The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-06-29
The War with Spain.
Arrival of Gen. Shafter with Sixteen Thou
sand Troops off Santiago Interesting
Particulars from the Transports.

Arrival OF Gen. Shafter with Sixteen Thou
sand Troops off Santiago Interesting
Particulars from the Transports.
The first American army of occupation in
Cuba sailed last week almost within range
OF the guns of Moro Castle, while the guns
OF Admiral SIMPSONS flag ship doomed
salute.
The conveys and the big transports OF the
feet presented an impressive sight They
stretched out over eight miles Of the Carib-
bean Sea, and their decks were thronged
with soldiers.
AS the fleet sailed up, the New York sa-
luted Gen. Shafter, and the transports and
their conveys then wheeled into single file
and paraded past the warships each vessel
dipping her flag to Admiral Sampson as she
passed, The battleship Indiana was in the
lead. She was followed by the gunboats
Bancroft, Castine, Machias, and Annapolis,
in the order named. After them came
number Of the troopships, which were in
turn followed by torpedo boat. Next in
line were the rest OF the transports, while
the rear was brought up by the cruiser De-
troit and the conveys Helena, Wasp, Eagle,
Hornet, and several others.
The men on the warships had almost
given up hope OF the troops reaching San
tiago, and some of them had not hesitated
| to express their belief that no army existed
that was intended to operate against San
tiago,. and their Joy and satisfaction at the
actual presence of such efficient reinforce
ments could not be concealed.
AS the fleet drew near to Santiago orders
were given for change of the formation,
and the manpuvre was executed without a
hitch. The sight from Moro Castle must
have sent chill down the backs of the
Spaniards who were watching the arrival of
the troops from the parapets with glasses.
All hands were cheering and waving hats
and flags as the transports passed by the
ships of the fleet and circled out to sea. The
line went about eleven miles off shore,
when the ships were hove to directly in
front Of the castle, shore batteries, and the
entrace OF the harbor.
The men on the transports had no news
to give beyond the information that with
few exceptions they were all well. Adj
miral SIMPSONS men had no news from the
outside, but had told them that the Spanish
fleet was surely bottled up in the harbor,
and that there were 1900 Spanish troops
in the city Of Santiago. This information
provoked more cheering.
The journey from Key West was devoid
of incident. The weather was pleasant,
and but little suffering from sea sickness
was experienced. The progress of the
fleet was slow, as the faster vessels had to
run at reduced speed in order not to get
away from the slower ones. The spectacle
of the slowly moving vessels, guarded in
every direction by warships, was very i'm
pressive.
were landed Wednesday at Baiquiri, seven
teen miles east Of Santiago. The base OF
operations at that time extended from ST.
qua on the east OF Santiago to AseIradero
on the west, distance OF forty-two miles.
Between Santiago and Sigua are Juragua,
Aguadores and Cabanas, all fortified places,
and in this locality heavy fighting is expect
ed. II was at first proposed to land the
troops at Aserradero and advance along the
coast road to Cabanas, just west of MORO,
but this project was abandoned.
The landing was effected without acct
dent or special incident. The time, sea and
weather were propitious for the army, and
the navy co.operated splendidly, and as the
big warships closed in on the shore to pave
the way for the approach Of the transports
and then went back again, three cheers for
the navy went up from the troop ships and
three cheers for the army rose from ship
| after ship as the troop ships moved in to
take their share in the hazardous game. 1t
was war and it was magnificent. The
Cuban insurgents, too, bore their share in
the enterprise honorably and well. Five
thousand Of them in mountain Businesses
and dark thickets Of ravines lay all night
on their guns watching every road and
| mountain path leading from Santiago to
J Guantanamo, A thousand OF them were
within sight OF Balquiri, making the APP
proach OF the Spaniards under the cover Of
darkness impossible.
| A little before nine o'clock the ships OF
SIMPSONS feet commenced a lombard
ment Of Jarsgua, half way between Bal.
quiri and Santiago, as a feint to cover the
real point OF attack. In FIVE minutes the
sea was alive with fotillas of small boats
headed by launches speeding off Baiquiri
| dock. Some boats were manned by sailors,
while others were rowed by the soldiers
themselves Each boat contained sixteen
men, every one in fighting trim, carrying
three days rations, shelter tent, gun and
| two hundred cartridges.
The firing of the warships proved to be a
needless precaution, as the shots were not
returned, and no Spaniards were visible.
General Shafter, on board the Seguranda,
closely watched the landing of the troops.
Brigadier- General Lawton, who had been
detailed to command the landing party, led
the way in a launch, accompanied by his
staff and directed the formation of line op.
erations. A detachment Of the Eighth reg
iment Of regular infantry soldiers was the
first to land, followed by General Shafter 3
old regiment Of the first infantry. Then
came the Twenty-fifth Infantry, Twenty
second infantry, Seventh and Twelfth in
fantry, Second Massachusetts regiment and
a detachment OF the Ninth cavalry. The
boats rushed forward simultaneously from
every quarter in good natured rivalry to be
first and their occupants scrambled over one
another to leap ashore.
The Americans must take the batteries
at Aguadores and Cabanas to control the
city OF Santiago. General Shafter is very
popular with the Cubahs After Santiago
Is taken, which it is expected will be in q
10 ha and uni ill IN