The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-20
Orders Issued to Sampson to Assist
the Army by Covering Landing OF
Troops and BOmbarding Forts.
THE SITUATION At SANTIAGO
MESSAGES FROM GENERA sHAFTER
TO THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Surrender of Spanish Arms and Am
Mausers in Bad Condition.

WASHINGTON, July 19-Because of a
failure on the part of General Miles to re-
ceive the orders the President prepared late
| yesterday to take command of the military
expedition against Porto Rico that officer
| did not depart as was expected, from ST.
honey. The mistake was soon corrected
| this morning, however, and as a result of
some short telegraphic correspondence that
followed during the day it was gathered at
| the department that the Yale would start
to night. Contrary to the first intention,
and probably without General Miles's seek
| ing, the Yale is to be conveyed by naval
| vessel that Admiral Sampson has been in
| structed to select from among the vessels
| of his fleet. This may result in delaying
| General Miless progress somewhat, as none
| OF the vessels with Sampson is able to keep
| pace with the Yale. Nevertheless, there is
| no doubt that the general will reach Porto
| Rico before the detachment of troops from
| Charleston. General Miles has with him
| Capt. Fred Alger son of the secretary, who
| has been transferred to General Miles from
| the staff of General Duffield.
| Secretary Alger declined to-day to publish
| the list of troops that comprise the Porto
| Rican expedition. He said that it was still
| subject to change, and that this informa-
| tion will be withheld for few days. 1t is
| known, however that the following regi-
ments, comprising Hanss brigade, have
been ordered to Newport News. whence they
| will embark for Porto Rico: Third Illinois,
Fourth Pennsylvania and Fourth Ohio,
comprising from $500 to 4,O00 men. In addi-
tion. four batteries of artillery. making 100
men, 1000 horses, hospital corps of 200 and
signal corps of 200 men, have been ordered
| to NeWnOrt News If has dp6nitoIu
decided, and will not be until General
| Brooke has been heard from, which regi-
| ments of the First and Second Divisions of
| his corps shall go to Porto Rico but the
| First and Third Kentucky and Fifth Illinois
| are among the probable selections. The
| First Illinois is the only regiment known
| here to have actually gone to Porto Rico
| with General Miles.
| The President announced privately to-day
| that while date of departure of the
| troops to be sent from Chickamauga to
| Porto Rico had been fixed, he expected they
| would leave about one week from to-mor-
row. He is awaiting a detailed report from
| General Brooke recommending what troops
and supplies should be sent from Chick
amauga. The present plan is stated to be
to embark them at Newport News or Nor
| folk and those at Tampa either there or at
| Key West.
Admiral Sampson has received final or
| ders from the Navy Department to the
| part the American fleet is to take in the
| campaign against Porto Rico. They are
| based on the view that the campaign is
| essentially an army movement, the duties
| OF the navy being to lend every support
and assistance to the land operations. The
admiral is instructed to aid the army move
ments by dispatching conveys when re-
| quired and by covering the landing of
| troops. AS there is no Spanish fleet in San
Juan narbor or other Porto Rican ports
the navy has limited field of operation
| The reduction. of the harbor fortifcations
| VIII be the main work, but this and all
| other operations of the fleet will be supple-
mentary to the main operations conducted
| by the army The strategists military and
navy. are agreed in the view that the talk
ing of Porto Rico is primarily a military
undertaking, and Admiral Sampson's orders
are on these lines.
Inc Navy Department is rapidly moving
the large heet of auxiliary craft, made up
or merchant ships, large ocean-going
yachts, tugs, etc., from Atlantic coast points
10 CUBAN waters. where they will be placed
on DlocKaoe duty, thus releasing the larger
ships for more active duty at Porto Rico
these
smaller craft were sent south to-day. and
most all of them will be ON the way within
week, stopping only long enough at Nor
folk to have their batteries strengthened.
When the war broke out large number of
these auxiliary craft were purchased. They
have been distributed along the coast from
Maine TO Florida, at some forty or more
points, making an effective coast patrol
There is felt TO be no further need of this
patrol' so mat with the exception of a few
important points the auxiliary craft will he
WlthdraWn Tor service in Cuba. Captain
baruett mas the work in charge and is
rapidly hurrying it to completion
While II mas not been definitely settled
the probability is that the Third Brigade
of the First Division of the First ARMY
Corps will be ordered to Newport News for
shipment. The following named ships are
now at that place: Breakwater. Massa-
chusetts and Roumania, and others are m
der orders to proceed there A Thoroughly
organized pontoon company in command of
Colonel Black has been at Tampa for Some
time, and the understanding here is that
the men and the pontoon apparatus have
embarked on the transports Gen. Roy
Stone. the building expert, and a member
OF General Miiess STAFF. has gone to
Charleston. where he will proceed with Gen.
Ernst's brigade of the army of invasion.
1t is regarded as certain by the officers
of the War Department that General Miles
and the first contingent OF the Porto Rican
expedition are now en- route from Santiago
TO the point in Porto Rico where a landing
is to be effected Secretary Alger said this
evening that he hoped and expected that
General Miles. with his forces from Cuba.