The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-13
TRANSPORTS SAIL AWAl
Troops Again Reported En- R0uto
sa.v Ak. For Santiago !
SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FIGHTERS
On Board the Troopships, Which Are
Conveyed by Seventeen Warshfps.
Among the Invaders Are Roosevelt's
Rough RIders-To Porto Rico Next.

Conveyed by Seventeen WarshTpS.
Among the Invaders Are RoOsevelt's
Rough RIders-To Porto Rico Next.
Washington, June 13-Under com.
mand of Major General Shafter, the
first division of the United States army
sailed last night from Key West for
Santigo de Cuba to besiege and cap
ture the town. The army transports,
80 in number are conveyed by II war;
ships. and there is no longer reason for
apprehension that the transports can
be attacked successfully by any Span
ish warships even If such should have
escaped the vigilant search of the
naval commanders at Key West and off
Havana. 1t is believed here that the
sally out of Havana of three Spanish
gunboats was intended to create the
impression that they were prepared to
go out TO attack the transports.
If so the plan miscarried. for the
craft were detected Immediately by
Commodore WatsOn's cruisers and
driven back pell nell into Havana har-
Dor, under the protection of the guns
of the shore batteries. Even II these
boats had escaped they coukl have done
no damage. for the size of the convoy
furnished for the troop ships is suf-
ficient to warrant the belief that they
would have been speedily destroyed
should they have had the courage to
make an attack upon the feet Of
American ships The Spanish gunboats
are not of formidable character. not
one of them being the equal in power
of the smallest of the American cruis-
Of orI,ohnofc hn
little Bancroft.
The transports will be kept as closely
together as safe navigation will permit.
and the warships will be disposed
ahead, astern and on either flank. Ttha
fleet scouting vessels will be thrown
far out in advance of the Transports.
and in order to ensure against an at
tack from the rear some of these ves-
sells will linger far astern. ready to
signal the heavily armed cruisers at the
first sign of an approaching foe. The
stately battleship Indiana leads the
procession of ships, which is the most
numerous gathered in American waters
since the civil war.
The troops should arrive off Santi.
ago by Wednesday night. supposfng
the fleet proceeds at eight knots speed,
and landing operations should begin
by Thursday. for General Shafter will
not keep his men cooped UP on ship
board a moment longer than necessary
1t is not believed that they will be
landed at Ciamanera, the point on
Guantanoma bay where the American
flag now flies over the heads of Samp-
sons marines, as that place, while well
adapted to serve as a naval base and
as harbor of refuge for the American
warshps is not particularly well suit
ed for the beginning of military opera.
tions.
The expedition is made up of nearly
20 regiments of regular infantry. OF
from 500 to $50 men each. The total
force of regular infantry is 1000 men.
There are also two regiments of vol
unteer infantry, about 10000 all told,
the Second regiment of cavalry from.
Mobile 500 men, and two squadfons .
each from the First, Third Sixth,
Ninth and Tenth cavalry, about 1000
men; eight troops of volunteer cavalry
taken from RoOsevelt's rough riders,
$50 men: four batteries of light artil-
lery, 800 men and 16 guns; two batteries
of heavy artillery, 200 men and 16 guns;
the battalion of engineers 200 men;
signal corps etc, about 300 men, a
grand total of about II 900 men.
In ten days time. unless unforeseen
obstacles are encountered the move-
ment upon Porto Rico will begin. The
navy department has been advised Of
the purpose of the army and the war
board yesterday was making arrange :
ments for the supply Of the conveying
fleet. This will be of more formid-
able character than that which goes
with the Santiago expedition. for the
plans contemplate a joint attack upon
the San Juan Notifications by the army
and navy, aud the fortifications are SO
powerful that heavily armored ships
only can be sent against them at the
beginning. Therefore it is believed that
SIMPSONS battlcships will head this
0pst