Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-06-16
INVADING FORCES NUMBER $1,000.
Departure of the Santiago Army Under
Shafter from Key West is Semi.0fi'
ciaIly Admitted at Washington.

SudtioI iiOHI NOy WOS1 10 SO"'-S"
ciaIly Admitted at Washington.
Washington, June 13.--The first divis-
ion of the United States troops to begin
the invasion of Cuba, sailed from Key
West at daylight this morning. The ex-
pedition comprises 773 officers and 1864
enlisted men, all under the command of
Major General Shafter.
A large force of transports conveyed the
troops under the convoy of a strong
squadron of sixteen warships, ranging
from the immense battleship to the small
gunboat.
The regular troops make up the greater
part of the force, there being but three
volunteer organizations on the ships.
These are the Seventy.frst New York In
fantry Volunteers, the Second Massachu-
sets Infantry Volunteers and two dis
mounted squadrons of four troops each,
from the First Volunteer Cavalry, the
regiment which Colonel Wood commands
and of which Theodore Roosevelt is Lieu
tenant Colonel
The troops will arrive of Santiago
Thursday morning at the latest, barring
storms or accidents, and the landing prob
ably will take place on the afternoon of
that day or Friday following, as Admiral
Sampson is extremely anxious to reinforce
the small body of marines now ashore at
Guantanamo Bay.
EXPEDITION SPLENDID SPECTACLE.
Captain Taylor, of the battleship In
diana, is in command Of the naval convoy
fleet which accompanies the transports.
The makeup of the convoy fleet is still
withheld, and in fact the Navy Depart
ment knows only as to the general char
acter of its strength.
Besides the Indiana, one other battle
ship and frst-class cruiser accompany the
fleet. The other ships are lesser cruisers,
gunboats and auxiliary craft. Four of the
naval ships of the fleet first went to Port
Tampa, while eleven remained off Key
West.
When the four wa.ships and the thirty.
two transports reached Key West, juno
ton wes made with the eleven warships at
that point and the combined fleets started
together.
Naval officials speak of it as q magnifi.
cent marine procession. The war trans
ports stretched out for several miles, &C.
cording to high naval official. The war
ships proper, headed by the majcetic In
diana, stretch at least three.quarters OF d
nile.
SOLDIERS PAINTED ON THE TRANSPORTS.
Reports from Tampa say that the trans
ports were conveyed from Tampa to Key
West by the Helena, Annapolis, Castine
and Window. The troops were joyful
when orders were received at last to make
g start for Key West.
Life aboard a troCpship is not pleasant
at the best and the intense heat that pre-
vailed Thursday and Friday, while the
transports were kept in the ships, was de-
cidely disagreeable. The soldiers suffered
greatly, but complained little.
The manner in which the ships were
crowded together did not permit the port
holes to be opened and with the thermo-
meter close to 100 the heat down in the
holds of the vessel, whele at night the
troops were packed in like sardines, was
simply unbearable.
On one transport alone, the Cherokee,
five regulars, Injured though they were to
all kinds of hardships, tainted away, while
one or more cases of prostration were re-
ported from nearly every other transport
Tive men of the Seventy-frst New York
Volunteers were among the sufferers, and
it was hours before the physicians succeed
ed in restoring them to consciousness.
On Friday, however the ships were or
dered once more out into the stream
word having been brought up by the con
verted gunboat Hornet that no trace oi
any hostile vessel had been found.
After conference for several hours be
tween General Shafter and the diferen
brigade commanders and after the ex
change Of good many kilograms with the
War Department, it was announced on
Saturday that the expedition would start
soon, and some hours afterward the star
was made.