The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1898-07-29
vol. xXxvII.--NO. SO.
||GEN, MILES HAS LANDED.
ThR American Troops Dls6nlbark Near
Ponce, on the Coast Of Porto Rico.
etNs Nile March Before The rmu Gonfronts San JUAN The Gam
pain viii Probably Last Several Weeks.

American troops are upon Porto
p;co soil. The flag is raised upon
~, aei island, let peace come now or
-, hence. The army has
landed lO it is true, at Ponce, upon
H., ,ta southern coast, seventy miles
t a., San Juan, the capital, and
l,trs must be taken before the
;nya sion of the island is complete
r. Rs+ween the place where the
,rmy has gone ashore and San
Juan there lies a stretch of seven
~ miles of road, which, in rainy
weather. is said to be almost I'M
nsssable. Along this crude high.
ray. however, the troops will
march, and the city of San Juan
will eventually meet the same
fate as Santiago.
The campaign is not to be a
bastv one. The army will land
with deliberation, and its various
sections will encamp to quietly
await the arrival of other regi-
ments. There is no occasion to
rsh pellmell across the island.
Now that Gen. Miles has arrived
with his $3.50 men, he will be
Joined presently by Gen. Ernst's
brigade, which left Charleston
several days ago, and then Gen.
Haine's brigade will follow. Gen.
scbwan's brigade is also on the
way, so that some 10000 men Will
be on the shores Of Porto Rico
within the next forty-eight hours.
By that time 1000 or 5000 more
men will have been placed on
Transports. which are now wait
ing at Newport News for their
human cargoes, and by the mid,
die Of next week another large
army will have moved from Camp
Alger and Camp Thomas to the
seashore, and will be ready to
move to the front.
In the meantime, the artillery
now with Gen. Miles will have
been landed, and when the horses
arrive the guns will be ready tor
hauling across to San Juan. Every
detail that is needful for the com
fort and efficiency of the troops
will be arranged bstore a single
company starts upon the long
march. The supplies will all DC
on hand, the siege guns will DC
on their movable caissons, and
the men WILDE thoroughly equip
ped.
Army officials do not pretend tc
predict how long the Porto Rice
campaign will last. 1t may be a
month, it may be two months
It will be two weeks, at least,
even with the promptness which
is being manifested in all branch
es of the army, before the entire
army of 10000 men are upon the
island. Then a few more days
will elapse before the regiments
are ready to begin their march
If the distance from Ponce to
San Juan is travelled in ten days
no better time could be asked,
and if there is any fighting along
the way or if the rainy season
shall have commenced and inter
terred with the usual good con-
dltion of the road, the period OF
marching will be necessarily ex-
tended. After reaching San Juan
along and hard struggle is ahead
OF the army, unless the city
promptly surrenders, which is not
likely. When capture of the city
Is attempted, there will be nc
storming of the works. This
would be a suicidal policy. Sar
Juan is on an island. and can be
reached from the land side only
over a draw bridge and two rail
road bridges, which will undoubt
edly be destroyed as soon as the
american army appears in sight
Between the bridges and the city
are az, numerous forts, every one Of
which could not be taken except
al great sacrifice of life.