The record-union., 1898-05-24
AT TAMPA.
The Blue Uniform Being Replaced
by the GRAY.

TAMPA Fla.), May 23-The time
| honored blue uniform of the army is
being replaced here by the more SOM
| Der gray. The cloth used is light twilled
| lines of gray brown color, selected after
much consideration by the authorities
at Washington as the most appropriate
for tropical campaigning The former
| heavy oblOng shoulder strap is aban-
doned, being replaced by a triangular
strip of white duck, with insignia of
metal. The collar, cuffs and facings
are also white duck, which, with a
| broad plait in the back and four outside
pockets, give more elaborate effect
than any field uniform previously in
use in our army.
This uniform is not original in this
country, as many foreign armies have
one similar in color, design and mate
rial Several advance consignments of
these uniforms, which will be issued
to enlisted men, have arrived at the
Quartermaster's office here. Officers
| here hope that the entire army may be
outfftted with lighter clothing before
the commencement of actual field op-
erations.
The army here has grown to consid-
cradle proportions during the last
week. Within the military district of
Tampa there is now a force of not less
than 25,000 regulars and volunteers. It
is composed of about thirty regiments,
as follows:
Regulars at Tampa-One brigade of
| light artillery. Third. Sixth and Ninth
Cavalry; First, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh,
Ninth, Tenth. Thirteenth, Sixteenth.
ond. Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fffth
Infantry Regiments and three compa-
nies of engineers. At Lakeland are the
First and Twentieth Cavalry.
The following volunteer regiments are
also here: Three from Florida the Sew
enty-first New York. the Second Mas
sachusetts. Third and Fifth Ohio, Sec
ond Georgia and one each from Wis
consin. Mississippi and Iowa.
All the regulars and most of the vol
unteers are equipped and we'll drilled,
and ready for immediate service. Those
that are not equipped can be furnished
with uniforms and supplies at once.
General Shafter denied a report that
the transports at Port Tampa are not
ready and that it would take at least
a week to get them in condition for car
rylng the troops. lie SalQ lndI all OF
the eleven ships that have been here for
some time are in complete readiness.
and that the five or seven now on the
way, and which will arrive at the port
in day or so, are thought to be fitted
with hunks and stalls. When the or
dars come for the embarkation, he said.
it will require two or three days to get
the troops. horse and artillery aboard.
He still adheres to his view that no
movement will be made until the Span
ish fleet is disposed Of
Asked how many troops would prob
ably be taken to Cuba General Shafter
said that 10000 would surely be
enough. He said that he thought the
first expeditionary force would not ag-
gregate this number, but a considera BILE
army would be sent over to establish q
base and hold it and await the coming
of the volunteers under General Lee and
others.
He said that he did not think the
movement would be delayed on account
of the siege guns. He had received ad-
vices that forty-eight of these guns
together with 1000 men and 1.S00
horses. have been ordered from Wash
ington. but that they have not begun
to arrive They would not be necessary
of course in the commencement of the
campaign. as they are needed chiefly to
take part in the bombardment of Ha-
Vana