Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-14

WASHINGTON. June 1S-The first
army OF invasion 10 Cuba is now well
on its way. thirty-two transport steam
ships. bearing over l5,OO0 officers and men,
conveyed by battleships. cruisers, gun
boats. and auxiliary craft. sixteen in
number. having actually sailed from Key
West az doybreak this morning. An
authoritative statement to this effect was
made at the War Department to-day,
setting at rest all reports that the ex-
redition was on its way. or had landed
las, week. The authorities made the
announcement for the reason that the
time for secrecy was past. Scouts have
made sure that the way is clear, and
that no possible menace could come from
the Spanish ships or troops, even should
the enemy know that our forces were
now advancing against them.
With the expedition off, officials here
feel that there will be a period Of COM
ur~arive inaction for a few days. by
Thursday. az the latest, the transports
viii be off Santiago. and a large Amer
i-an army viii make its landing on Gu
ban soil. Admiral Sampson has cleared
the way for this undertaking, and little
danger is apprehended in getting ashore.
j. viii be after that, when the advance
fs made that actual dramatic Develop
ments may be expected. BY that time,
it is likely, the American commanders
viii be In direct cable communication
with the authorities here Admiral
Sampson has taken the shore-end Of the
cable landing az Guantanamo, and a force
of cable experts is rapidly restoring the
line 10 working order. The progress OF
this work has been so satisfactory that
one of the leading officials of the State
Department said tonight that 1t was
hoped this direct cable communication
would be established by Thursday. 1t
will put an end TO the dearth Of official
Information concerning important move
rnents. and Will enable the authorities
here to keep in close touch with those
executing the strategic movements.
MAKEUP OF THE FORCE.
The troops making up the expedition
which started to-day are as follows:
Infantry Regiments-SiXth, Sixteenth,
seventy-first New York Volunteers,
Tenth. Twenty-hrst Second, Thirteenth,
%inth Twenty-fourth, Eighth, Twenty
second, Second Massachusetts Volun-
teers; First. Twenty-ffth, Twelfth.
Seventh. Seventeenth. Third, and Twen-
tfetb. Total infantry. SCI officers and TO-
40 enlisted men.
Cavalry-TwO dismounted squadrons OF
four troops each from the Third, Sixth
Ninth. First, and Tenth cavalry, and
two dismounted squadrons of four troops
each. from the First United States Vol
unteer Cavalry. Total dismounted
cavalry, 159 officers, 2,S75 enlisted men.
Mounted cavalry: one squadron Of the
Siege battery 1 officers and l32 enlisted
men.
Engineers-Companies c and E, OFF,
GERS, 20 enlisted men.
Artnery-Light batteries Z and X,
First Artillery; A and +, Second Artil-
lery, IA officers and 32S enlisted men;
Batteries G. and II. Fourth Artillery;
Siege battery, 4 officers and 200 enlisted
men.
Signal Corps-One detachment, OFF,
GERS, and Is enlisted men.
Hospital enlistments are included in
the foregoing figures. The stat corre-
EpOndents number fifteen.
The grand total of the expedition is 77S
officers and 14,564 enlisted men.
NOT MANY VOLUNTEERS.
The United States regular troops make |
up the greater part Of the force. there
being but three volunteer organizations
on the ships. These are the Seventy |
Hrst New York Infantry Volunteers. the |
Second Massachusetts, Infantry Volun- |
teers. and two dismounted squadrons Of |
four troops each from the First United |
States Volunteer Cavalry, the regiment |
which Colonel Wood commands, and Of !
" hich Theodore Roosevelt is lieutenant |
colonel.
Whether either Of these officers is with |
IAe two squadrons named is not yet |
known al the War Department.
Aside from the men and officers MAX
Ing up the expedition, the boats carried
d vast quantity Of supplies ammunition,
and war equipments. necessary 10 main
tain an organization OF this size for at
least sixty days
THE PROPOSED LANDING.
Every detail for the landing Of this
party has been worked out by the engi-
neer corps Of the army. 1t will be
laooriOus process, at best. and will take
a full day or more. The point OF landing
has been 80 chosen that there is little
danger Of an interruption from the Span
5h forces, but should they attempt to
make trouble, Admiral SIMPSONS ships
will insure ample protection until the
troops can care for themselves.
THE CADIZ FLEET.
The spanish Cadiz feet Is almost as
much OF a mystery TO the naval officers
here as was Admiral Cervera's flying
squadron during the two weeks imme-
ilatey preceding its ingorious bottling
ip at Santiago. To-day, a report came
nat the squadron was UNIT for sea.
That would have been credited, except
hat the department has had information.