
patient chatting on the other, were
over, and the army and the navy had
at last joined forces, and all felt that
the final blow at Santiago was at hand.
1t was ten o'clock this morning when
the lookout on the armored cruiser
Brooklyn reported seeing the smoke
OF several steamers to the southeast,
and moment or SO later he announced
that dozen transports were in sight
Then signals were exchanged from
ship to ship, gladdening the hearts of
the weary blockaders. Then the United
States auxiliary cruiser Gloucester,
formerly j. P. Morgan's yacht Corsair,
dashed away to meet and welcome the
troops.
About half an hour later a grim for
est of masts had sprung up apparently
from the sea, and most impressive
scene was presented as the armada
swept GRACEFUL = up from the horizon,
toward the shores where the great
struggle is to take place.
The transports were ranged in three
shifting lines, with the battleship In
diana on the extreme right and the
other men-of-war on the outskirts of
the fleet. In this order the transports
and their escorts steamed slowly in to-
ward the hills where the Morro's red
walls CLEANED in the sunlight.
1t was intended to take the entire
feet to the lines of Rear-Admiral
Simpsons feet of warships, but an or
der from the admiral stopped the ad-
vance of the ships about Is miles to the
southeast, and, escorted by the Glouces-
ter, Gen. Shafter went forward on the
Seguranca to confer with the admiral.
The transports lay on the smooth
sea while the plans were discussed by
the leaders on board the flagship. Not
the faintest intimation of their inten-
tons regarding the landing has been
allowed to escape. Undoubtedly, how
ever, some of the troops will be land
ed at Guantanamo bay, in order to
relieve the marines there, but it
is generally believed the main body OF
the troops will be landed much nearer
Santiago.
The long and trying journey from
Tampa has left the men in much better
condition than anticipated. There are
IA mild cases of typhoid on the hospital
ship, among them being Maj. Horton
Of the Twenty fifth infantry, and sew
.ral cases of measles. There are, how
ever, no serious cases of sickness.
The horses and mules on board the
transports have suffered severely, many
| lying.