The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-06-04
IN CAMP AT TAMPA FLORIDA.
lErom orr own corre,spondjept.l

tFrom Our Own correspondent.)
TAMPA. Fla. May 23.-Troops are
rapidly arriving, and transports to
bear them to Cuba are ...llng up the har-
Dor, twenty-five being now there. The
last vessel to arrive 10 the Red Cross
steamer State OF Texas. which came In
this morning. .4
But just why men unarmed, or men
urunIformed, should be hurried down
here Is not comprehended by, the aver
age mind. Four regImentsAthe Second
Georgia. the Third and Fifth Ohio and
The ThIr,y-second Michigan-are camp
ed a, Palmetto Beach, about four miles
from this point, and only one is fitted
out completely. The Georgians are
armed but have no uniforms, unless
some OF the state gray can BIO called by
that name. The Fifth Ohio has uni
forms. but lacks 200 men and $50 rifles,
and the Michigan men marched into
camp fully clothed, but unarmed.
These regiments constitute! % brigade
organized to-day, and commanded by
Br!Sadler General Hawkins, colonel,
Twentieth United STATES. infantry. a.
went through the camp this fore
roon. and must say that the MICHIGAN
men impressed me most sfayorably in
physical appearance ard bearing. All
The officers seemed to be anxious to "get
down 10 work" AM improve ME time;
and all with whom conversed express
I'd wish that they could be brigaded
with regular regiment, that they
: might have an object lesson before
them; something dilfereH: from what
the opinion was in 81.
asked, too, about dividing state
troops and assigning those OF different
states together. To man they favored
Il. ss tending to deliberations OF old sec
tonal feelings, and cultivatlng, closer
Acquaintance. and also n spirit OF SOL
derry emulation, which will be OF great
Use and value in the field.
The Ohio men seemed to have a better
organized commissariat than did the
Gtorgans. OF the Michigan camp I
could not judge. as they were Just NOV
.rg In.
About the Georgia camp I saw food
was.ed-thrown out from their fires;
but they will learn to save after they
have gone hungry few times. Col. Os-
car J. Brown, who commands, Is cap.
tain, First United States cavalry, who
has been on the staff Of Governor At
k!nson for three years. and, as he is a
Fan Of energy and has men Of d similar
stamp in command OF companies, he will
make his regiment q good one, I am.
certain. is+
l was informed that grandson Of
Gen. John B. Gordon, Of Confederate
fame, Is q private In one OF the COM
Faaies. ! honor: the boy for his course.
3 ~ REASONS OF DELAY.
why doesn't the army move 2"
"WhenswiR the move on Cuba begln?"
ore questions -,sard daily-yes. hourly.
Wait moment, my impatient, friend,
and, though have not the honor to be
Invited 10 attend meetings OF the cabi-
as;'o councils Of war; I may be able
10 give YOU some Information. You may
have read some of the reports OF army
aud navy secretaries and commanders
from time; to time. and f,you have you
cannot have failed to notice that for
years they have warned your congress-
zen and senator's. and through them
4 The whole country, that such n crisis as
the Present. was liable to come upon us
At almost any time. and that II 1t did
nwould find the country unprepared to
met II, II their warnings were not
Needed In season. ~,
But your representatives could not be
made 10 believe, It, or II they did be-
IsFe, they would not act, because, IL
30
c9uld be trusted to 20 before the people
at the next election. IL no war had In she
mainline occurred, and acclaim against
party extravaganza and cause rne hon.
o'aole representative ar the honorable
Snator TO lose his seat.
90 he voted down any estimate which
was offered by men who knew what
hey were doing. and what was required
20 1t properly. They held up their
nands and raised theirNvoices in holy
horror when the general OF the army
p,oposed that the regular force. Instead
remaining at the diminutive size 1t
taen had. should be increased to rs, 900
men And yet, with an army OF 5000
men, well equipped, as @ national force
sSould always be, and a navy such as
.a's country with Its honor and safety
aemand to assist, GS.000 could have been
Llhaea on Cuban soil within three weeks
st.ee war had been declared, fand have
Ueen ere now In possession of Havana,
ano' followed by a relief fleet. tho re-
concentrates. or many OF them, who
nave died OF starvation, could have been
r place the blame where It belongs.
!" ny, as sat one afternoon In March
~ me gallery OF the house OF represcn-
%n'es, hoping 10 hear the Cuban ques-
won, Which was than Dppermost In the
PEOPLES minds, discussed, saw whole
S%t'ernoon wasted under the guise OF It's
ssuSsinG. oy three men who would not
oe doi,lr ID aid any scheme OF IA
W "oal defense. mGl!gnins the Chief
M ,s and his advisors, ashore and
a'oat, and seeking, regardless OF :hs
aht!ys veal, to make political ca 2ital
Wy ei lis embarrassment
Ndh Tor man he army OF the United
t ss lears nothing on earth. Against
souoic It's numbers. oncewell established
w. cuDan soil. 1t would give no ground;
w II cannot work miracles, and to have
'S S lo'ooO or 10000 over there would
+ As NV, only been. to court disaster.
"nsnce. Then. could any force come to
~ aid? Manifcstly, only from the Ma
notai Guard OF the eeveral states. But
e'too. the cheese-parer,I interested with
making. has hia say, andlmuch as
w ooas. OF our millions Of men upon
maoine we. Gun call In time OF war. not
.nNe than three or four OF; the state
governments have their forces In shape
a.. instant use. For proof of this SEQ
tiiN portion NJ fhia Ia t4nr. rs II -
c J" men VIII the army move?"
caught on transports by q Spanish
sns even II conveyed by a portion of
IN own, an invading force would be
very hazardous position. Landed.
~ dependent for, supplies on those sent
No w." ms country. its position. would not