The record-union., 1898-04-24
SQUADRON
LYING OFF
Havana.
No BOmbardment Has Yet
Taken Place.
A PGaCedbIe Blockade OF the
HarbOr Established.
Very Busy Day With Army Officials
at Washington.
An Order Issued Creating Grand Army
Division Preliminary to a General
Advance on Cuba by
Transports.

KEY WEST, April 23.-f:3D p. NJ
The torpedo boat Ericsson arrived this
afternoon from the fleet She left la
vana at 10 o'clock. There lad 9een no
bombardment A peaceable blockade
has been established.
Wires here have been taken by the
Government press matter censored,
and Havana connections abandoned
BUSY DAY IN ARMY CIRCLES.
WASHINGTON, April 23.-This was
a busy day in army circles. The ex
pected proclamation, calling for troops,
made it's appearance, and the officials
were under a heavy strain tc make the
necessary arrangements for handling
the large number of men called for.
Then a decision to make Washington,
Richmond and Atlanta points of con-
centration Of the levies involved a good
deal of preparatory work to make
ready for the reception Of the men at
these points. A late order creating a
grand army division in the Department
of the South, preliminary to Il general
advance on Cuba by transports. in sup
0Ort of Captain Sampsrn's squadron,
was also nasorded as of the gravest ira-
portance. The order seemed to indicate
! that General Brooke is to have the
honor of commanding the army Of inva-
sion directly, at least, in the beginning.
The day was quiet, on the other hand
at the Navy Department No ships
We're. bought, and had it NOT been for
the many weird stories of captures of
ships at sea the Department would
have been almost tranquil in compari-
son to its state for the last two weeks.
Only one report of a capture. that of
the Buenaventura. was received, and
no word came from the blockading
squadron
The formation of a grand army
corps in the Department of the South,
with headquarters at the three Gulf
ports, is an evidence that the Govern
ment is to move upon Cuba at once
with the troops of the regular army,
leaving the volunteers just called for
to be disciplined and worked into shape
for future use in the campaign. The
formal order for the creation of this
grand army division, issued at the War
Department at the close of office hours,
was as follows:
Headquarters of the Army,
Adjutant- Generals Office.
Washington, D. c, April %.
General Order No. -: Py direction
of the Secretary of War. the following
orders of the President are published
for the information and guidance of all
concerned:
1. The United States trooos assem-
bled in the Chickamauga National I'ark
will form an encampment, to % known
as Camp George H Thomas, and will
constitute temporarily, an army corps.
under the command of Major General
John r. Brooke The CORDS will con-
sist of one division of cavalry, one di-
vision of infantry and one brigade of
light artillery. The cavalry ard infan-
try divisions will each be composed Of
not more than three brigades. consist
ing of three or more regiments each.
The artillery brigade viii be composed
of two battalions, each comprising five
batteries The corps commander will
assign the senior officers present for
duty with each arm to command of di-
visions and brigades.
.. The infantry regiments concentrat-
ed at New Orleans. Mobile and Tampa
are constituted divisions. Under the
command of Brigadier-General William
r. Shafter, Brigadier-Gereral John
Coppinger and Brigadier-General
James F. Wade. respectively. The Gi-
vision commanders will form their di-
visions into brigades, and assign the
senior officers present for duty to COM
mand them.
BY command of Major-General Miles.
H. c. CORBIN. Adjutant- General.
The people of the District of Colum-
bia viii see a great many soldiers at
the beginning of next week By direc-
tion of the President, the entire Ma
tional Guard of the District, 1,S00
strong. has been ordered into camp
Monday morning at the Soldiers Home,
under command of Brigadier-General
Harris.
While it is the purpose of the War
Department to secure only National
Guardsmen as far as possible, under the
first call for volunteers, the States
where there are no National Guards,
or where the number falls below
the quota stated in the call, will
be expected to supply volunteers re-
gardless of their lack of organization.