The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-18

censor. and a regular army lieutenant sit
ting by his side added a remark in support
of what he considered the wisdom of Capt
Brady However, it is now evening, the fleet
has been gone over twelve hours. and the
Northumberland ifty-seventh Indiana is
passing its routine dav with the camp in
shape for an extended stay. Eight days
neld rations are in the commissary tent
Tfere is no doubt the presence of the
transports off Tampa has had disorganiZ-
ing effect among the troops General Cop-
pinSer himself is inclined to that belief. 1t
II <difhcult TO turn mems attention to roG-
uhe drills while they are affected by the tx
element of ships preparing TO get away.
and the probability of the men being called
at any moment to march aboard. Tine week
or ten days which will elapse before the
ships return for the second expedition viii
now be profitably employed in the drudgery
OF drills, guard duty and other seasoning
performances the brigade quartermasler
has urged Quartermaster Hutson TO get
everything ready for his regiment, il is
the general understanding the volunteers
VIII sail Immediately upon the return of the
transports.
When the time comes to go it is safe to
say that Colonel Studebaker's men will take
likely lot of mules aboard the transports.
wagon Master Currier, who was picked up
at Chickamauga, has served score of
years for the government in Arizona, and
he can ride anything from grasshopper TO
streak of lightning. When he started
away from Camp Thomas he had lot OF
little mules, and eight short in quota at
that. You mule skinners keep your eyes
peeled he said to the gang of teamsters,
OH COILildIu. "A week III the SeTNlCS,
with his own keen gray eyes peeled, led
to some unusual changes. He had managed
to shuttle off every one of the small mules
for large, sinewy ones, besides stampeding
eight extra ones from neighboring corrals,
Pennsylvania being the principal sufferer.
The expert wagon master also succeeded in
stealing his mules with discrimination, pick
ing up two good saddlerS. Two good dogs,
belonging to other regiments, are also
among his spoils.
The rumors of Spanish gunboats in the
harbor have disturbed the Indianians, along
with other regiments, from time to time.
Major Feazer and brother officers fed one
of these thrilling stories into the ears of
Lieutenant Glazebrook, of Knox, the other
day, and, after convincing him of the Sc
robustness of the situation had him outlining
Plans for the retreat of the regiment from
the beach.
The Resolute came in yesterday from the
fleet off Santiago, and the officers tell a
thrilling story which has not yet appeared
in print in its interesting details. The Res
olute is manned by New York naval re-
boat for the admiral. She was sent here
to join the transports and conveys. Last
night she lay in the bay with 25OOOO rounds
of small gun ammunition and 250 tons OF
dynamite and gun cotton on board, good
target for a Spanish spy, had one known
of this terrific store of cooped-up destrnc-
Resolute touched at Key West the day be-
fore Commander Eaton wanted to unload
the high explosives, which were carried for
the dynamite boat Vesuvius, but the COM
mandant at the Key refused to permit 1t
to be stored there. The boat will undoubt-
eddy relieve itself of this cargo within a
few days. One of the officers told me the
we reached Santiago" said he, 1.-The day
after Hobson sunk the Merrimac at the
mouth of the harbor. That was rare feat,
the bravery of which cannot be exagger-
ated and particularly as the circumstances
appear to those who were there. The diff
Guilty of his work is not so apparent at this
distance, where people cannot appreciate,
from meager newspaper accounts, the great
skill required to successfully carry out his
mission. The weather was extreme, hot as
an oven, and yet | did not suffer from the
heat at any time as much as / have suf-
fered to-day here in Tampa bay. Breezes
alleviate much of what otherwise would be
an intolerable condition. Our boat had to
carry dispatches for the admiral among the
fleet, and at night, with every light out
was out, we had a squeamish task. With
the exception of a few commanding officers,
all our men were volunteers from New
York. men employed in professions not
allied in any way to seafaring. They were
new to this thing but they stood 1t like old
tars. We were ordered away before the
bombardment of Santiago, and our destina-
ton was Tampa. We came around the east
end of Cuba, and skirted the north coast all
the way, blowing along not over three miles
light was out, and as We plunged through
squalls it was a ticklish job. The night |
was on watch | almost went blind strain
ing my eyes to catch sight of a light ahead
of us or make out any object that might
heave across our bow.
"Off Cardenas we caught sight OF two
lights moving out from shore. We thought
the strangers might be scouting American
vessels and so we hoisted the fleet signal.
the enemy was moving and this was con-
firmed as the strange lights began to ap-
proach us rapidly. We had no armament
aft, only our two six-pounders forward,
and we could not use these and show our
heels at the same time We crowded on
all speed. AS we were short of hands we
bottom to shovel coal. Young men accus-
toned to loafng at swell clubs in New
York went down into the sitting heat, a
temperature of at least $50 degrees Fahren-
heit, and passed coal for dear life. When
the enemy is upon you, and apt to sink
you at any moment, 1t takes an intrepid
heart to go down into the furnace pit.
For two hours we were chased, but our
superior speed saved u.s. The moon came
out and we could see the enemy distinctly.
The danger in our wake was not SO much
greater than that ahead of us. If we had
struck an object the snock would have
probably exploded our dynamite and gun
cotton, and then there would not have been
enough of us left 20 give our frienls clew
to urNfate. We reported our discovery Of
the torpedo boat when we reached Key
west and 1t was this report of lurking
danger which probably delayed the Tampa
expedition.
Some of the men from the Resolute in
cabling" at Tampa saloons Yesterday
hoisted the British flag while along the Gu
ban coast The officers will confirm no such
story as this.
Gen. Joseph Wheeler. who sailed away to-
day on the Allegheny with his staff which
included Assistant Quartermaster General
William E. English, of Indianapolis has
grown thoroughly convinced of the Nations
need for much larger standing army in
time of peace, an army that is thoroughly
prepared to act at once whenever the oc-
casion arises. In conversation with friend
here just before his departure, he said he
Intended to devote the rest of his service in
congress, after the war is over towards
securing favorable military legislation. He
now believes this country should have
standing army of at least 100000 armed
with the most improved weapons and with
departments so thoroughly organized that
the body could be put into the field almost
at Ie" hours notice. G. l.. z.