The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-08

attention was directed to the work
of preparation. The future movements
of General Shafter are we'll estab-
lished. They had been made known
in his dispatch, but it was deemed ad-
visable not to make this portion pub
lie, as it would serve to advise the
enemy OF the American plans. 1t can
only be said that General Skaters
forces will be strongly n favorably
located with the guns Of the American
warships serving as an additional pro-
lection to their front. Reinforcements
will be hurried to them, which will
be ample for any emergency, whether
il be storm - siege. With Santiago
partially wrc ked and filled with a
thousand deal and wounded. the con
dition there IS desperate, even criti-
cal. There is little likelihood Of any
Spanish sorties in force under such
circumstances, but the possibility is
still open hat the Spanish garrison
may seek relief by evacuating the city
and retiring to the mountain paths to
the north. But the American plan is
for offensive, vigorous action, and
with the full Of men and
arms at the command of the country.
as General Miles said, 10000, if need
be. will move on Santiago; if more are
needed. then it will be Is, 900. The les
son Of Santiago has served only to
kindle a greater earneStnesS through
out every avenue of official life at the
national capitol, and there is a deep
set determination to meet heroic con-
ditions with heroic treatment.
A WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE.
Following the receipt of General
Skaters telegram there was a hur-
ried war conference at the White
house. Secretary Alger, accompanied
by General COrbin, reached there a
few minutes before / o'clock, and they
were Immediately closeted with the
president. Secretary Alger brought
the Shafter dispatch with him, and
also a map and other data necessary
for the important meeting about to
take place. General COrbin was with
the president and the secretary for a
few minutes and then hurried back
to the war department, where he
made public such portion of Cen
eral Skaters dispatch as was COM
patible with the public interest. AS
sistant Secretary Meiklejohn, who has
a thorough knowledge of the trans
port service, was also hastily sum-
mOned, and reached the White house
about I o'clock. The conference lasted
for some time.
so, 900 MEN IF NEEDED.
General Miles, who was also at the
White house, said that reinforcements
would be rushed to the assistance of
General Shafter, and if necessary
these would aggregate 10000 men,
though the general had no idea that
such a number would by any means
be necessary. The combined American
forces and Cuban forces now under
the command of General Shafter
amour approximately, he said, to 3d.
900 men, while the number available
for the Spanish was probably $4,000
soldiers. These included, however, the
men at Holguin, presumably about
1000, and the force under another
Spanish general, amounting to about
5000: General Miles did not say
whether the two bodies of men last re-
ferred to had actually joined General
Linares, but the understanding is here
that they have not. Colonel HUMPHREYS
is in charge Of the transport service
with Skaters army, n he will send
back to Tampa the vessels that can
be spared as rapidly as possible. In
fact word has been received that the
transports had started for the United
States this morning.
RUSHING TROOPS TO SKATER.
If possible the war department will
send Is, 900 men from Tampa on these
| transports. Six vessels have recently
| loaded with men, ammunition, arms,
supplies, etc, and are now either at
| Key West or on their way to reinforce
Skaters army. Included in this eX-
petition are some batteries of artil-
lery. In all these forces constitute
| about $500 or 5000 men.
| The officials hope to rush the rein
fOrcements to General Shafter so that
there will be from 1000 to 50, 900 men
under his command within the next
ten days and sooner if this be ar
| ranged. This is exclusive of the insur-
gents. of whom General Garcia has
been able to bring to Skaters COM
| mand approximately 1000 men. There
were about fifteen thousand men and
officers in the expedition that set out
from Tampa less than a month ago.
| These have since been reinforced by
the troops of Brigadier General Duff
fields command, amounting to 5000
men, and consisting of the Thirty
third and Thirty-fourth Michigan and
the Ninth Massachusetts regiments.
The first 1900 of General Duffield's
brigade hav been with Shafter for a
week, while the remainder have just
debarked. During the past week a sec
Ond expedition of large proportions
was scheduled to leave Tampa car