The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-29

day. June II, j Il. III. The | nitcd
States army furthc liberation Of Cuba,
5000 strong, commanded by t;cn.
Shaftcr. arrived off Santiago de Cuba
at noon to-day. The line Of its dis
embarkation has not been decided on
bu, it will be within the next three
lays.
When the fleet Of twenty seven
transports. with it's freight Of fighting
men, swept up the southern coast to-
day and slowed up within sight Of the
doomed city Of Santiago de Cuba, the
anxiously awaited soldiers were greet
cd with ringing cheers, which. family
echoed to the transports from the decks
Of the blockading war ship, far in
shore, were most heartily answered by
the troops.
The weeks Of anxious waiting on
one side and Of impatient 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 ~ o clock this morning when
the lookout on board the arm0rcd
cruiser Brooklyn reported seeing the
American fleet away to the southeast,
and moment or SO later he announced
that dozen transports we're in sight.
Then signals were exchanged from
ship to ship, gladdcning the hearts Of
the weary blockadcrs Then the Uni
ted States auxiliary cruiser Glouccs-
ter, formerly j. Picrpont Morgan $
yacht Corsair, dashed away to meet
and welcome the troops.
In about half an hour later grim
forest Of masts had sprung apparently
from the sea, and most impressive
scene was presented as the armada
swept gracefully up from the horizon
towards the shores where the great
struggle is to take place.
The transports were ranged i'll three
shifting lines, with the battlcship In
diana on the extreme right and the
the other men Of war on the outskirts
Of the feet. In this order the trans
ports and their escorts steamed slowly
toward the hills, where the Morro's
red walls cleaned brightly in the sun
light.
A dispatch boat Of the Associated
Press, as she steamed among the
transports was eagerly besieged on all
sides for news, Admiral Sampson op-
crations, officers and men clamoring
for word from the blockaders. Much
satisfaction was expressed among the
troops when it became known that the
actual capture Of Santiago is to be left
to the army.
The American feet off Santiago has
been materially strengthened by the
addition of the war ships, which es-
corted the transports here.
VOYAGE OF THE TRANSPORTS.
With the United States Transport
Ships, off Santiago de Cuba, Monday.
June 20, Noon, via the Mole St. Nico-
las, Hayti, Tuesday, June 21-1 n. III.
The fleet of United States trans.
ports, having on board $1,000 men,
under command of Gen. Shafter, ar
rived off Santiago dc Cuba at noon to-
day, being exactly six days out from
Port Tampa.
The Army of Liberation left Eg-
mont Key at noon on Tuesday, June
ii, conveyed by the United States war
ships Indiana, Castine, Helena, An
napolis, Bancroft, Morrill, and Hornet.
The passage was necessarily slow, rs
two big water barges and the schooner
Stevens, also used for water, had to be
towed. At Rebecca Shoals lighthouse
the aset was joined BY the United
States war ships Detroit, Manning,
Osceola, Wasp and Ericsson.
When the transport feet left Port
Tampa it was the intention of those
in authority to take tho western course
around Cape Antonio, but later it was
decided to go via tho Florida Straits.
that being shorter distance.
After the feet got into the rough
waters of the straits the transports
were formed into three lines, about
100 varda apart while t;(lO vardo oano
rated the ships.
The easily advancing transports
presented very impressive spectacle,
stretching for miles over the blue wa
ters. It was one Of the largest fleets
ever gathered together, the grim-look-
ing men-of-war lowering like watch
dogs on the outskirts of the human
freighted ships.