The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-16
CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY
TO BE CONCENTRATED NEAR CHAT
TANOOGA AND AWAIT ORDERS.
Important Action That FOreshadOws
the Coming Conflict with Spain
and Occupation of Cuba.

WASHINGTON, April 15.-Decidedly the
most warlike step taken by the War De-
partment in preparing for the possibility of
an encounter with Spain was inaugurated
to-day when orders were issued for the
concentration at four points in the South
of six regiments of cavalry, twenty-five
regiments of infantry and the light bat
terdes of five regiments of artillery. At
Chickamauga there will be six regiments of
cavalry and the light batteries of five regi-
ments of artillery, at New Orleans eight
regiments of infantry, at Tampa seven
regiments of infantry and at Mobile seven
regiments of infantry Since the civil war
no such proportion of the army has been
modified, and the movement itself is the
best evidence of the gravity of the situa-
ton as looked on by the President and his
advisers.
The determination to rendezvous the
troops in the South, where they can be ac-
climated to the conditions of more trop-
Icdl CllLudl6, dldS D6SI uIlQST COllSluSTdllOIl
by the President and his Cabinet for some
time. 1t was not until to-day, however
that the President, in view of the enormous
expense which will be entailed, felt justified
in taking this step: When Secretary Alger
returned from the Cabinet meeting he at
once called into conference General Miles
and Adjutant General Corbin and ac-
quainted them with the result of the Cabi-
nets deliberations. There were hurried
consultations in which the quartermaster
general, who has charge Of the transporta-
tion of the troops, the commissar,, general
who looks after their subsistence, and rep
resentatives in Washington of various rail-
roads running to the South participated
The orders as finally given contemplate the
movement of troops to the places Indicated
as follows:
To Chckamauga battleield-The First
Second. Third, Sixth, Ninth and Tenth
Regiments Of cavalry and the light bat
teries of five regiments of artillery.
To New Orleans-The First, Seventh,
Eighth, Twelfth, Sixteenth, Eighteenth,
Twenty and Twenty-fourth Regi-
ments of infantry.
To Mobile-The Second, Third, Tenth,
Eleventh. Nineteenth, Twentieth. Twenty
second Regiments of infantry.
To Tampa-The Fourth. Fifth. Sixth.
Ninth, Thirteenth, Seventeenth and Twen-
ty-first Regiments of infantry
TRANSPORTS TO BE CHARTERED.
The heavy batteries of artillery in each
of the five regiments mentioned will remain
at their present posts. The two new regi-
ments of artillery recently authorized by
Congress have not been recruited to their
full strength, and in addition are not we'll
equipped with horses and other necessary
requisites for service and, therefore, are
not included in to-day's orders. The depart
ment has so distributed the twenty-five reg
iments of infantry at convenient places OH
the gulf that they will be accessible for
transportation to Cuba. Proposals have
been invited from steamship companies for
chartering vessels to tho government for
this work.
Instructions to the commanding officers of
the regiments ordered to move were sent
out late to-day, with instructions that they
be put into effect as soon as possible. 1t is
the confident expectation of the officials
that the movements in some places will be-
gin tomorrow. The railroad facilities, the
officials say. are more than ample to meet
the demands of the occasion, and no trouble
will be experienced in moblizing this large
body of men at places designated within
reasonably short space of time.
GENERAL MILES'S ORDER.
Following is Major General Miles's order,
giving in detail the directions for the move
ments decided upon:
with the approval Of the secretary Of
war, the following regiments of cavalry and
light batteries of artillery are relieved from
duty at their present stations and will be
ordered to proceed to Chickamauga Park,
Georgia: All the light batteries of the First.
Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Regiments
of artillery and the First. Second, Third.
Sixth Ninth and Tenth Regiments of cav
airy.
The following regiments of infantry are
relieved from duty at their present stations
and will be ordered to the following points:
To New Orleans, La: The First Seventh.
Eighth, Twelfth. Sixteenth Eighteenth
Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth. To Mo-
bile, Ala Second, Third, Tenth. Eleventh
Nineteenth, Twentieth and Twenty-second.
To Tampa, Fla. The Fourth, Fifth. Sixth.
Ninth. Thirteenth. Seventeenth and Twen-
ty-first.
THE commanding general Department OF
the Colorado will dstail a company of the
Fifteenth Infantry to proceed TO Fort win