The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-06-29

eHeo Oy SiSot OF ChS 96lVSy- Seven 4&Sos-
ports steamins Meje,tEcAlIy Up 20 the
Caban Shore
The United States srnay for the IL
vasion OF Cubs, 1900 strong, com,
msnded by General shaiter, arrived
eff Santiago de Cubs 81 noon Tuesday,
june 81.
The time OF lis Decentralization hss
not yet been determined upon, but It
will pref baby be within the next three
days.
When the feet Of thirty. seven tranS
ports, with lis freight OF lighting men,
swept up the southern coast today and
slowed up within sight OF the doomed
city of Santiago de Cuba, the anxious,
ly swaited soldiers were greeted with
ringing cheers, which echoed 10 The
transports from the decksof the hlCcS-
siding warships far in shore. They
were answered by the troops nest
heartily and in kind.
The weeks Of spxious waiting on
one side snd OF impstlent chafing On
the other were ever, snd the army ard
navy had ST last ioired forces. snd sll
Felt that the final blow st Santiago
was ct hand. II was 10 o'clock Tues.
day morning when the lockout on the
armored cruiser Brooklyn reported
seeing the smoke OF seversl steamers
away to the southeast, and moment
or so later he announced that a dozen
or so transports were IN sight. The
signals were exchanged from ships to
ship, elsddening the hearts OF the
weary bIcckaders. Then the United
States auxiliary cruiser Gloucester,
formerly J. Pierpont Morsan's yacht
Corsair, dashed aWsy to meet snd vel
come the troops.
In about hslf an hour later grim
forest Of masts had sprung up appar-
emily from the sea, and a most I'M
pressive scene was presented as the
armads swept gracefully up from the
horizon towards the shores where the
great struggle is to take place.
The transports were ranged IN three
shifting lines, with the bsttleship In
diana on the extreme right and the
other men-of-war cn the outskirts Of
the feet. In this order the transports
and their escorts steamed slowly to-
ward the hills where Morro's red walls
cleaned in the sunlight.
The army of invssion lett Ezmont
Key at noon On Tuesday. June a,
conveyed by the United States war
ships Indians, Castire, Relena. Anps-
polls, Bancroft, Morrill, and Hornet.
The passage was necessarily slow, as
two big wster bsrges and the schooner
Stevens, also used for water, had to be
towed. At Rebecca Shoals lighthouse
the fleet was joined by the United
States warships Detroit, Manning,
Oceola, Wasp and Ericsson.
When the transport feet left Port
Tsmpa it was the intention OF those n
authority to take the western course.
around Cape Antonio, but laier 1t was
decided to go via the Florida Strsits,
that being shorter distance. Af.er
the feet got into the rough waters OF
the straits the transports were formed
into three lines, shout 1000 yards
apart, while six hundred yards separa
ted the ships.
The easily advancing transports
presented very impressive spectacle,
stretching for miles over the blue VS.
ters. It was one OF the largest fleets
ever gathered together, the grim lock
ing men of-wsr lowering like watch
dogs on the outskirts of the human
freighted ships.
At night every precaution was taken
to guard sgainst any possible attack.
No lights were allowed on the trans,
ports and the gun nboatsjn the direction
Of the shore were doubled in number,
while 81 FREQUENT intervals shiftipg g
searchlights swept the waters in the
direction Of Cuba in search OF hostile
vessels.
Throughout The voyage not one
Spanish gunboat or sign Of the enemy
was seen. On Friday the conveying
feet OF warships was reinforced by the
Montgomery and Porter, of Puerto
Principe. The voyage throughout
was tedious sDd un!nterestlDg. To
the weary soldiers life en- board trans
ports is SIS unWarlike SIS journey Oh a
fruiter.
The spectacle O; transferring the
sick at sea was presented on Saturday.
For hours the fleet lsv to while tie
ships boats carried Il patients to the
hospital ship Ohvette. In the rough
waters of the Bahama Channel this
work for the little bosts wss cutie dlf
ficult and the hoisting OF the limp
forms TO the rolling deck OF the Oliy
ette seemed dangerous, but /: was SC
complished IN safety.
The weather throughout the voyage
was excellent, and Qpentiy there
was little suffering from sessickness.
But fourteen cases CT typhoid fever
and some measles developed, the form
er being especially on the 1noats which
carried horses and mules. Surgeons,
however, say the heallh OF the men IS
Unexpectedly coed.
The first sight of land was obtsineo
in the vicinity of Santiago de Cuba,
and when the topmasts Of the block
aiding ships were seen they sent q
thrill OF enthusiasm through the sol
diers, and they are now eagerly await
ing the landing in Cuba. :.
The men seem confident OF 8 swift
and easy victory, but they seem rather
10 hore for herd fighting. The heat
and long confinement II the hold OF
the transports have :ot6 very severely
on the horses snd mules, and many OF
them died during the last days OF the
voyage.
The spanish GceriI.s.