Evening star., 1898-09-27
TO OCCUPY CUBA
Program for Moving Troops to the
Island.
TW0 0 DIVISIONS WILL BE SENT
About 1900 Soldiers to Be There
or on the Way in Sixty Days.
RECENT ORDERS ISSUED

Il L i
comprehensive program for moving
troops to Cuba has been outlined by the
War Department, and it's initial features
have been decided upon. The project is
due to directions given by the President
en- the 10Th instant, to the effect that de-
| tails of troops for Cuba be made Acting
on this direction, Maj. Gen. Miles outlined
a plan for sending two divisions to Cuba,
the first one under command of Mai Gen.
Wade, to leave in October and the second
division, under Maj. Gen. Fitzhigh Lee, to
| leave in November. Each division will en-
brace about 6,O0O men, SO that the plan is
to have about 12,GG0 troops in Cuba or on
the way there within the next sixty days
1t is not contemplated, however, that any
large number of this force shall be assem-
bled at any one point in this country or in
| Cuba, the purpose being to keep them scat
better advantage
The fast that the troops are ordered to
cuba does not mean that they will pro-
oeed to Havana. On the contrary. the out
lcok Is that there will be very few t-oops
assembled at Havana, the bulk of them be-
Ing scattered through the western end Of
the island, garrisoning the small towns,
and thus gradually putting into effect the
military occupation of the island
In anticipation of the movement the
quartermaster's department is preparing
10 nave transports in complete readine ess
TOT the troops. 1t had been intended to
thoroughly overhaul all the Transports put
ting them In dry dock and Transforming
them from crude merchant ships into mod
el modern transports. But this plan will
nave TO be altered in part, in order to keep
sufhclent transports available for the ap-
preaching move toward Cuba
Inc order for the organization for the
ist Division of the next Cuban expedition
is as follows:
WAR Department,
'Adjutant Generals Office,
washington, d. c., September 26, 1S9S
with the approval of the acting secre-
tary of war the following organization of
troops is announced today:
"A division composed of one cavalry and
two infantry brigades, to be temporarily
commanded by the senior officer on duty
Herewith until a permanent division com
Inander is assigned by the President, as
follows:
Cavalry brigade composed of the 7th
and Sth United States Cavalry, to be COM
manded by Brigadier General L. H. Car
penter, United States volunteers.
First infantry brigade composed of the
10Th United States Infantry and the 4th
United States Volunteer Infantry, to be
commanded by Brigadier General Simon
Snyder, United States volunteers
Second infantry brigade composed of the
1st United States Infantry and the 9th
United States Volunteer Infantry. to be
commanded by Brigader General E. B.
WillistOn, United States volunteers.
The troops affected by this order, other
than the cavalry and the 10Th Infantry,
already under order to proceed to Hunts
vile will not change station until further
orders.
Brigade commanders will make such
Journeys to the camps of the organizations
in their commands as may be necessary to
acquaint them with their condition, equip
ment and general efficiency.
These troops will be supplied with suit
able clothing, camp and garrison equipage,
especially coaical wall tents, to every
twelve men, with board floors and stoves;
also camp cots, medical supplies, ambu-
iances, tentage and other field hospital
equipment complete, in accordance with eX-.
listing conditions, and one-half the allow
ance of wagon transportation authorized in
general orders No. "a.
by command of Major General Miles.
III. c. CORBIN, Adjutant General"
1t will be observed that this order sim
ply creates the division, making no men
ton of the proposed service in Cuba or
the expected time of departure Those fea-
lures, however We're embraced in conf
Dental telegram dispatched to the several
commanding officers affected by the order.
1t makes known to them that the division
is for service in Cuba not later than Oc-
tober 90"
The order leaves open the command of
the division, but General Snyder will be
in temporary command until permanent
division commander is chosen. General
Miles recommendation of General Wade
for this command is likely to be carried
out, although 1t is still unsettled, owing to
the doubt as to when General Wade will
be free from his present service at the
head of the Cuban commission, now hold
ing sessions at Havana.
Although the November division under
command of General Fitzhugh Lee has
been fully projected as a part of this same
program, its formal execution will be de-
ferred for time. The regiments forming
the November division embrace both cav
airy and infantry, with General Sumner in
command of the first brigade.
RefttinE the Transports
The government will soon have some of
the finest military transports afloat thus
offsetting the criticism of our crude meth
eds OF transporting troops by sea- and ini-
tating a system of the most modern sea
transportation. The Mobile has already
been turned over to the Cramps ship ward
for this modernizing process, which will
take about six weeks. The Mohawk also
was turned over to the Bath iron works
yesterday for similar transformation, the
work to take forty days. The changes In
these ships will make them capable of
carrying 2,6C0 men each, the accommoda-
tCns being superior to anything in the
present service of the government, includ-
ing abundant berth space, gymnasums,
large cooking galleys, lavatories and other
modern appliances The troops will thus
be surrounded with as good equipments as
are provided in regular military garrisons.
The remaining II transports will be docked as
fast as possible, and similar changes made,
although the movement toward Cuba may
defer this work for a time.
Evacuation of Cuba.
The evacuation of Cuba, doubt, will
he begun about October Is. and be con-
cluded by January 1. This Is understood to
be the substance of the Presidents in
structions to our Cuban commissioners.