The record-union., 1898-06-22
May Be Several Days Before Gen.
era| Decentralization Begins.
Rear Admiral Sampson and General Shafter
and Staff Go Ashore and Hold a Con-
sultation With General Garcia at
the Latter's Camp.

PRESS DISPATCH BOAT DANDY,
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA. Monday,
June 20 1 p. m. Via Mole st. Nicolas,
Hayti, Tuesday, June p, a. M
Copyrighted, 1898, by the Associated
Press. 1.-The United States army for
the invasion of Cuba, about 10000
strong, commanded by General Shafter,
arrived off Santiago de Cuba at noon
to-day. The time of its olsen barkation
has not yet been determined upon, but
it probably will be within the next three
days. When the fleet of thirty-f five
transports with it's freight of fighting
men swept up the southern coast to-day
and slowed up, within sight of the
doomed city of Santiago, the anxiously
awaited soldiers We're greeted with
ringing cheers, which family echoed to
the transports from the decks of the
bfockading warships far in shore. They
We're answered by the troops most en-
Enthusiastically and in kind. The week
of anxious waiting and of impatient
y
had at last joined forces, and all felt
that the final blow at Santiago was al
hand.
1t was 1 O'Clock this morning when
the lookout on the Brooklyn reported
seeing the smoke of several steamers
away to the southeast, and a moment
or two later he announced that a dozen
or two transports We're in sight. The
and gladdened the hearts of the weary
blockaders. Then the auxiliary cruiser
Gloucester, formerly j. P. Morgan S
yacht Corsica, darted away to meet and
to welcome the troops
About half an hour later a grim for
est of masts, had sprung up apparently
from the sea, and a most impressive
scene was presented as the armada
swept gracefully up from the horizon
toward the shores where the great
struggle is to take place. The trans
ports We're ranged in three shifting
lines, with the battleship Indiana on
the extreme right and the other men-of-
war ON the outskirts of the fleet. In
this order the transports and their
escorts steamed slowly in toward the
hills where the Morro's red walls
cleaned in the sunlight
1t was intended to take the entire fleet
TO the lines of Rear Admiral Sampson's
het Of warships, but an order from the
Admiral stopped the advance of the
SHIPS about fifteen miles to the south
east, and escorted by the Gloucester.
General Shafter went forward on the
Seguraca to confer with the Admiral.
The transports lay on the smooth sea
while the plans We're discussed by the
leaders on board the flagship. Not the
fadntest intimation of their intentions
regarding the landing has been allowed
to escape. Undoubtedly, however. some
of the troops will be landed at Guam
tanamo Bay, in order to relieve the
marines there, but it is generally be-
lieved the main body of the troops will
be landed much nearer Santiago.
The long and trying journey from
Tampa has left the men in a much bet-
ter condition than anticipated. There
are fourteen mild cases of typhoid on
the ships, among them being Major
Horton of the Twenty fifth Infantry
and several cases of measles. There
are, however, no serious cases of sick
ness.
Owing to the smoothness of the pas
sage, the soldiers were not generally
affected by seasickness. They are ali
wildly anxious to get ashore and begin
fighting.
The dispatch boat Of the Associated
Press, as she steamed among the
transports, was eagerly besieged on all
sides for news of Admiral Sampson s
operations, officers and men clamoring
for word from the blockading fleet
Much satisfaction was expressed among
the troops when it became known that
the actual capture of Santiago is to be
left to the army.
The horses and mules on board the
transports have suffered severely
many dying
The American fleet off Santiago has
been greatly strengthened by the adj
dition of the warships which escorted
the transports, consisting of the Indi-
ana, Detroit, Montgomery, Bancroft,
Helena, Ericsson, Foote, Hornet. An