Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-23
SKATER FREE TO ACT
Not Hampered by Orders
from Washington.
BOUND FOR THIS CITY
Thirty Third andThtrty Fourth Michigan
Regiments t" Leave Newport New.
g.. To-day for Santiago In Command
N... OF General Guy v. Henry. ~.

just a week after the United States
troops left Tortugas. they began To
d!se'nbark on Cuban soil, landing in
formation at two points so as to attack
Santiago in the rear ana mt the side,
with the navy TO help the work in front.
Ihus, the military invasion OF cub,
may be said to have fairly begun 70,
| though the United States marines were
'hc frst of the regular forces 70 lana
upon Cuban soil. their purpose after
all WAS not invasion but the estnblis1,
hlent OF naval base and Il base for
cable station. in both of which they
We're enlincntly successful. Tu the reg
ular troops was left the. beginning, OF
the formidable task of invading Cuba
| in force by land.
Just at the close of office houra =
| brief cabicgram came to the War De-
ntrtmcnt from Lieutenant Colonel All
| len. 1t had been expected all day To
| the surprise OF officials the cablegram
was dated. not at Guantanamo. but at
4 place called Playa dol Este abou,
twenty-1nfles west OF Guantanamo Bay
and about half the distance between
| that and Santiago Bay. Its exact
wording is Withheld. but the statement,
Was authorized that 1t said the troops
were landing and that preparations
had been made to attack Santiago d.
| the sides and rear
The delay In receiving further cable
communications after the first of last
| evening is thus explained. The lines
Mer'. being carried westward. propa-
bly, 20 be nearer the point selected MS
the landing place In Cuba. In his dis
patch Lieutenant Alien said that he
had heard nothing officially from Cen
| ernl Shaftor or Admiral Sampson. This
IS accounted for readily by his instruc-
| tions. FIe was told specifically by Gen
eiat Miles in a cahlegram sent ycster-
day not to embarass General Shaftcr
by any unnecessary suggestions.
Thus 1t will be seen, to the delight
of all true soldiers. that General Shat
ter. like Admiral Sampson. Is not to
! o. tied by exact orders from Washing
ton. but is to he allowed the widest
| liberty Of action In the belief that he.
being on the ground is capable OF jude
:ns best the Tr"prie tH,one Of protected
Mho is member OF General Miles
staff and directly in charge of the sig
ND work In Santiago province, COM
municated briefly with General Miles In
cipher the fact that the debarkation of
the troops had begun and that plan
OF attack had been arranged.
The reinforcement of General Shat
ter actually began today. in the de-
parture OF the entire Thirty-third Mich
rnrth MiehYgd hat 4; ct tbs Ta.rto
Santiago. They go to Newport News
and then by steamer direct to Santiago
II the expectations of the projectors Of
!his movement arc realized these trnoDs
are likely to occupy actually less time
IN tho massage than did the first cor
| tio",ant which left Tampa directly. nor
withstandnG the distance is twice na
long.
Formal orders were issued placing
General GUY V. Henry in charge of tn.
otw division OF troops composed OF
Dufficld's and Garrctson's brientes
which nrc to form part of the new d.
vision. Probably some of the troops n;
TAMPA will be attached also. In
which case they will he dispatched n
pa rate transports. General Henry is
are Of the most noted cavalry leaders
,r. the army. possibly in the world.
IT is evident from the nature or Ger
Aral Miles advices that in addition I"
the troops now landing. as is supposed,
cast side OF Santiago Bay. the second
Ia nding is going on Mt point 1nss
about the same distance west Of tn"
harhnr entrance. The two DIVISIONS
probably will be pushed forward steac
ilv to take the town of Santiago on
either flank while to Garcia and Rabts
bands of insurgents may he left the
IT, SIX of bringing the attack In the renr
The distance on the west side IS silsht
ly greater than that on the east nut
probably is not greater by either row I
than fifteen or eighteen miles Thf
country is mountainous hut there Is no
reason to believe it may not be ira
vf,ssea by the United states troops
within q week even If it should he nee
essary to construct entertainments ana
.,hattis every fnw miles in order to hna;
back the Spaniards. With the begin
ming of the military movement, th-
navy will draw close in shore TO Ponn':
away at the forts at the entrance anG
to draw the Gordon or wafshl!s -
closely around the mouth rs to make Il
impossible for Cervera's vessels TO o.
cane. even if they are disposed to take
the most desperate chances
News has reached here that 72ooe
tons Of coal are being loaded on sn''
worth SIS ton there the purchase eS
cites great curiosity here and it ma
haen suspected that il was being mao:
or Spanish account. TINS Shnu'n
rroye to be true. and the fact VIII soof
=, Known. it would seem to indicate
Ynrnose on the part of the Spanish ma
val commander Camara to carry thh'
,,Icbrated Cadiz fleet around into tn@
Pacific and use these golfers 10 S"p,.s
Inc feet with coal. In this case We
object Of attack nrohan1V Wn'll' ~, ~
west coast Of tho United States instrac
or the Philippines hut after All. th'
whole thing is still matter of mere
conjecture.
rho T,,lronean stories published th'>
morning of an alliance among the pow
10 ronortea proffcr of Germany t.
lease tho Philinnines from snn'n, ar.
received here with amusement FOR !.
w;li annnar clearly from the ,'lacr o.
origin re these stories -Nnar'd-F no'
rro,, .hnir substance. that theT are W
spirad Nv q desperate wieh on tHf
part &c snain to involve MS In trouble
with GERMANY.
The secretary Of the navy today
snea king to an Associated Press re-.
nnrtcr If tho general satisfaction thai
has been EXPRESSED with the NAY" D"7
nartment. said that in i1stir" IT sh"l'ia
! he borne In mind that ~" navy IS AZ
wavs in state Of mobilization, a.
though tho coming OF the war hHd ne,
! c,,.s:t,tcd a vast amount of Specla'
preparation ard n large increase OF yes
eel, and naval force
Tho secretary then paid high com
rlimcnt to the chiefs or the naEal ~,
a,,, who have horne the real burden
or nracoution. He said they never VIII