Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-06-18

M0LI0I VI 00Ady az A0AAP6 GIN
Other Points Touched-TrOops at
Tampa are in Good Health-Capt.
Darst's OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
the Cuban Army-COncentratiOn
About Santiago.
Washington, June 17.-Major General
Miles. general in chief of the army, ac-
companied by Colonel Maus, Major
Davis and Colonel Greenlee, of his staff,
arrived in Washington to-day after
having directed the departure of the
first army of Invasion to Cuba. 1t had
been his, intention to remain in the
field, directing the succeeding expedi-
tons which will follow rapidly from
this time forward, all of them, it can
be stated, part of a we'll matured Of
| fensive campaign. General Miles con-
ferred with Secretary Alger for half an
hour before the cabinet meeting, and
then had a long talk with General Lud-
condition of quartermaster's supplies.
He came in response to telegraphic
summons from the Secretary of War,
who desires to go over certain phases
of the campaign with him. Speaking
| in a general way Of his observations,
| General Miles said:
Having spent some time with the
| troops during a trying period of hur-
| ried preparations, am glad to say that
they are splendid body Of men, which
the country may we'll be proud of. AS
| to the regulars, they are the finest corps
| in the world, without any exception,
in physical development, efficiency ex-
perience, discipline, craftsmanship
equipment and all that goes to make
up first class soldiers. Of course the
volunteer army is not as well equip
ped"
| General Miles attention was direct
ed to the reports coming from Tampa
| of great confusion and delay In pre-
Daring the expedition and getting it off
for Cuba.
eyes" said he, there were causes
| contributing to this delay. In the first
place, the postoffice service at these
points of army concentration is very
deficient. They have the same fac1l-
| tiles. and no more, as the local towns
! have when normal conditions exist.
| BIT when 10000 to $4,000 men are add
ed to the population of the small towns
| and all of the men are sending and re-
ceiving letters from their friends and
| relatives at home, besides the large
amount of official business carried on,
the local postofice facilities are entirely
INADEQUATE. That has been one OF the
troubles at Tampa, Chickamauga and
| other places, and as result the ohclal
| communication, to and from the war
| Department. on which depend the reg
ularity of movements Of many KINDS OF
stores has been seriously delayed. Then
in gathering the munitions OF war TOT
an army It was necessary to have the
| service of a great number OF trains ioao-
Cd with stores, crowding the meagre
railroad lines far beyond their usual
conacitv However, all this is getting
straightened out now, and already mos'
of it has been overcome.
.The troops at Tampa are IN very
Good health. both those nyho went 1or-
ward with General Shafter and those
stil remaining. The sick list IS less
than 1 per cent, which is an exception
al,v good record. The spirit or the
mon also is of the best, and MS was
shown in a most marked manner "hen
the transports started for CUBA last
Tuesday. They were all anxious to go,
and there were wild scenes of enthusi-
asm and cheering as the men marched
aboard and the ships got under way.
Whenever a band played the National
air. every head was uncovered. Inc
men seemed to realize the Importance
of their enterprise as well as the pa
triotic responsibility it involved.
Captain Dorsts expeditions have
been of great service to the government,
his last one in particular, bringing I'M
portant results. He stared from Key
West but instead Of going direct to
Cuba. he went north and east of Mas
san. then turned south and landed on
the Cuban coast at port called Banes.
II has been held by the Cubans and is
a good harbor with about twenty-one
feet of water.
Protected by small gunboat, Cap
tain Dorst landed a steamers load OF
supplies for the Cuban army, including
| $500 rifles, over million cartridges
and a great quantity of stores A thou
sand Cubans came to him while there.
Garcia had about 5000 armed Gu
bans before he received the munitions
of war by Captain Dorst. supplies
sent him will enable Garcia to adequ-
ately equip over $1,000 CuDans :
General Miles was asked for the COM