The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-06-14
OFF FOR SANTIAGO.
Formally Announced That the First
Military Force
SAILED FROM KEY WEST YESTERDAY
It Consisted of 773 Officers and
14,564 Men.
CAVALRY WAS ALMOSTLACKlNG
In the Expcdition. hut n Large Num-
Der of Artillery Was Included.
Splendid Marine Procession.

first military force had left Key West at
daylight today, bound for Santiago.
All day yesterday there was conference
between the navy and war departments
completed It's plans for conveying the troop
transports.
Major General SKATER who commands
the expedition, has with him a force OF
77s officers ana 1864 enlisted men. The
United States regular troops make up the
greater part Of the force, there being three
volunteer organizations on the ships.
The best that the department would do
at this time in the way OF supplying the
%
cavalry contingent for the expedition'wa
to include among the troops one division
of the Second United States cavalry fully
mounted with nine officers and ESQ enlisted
men.
The full list OF the troops that make
up this expedition reported to the war de-
partment by General Shafter is as follows:
Infantry regiments: Sixtieth, Sixty-frst
and Sixty-third New York volunteers,
Tenth, Twenty first. Second, Thirteenth,
Ninth, Twenty fourth Eighth, Twenty
second, Second Massachusetts volunteers,
First, Tweny-ifth, Twelfth, Seventh.
Seventeenth, Third, Twentieth. Total in
fantry 561 officers and 10709 enlisted men.
Cavalry-Two dismounted squadrons OF
/ four troops each from the Third, Sixth,
Ninth First and Tenth cavalry and two
diemounted squadrons of four troops each
from the First United States volunteer
cavalry. Total dismounted cavalry 1853 Of
fcers and 2S75 enlisted men.
| Mounted cavalry-One division Of the
Western cavalry.
Artillery-Light batteries and X, First
artillery; and F, Second artillery. IA
officers and 1923 men; batteries G and fl,
Fourth artillery. siege. officers and 1872
enlisted men.
Ensineers-Companies c and E, OFF,
GERS and 200 enlisted men
signal corps, one detachment two Off
GERS and forty-fve enlisted men.
| Hospital attachments are included in the
| foregoing figures.
| Inc stan corps numbers fifteen officers.
The grand total of the expedition is 173
o'hcers and 1864 enlisted men.
| "eneral Shafter, in his report, indicates
| the great obstacles that have to be over
| zine Ill order TO embark his force at Port
Iampa, and 1t Is not likely, il his recon-
lhehuaNoh carries weight. that the attempt
Wh' ne n'Gde TO again embark 80 ,qrEe a
/ N
| tiles "N'-'" 4e0ii
~ VIII be noticed that by far the larger
PoIt'oh OF the expedition is made IN of in
iantry, although an unusually large num-
@ VI "!tiilefy Is included. and that the
'"r"'ty is almost altogether lacking.
II IS expected. however, that the dis
cd cavalry. with the expedition. win
De mcInted later on in Cuba. either ,ro,,
ne stock OF native horses or from monnts
'nae WIN follow them from this country
| m !" the mountainous and iunple-
IN character OF the country back of San
lao lao where the troops must operate there
n ~tm pe NIUE opportunity for the use NJ
baen SO mat the expedition has not
peris by Withholding the cavalry mount,
at me beginning of the campaign.
Naptain Iaylor of the battleshin In.
o o Is ~ command of the naval convey
- "hlch accompanies the troon sbins
- 20 was peell presumed that this cannhla
b,, ~ ""ula he charged with this duty.
pui tbe TACT of his command can ,ot he
stated positively ''' oe
~; tue make up OF the convoy feet : sti,,
mnhheio' and In fact the navy denart
III MI kLowd only as to the general c,,ar
ac'er OF It's strength Besides tho ir,i;a,',
om n olhef battleship and a frst-ch az
shins o,, COMPANY The fleet. Tn. other
auxiliary craft. 7""""sts and
i've Of the naval shins of the fleet nrst
wen, 10 Fort TAMPA while eleven ren,aineS
on hey west, When the five wnrsbins ana
NE thlrty-two transports re,cled IL
No. ust a junction was made with the eleven
Hsnt '' si a. mat point and the combined
Naval officials speak NJ II as ,o
en- marine procession The war tronn
snlps stretched out for several miIas W.
ooruins 70 high naval official alfb,ua(
even ms II Is felt, is short OF The ,ensth
Mnrp such procession of troopshins
mcur' 'ese' each being given adequate sea
The troopsbps proper headed bv tho ,ro
lestlc Indiana stretched at least tbr.a-
quarters o' nile. 'nree-
NsIue from the men and officers making
up tne expedition, tho boats carried n y,s,
guahtity OF supplies, ammunition and We =
pStpneh's necessary TO maintain an or
covs ~ az 'east Sixty
Every detail for the landing of this marty
mas oeen worked out by the engineer eorns
~ VII De laborious process at hest
anu VIII take a full day or more Tho
no' NO. o. landing has been chosen and there
y niue Danger OF an interruption nv thc
~ forces, but should they attempt
.,, make trouble Admiral SIMPSONS sbips
VIII insure ample protection unt,, ne
",ops can care for themselves.
co i1aay a report came that the Spanish
wa tm nee, was under sail for Cuban
waters but these reports have flashed nm
50 often that they have ceased IN ha r up
saruea as worthy of consideration.
q, he weight OF opinion seems TO incIin,
II, 10 w, ,h presence OF the fleet at Cadiz. owing
10 me bad condition OF the ships.
y may be noted that although acting ~,
~, ,his peinei. as shown by the beginning Of
sne mliiisry invasion. OF Cuba The war
IN Iii r,