The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-08
COMING INVASION OF CUBA.
.p,sy OFFICERS At TAMPA LAYING
OUT FHEIR PLANS.

conference With Admiral Sampson
At Key West, and Gen. shafter
confers With Him-Mnps of the
Coast Line and Interior of Cuba
examined - GEN. Coppinger Ex-
pected.
tampa. Fla, May IA conference. last
,ps for several hours. was held to-day be-
tween Mai. Gen. shafter, Lieut.. Col. w.
Il Lawton and Capt. J. H. Dorst.
Lieut.. Col. Lawton left Tampa Thurs
dav on the Ol.vebte. going to Key West,
,,bore he met Admiral Sampson, and it is
believed discussed with the latter plans
which contemplated a concerted move
,nent of the army and navy with the CO.
onararion Of the troops of Gen. Gomez.
Roth Lieut.. Col Lawton and Capt. Dorst
arrived here to-day. Capt. Dorst having
been in communication with Gen. Delgado
Of the cuban insurgents at point not far
from Havana.
After Gen. Shafter had received Lieut.
Col Lawton and Capt. Dorst's reports,
Lieut.. Col. Ludlow of the engineer corps
was called in to the consultation.
Several maps of the coast line and in
terror of Cuba were brought in and care
fully examined, Capt. Dorst explaining to
Gen. Shafter the nature of the country
around several places at which a landing
Is contemplated The reports of Lieut.
Col. Lawton and Capt. Dorst, together
with the recommendations of Gen. Shat
ter. will be sent to Washington at once.
The fact that kilograms have been re-
ceiyed here for Gen. J. j. Coppinger, in
command of the troops at Mobile, has
started anew the report that the Cuban
army of invasion will be in two divis-
ions, the first under Gen. Wade, the sec
ond under Gen. Coppinger, with Cen
shafter in command. officials here, how
ever have as yet received no word that
Gen. Coppinger was coming to Tampa
Capt. .. r. Dorst, Fourth United States
Cavalry, returned here to-day from his
successful expedition resulting in the land
ing of a small party of Cubans and a large
quantity of ammunition and stores for the
insurgents. He left Key West on the tug
Leyden on Sunday last and safely landed
his party and stores on the north side of
Cuba about fifteen miles west of Havana.
Capt Dorst is on special duty for the
Secretary Of War and returns to Washing
ton tomorrow This is the expedition the
gunboat Wilmington covered when land
ing.
about all l can say for publication,
said to a representative Of the Associated
Press at Key West" said Capt. Dorst to-
night. 81 had no difficulty in landing in
Cuba. In fact, l was in plain sight of the
Spaniards. had a brief talk with Gen.
Delgado."
Capt. Dorst evaded a question as to
what place he considered the best for
landing troops by saying there were sew
eral available points.
The streets We're crowded to-day with
regimental teams, which were busy trans
porting goods to the camp
Many cases of canned goods and barrels
of flour, meal, etc.. were carried out dur
ing the day. and the soldiers now have
provisions enough an camp to last them
until the 4th of next month.
The Sixth and Seventeenth Regiment
bands were engaged to-day practicing for
the grand concert to be given by them at
the Tampa Bay Hotel tonight.
Each day in camp some soldier meets
another whom he has not seen for years,
but who was at one time In the same COM
pany. When this happens the canteens
are generally opened and old friendship
renewed. Yesterday two men from North
Carolina, who were born and raised in
the same town, met each other for the
first time in sixteen years. They imme-
diately drew little to one side and talk
ed over boXhood sports for over two hours.
The little school house, the swimming hole,
and many other places so dear to boyhood
days were the subject of much discussion.
This is one of the pleasant happenings of
camp life, which is otherwise rather mo-
notonous.
The game of base ball between the SOL
al III, Gu,
day Ballast Point, was the cause of
much discussion in camp to-day. The
men are ready and willing to place their
money on their team.
Any person in the employ of the Span
iards will have a hard time obtaining any
information in or around the camp. The
Morning News correspondent was stop
ped by three different guards to-day and
made to explain his business there. All
visitors to the camp are kept constantly
under the eye of a guard and it would
be a hard matter to obtain any informa-
ton that the officers desired to keep Sc
cret.
One Of the most CONSPICUOUS quarters in
camp is that of the hospital corp. The
ambulances are kept in perfect order and
the vicinity of the tents in these quarters
is model of neatness. The officers quar-
tiers of the Seventeenth are in the coolest
part of camp and have mary visitors
from among the neighborhood troops.
Large comfortable chairs are placed under
the trees and while not in the city the
officers can be found longing around
reading, smoking and otherwise making
themselves comfortable. The camera and
kodack are ruled out of the camp, except
with direct permission from headquarters.
This is done 10 prevent too many of the
camera fiends from visiting camp
Over 100 of the negro soldiers went to
the river to-day in a body for the purpose
of taking a swim. They had great sport
and good bath was thus afforded. The
river is but a short distance from camp
and the men do not fail to take advan-
tage of the opportunity afforded thereby.