Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-07-23
TO PORTO RICO.
An Expedition is Already on the
Way.
Gen. Miles Leaves siboney for tho Porto
Rican Coast and In Few Days an
Army of at Least 10000 Volun-
teers, Together with Samp-
sons Fleet, VIII At
tack San Juan.

Washington, July 19.-After three
days of consultation between the
president, Secretary Alger and Gen.
Brooke, during which there was frc-
quent communication with Gen. Miles
at Siboney, the details of the Porto
Rican expedition were perfected and
the expedition itself was gotten under
way, Gen. Miles with some artillery
and troops sailing Monday for Porto
Rico on the cruiser Yale, to be fol-
lowed quickly by an army of about
10000 men.
There are notable differences in the
plans for this expedition and for the
naval pageant that sailed away from
Tampa under Gen. Skaters command
to attack Santiago. First there will
be practically no naval conveys. The
navy department has declared that
they are unnecessary, that there is not
Spanish warship in the West Indies
that dare thrust it's bow out of port.
In the second place the expedition
does not start from one point, but will
be divided among several ports, thus
preventing the tremendous congestion
that was encountered at Tampa in the
effort to get the ships away together,
but the transports will be allowed to
find their own way to their destina-
ton without concerted movements.
Gen. Miles leads the way. He had
been promised by the president that
he should go to Porto Rico, and the
promise was redeemed when the Yale
headed from Siboney for Porto Rico,
800 miles distant. Gen. Brooke will
be the senior officer in Miles com
mand and upon him will fall the re-
sponsibility for the execution of the
details of his superior's plans.
Miles should arrive by Wednesday
night at the point selected for the
landing and will hoist the American
flag at once over Porto Rican soil. The
point chosen for his landing is kept
secret, as the general will land before
the full body of the expedition is at
hand and it is not desirable that the
enemy should be able to assemble a
superior force to meet him. The dis
tance from Charleston, where the first
body of troops for Miles expedition
was to start yesterday, is more than
double the distance from Santiago to
Porto Rico, so that the transports
which sail from the former city can
scarcely reach Gen. Miles before the
early part of next week. These
Charleston troops are the First bri-
gade of the First division of the First
army corps and are commanded by
Brig. Gen. Ernst. The brigade COM
prises the Second Wisconsin. Third
Wisconsin and Sixteenth PennnsyI-
vania regiments.
The purpose of Secretary Alger is
to make the Porto Rican compaign a
short one. An overwhelming force
will be thrown upon the island and
it is possible that bloodless victory
will be achieved when the Spaniards
become convinced that they have no
reasonable chance to resist successful
ly. The expedition is to comprise 3d.
900 men at the start and it will be
swelled soon to 10000 men, and if nee
essary to 10000 men, the equipment
of the volunteer forces having now
progressed so well as to warrant the
statement that that number of men
can be ready for service in Porto Rico
within n very short time,
The entire body of troops at Tampa
will be taken, numbering about $4,000
men, and including a lot of artillery
under command of Gen. Rodgers. The
expedition will be particularly strong
with artillery, as some of that at San
tiago commanded by Gen. Randolph is
to be drawn upon. The Tampa troops
are known as the Fourth corps under
Maj. Gen. Coppinger. Gen. Brooke
will take with him from Chickamauga
park most of the First and Second
brigades of his army corps, the First.
The part which the navy is to take
in the assault against Porto Rico has
not been fully matured. The trans
port fleets will have with them on =
or two auxiliary crafts carrying
strong secondary batteries of six or
eight 6-pounders. Secretary Long said
Monday that no time had been fixed
for the departure of Admiral Samp-
sons feet for San Juan. As to the
naval plans he would only say they
would cooperate in every way with
the movements of the army. The re-
port that three monitors were on their
way from Key West to San Juan was
characterized by the secretary as IN
authorized. 1t is the general under
standing, however, that the navy will
rely mainly or armored ships for the
bombardment of San Juan, as The big
battleships and monitors afford rbe
best means of offensive warfare, while
their armor belts protect them from
such fire as the San Juan batteries can
bring to bear. The Notifications there
are much like those of Santiago.
The movement of the ships from
Santiago to their new field of nction
will begin at once and it is probable
that some of Admiral SIMPSONS ships
proceeded with Miles first expedition
toward Porto Rico. They will be need
ed to cover the debarkation of the
troops on Porto Rican soil. The otn-
ers will follow as soon as the sull army
expedition is ready to make land
ing, when the attack will begin siInu.
taneously from land and sea.
Brought Two Prizes Into Port.