Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-13
Temporary Postponement Of the
Cuban Invasion.
AWAITING RESULT OF TIE FIGHT
Thirty thousand Troops Ordered
to Chickamauga.
REPORTS TO DEPARTMENT

Direct orders were given General Miles
this morning suspending for the present
the movement of the invading army upon
Cuba. General Miles has. therefore, post
poned his departure for the south. and 1t is
announced authoritatively by War Depart
ment officials that 1t cannot be stated with
defniteness when General Miles will leave.
Col. A. L. Wagner, chief of the military
bureau of the army. who is one Of General
Miles staff decided not to wait for the
general but with one of the officers of his
bureau left for the south last night.
The suspension of the movement of the
invading army upon Cuba was induced by
the proximity of the Spanish Cape Verde
squadron to Cuban waters. 1t is deemed
by the department officials to be the part
of wisdom not to risk the landing of troops
on Cuban soil until the landing can be eff
fected under the protection of a stronger
fleet than is now available for the purposes
of mere protection.
The fact that the army movement has
been postponed is indirect evidence that
decisive naval battle is expected to occur
within few days. 1t is not doubted that
the squadron under the command of Ad
miral Sampson will Immediately seek an
engagement with the Spanish fleet, and it
is with the idea of awaiting the result Of
that conflict that the orders for the move
ment of the land forces are temporarily
held in allegiance.
Two More Transports.
Assistant Secretary of War Meiklejohn
announced today that the department ac-
quired yesterday two additional vessels for
transport purposes They are the Still
water and Breakwater, both of New Or
leans. In common with the other twenty
seven vessels of the transport fleet, they
are fine a-going ships No chances have
been taken by the department in securing
transport vessels. Secretary Meiklejohn
says that every one of them is capable of
crossing the Atlantic safely in any kind
of weather, carrying cargo to the utmost
capacity of the vessel.
The twenty-nine transport ships now at
the disposal of the War Department On the
Atlantic coast are capable in the aggregate
OF carrying $1,000 troops and 10,UW animals.
AS soon the department is prepared to
start the army expedition to Cuba the YES
sells will be concentrated at points on the
southern coast and the entire fleet VIII
move &c Cuba as body under suitable es-
cort of war vessels.
1t was announced yesterday that the
transports at New York would proceed
south Immediately with regiments of the
New York and Massachusetts volunteers.
Today, however, the vessels were ordered
rot 10 move until further adviccs had been
given them. These orders were issued IN
view Of the reports from several sources
that two or more Spanish war vessels had
been sighted off the upper Atlantic coast.
In view OF the suspension of he land move
ment upon Cuba it was not deemed advis-
able to send the transports loaded with
troops south at this time.
In consequence of the change of program,
many Of the volunteer troops will not be
sent direct to the gulf points, as recently
intended. but, instead. will proceed to the
Chickamauga battlefield, where 1t was first
intended they should be sent before the
hurry orders of the early part of the week
made a change IN their destination. AT the
Chickamauga field the soldiers will have
ample opportunity to engage in field eXer-
cises and tactics, which will be very bene-
fetal to them prior to their work in Cuba.
Although they are reported to be equipped
for active service, the army officers say
that in the case of many of the volunteers
it will be necessary to renew their equip
ment, and, in addition, provide the regi-
ments with field transportation-tha is,
wagons, &c, necessary to convey their
equipments from the railroad station to the
camping grounds. Very few of the regi-
ments are provided with this field trans
portation. A large part of the regular
army is encamped at Tampa, ready to move
whenever the order comes, and 1t is felt
here that the troops at Chickamauga can
be sent to Tampa promptly whenever the
necessity arises.
Ordered to ChicI<nmnuga.
Adjt. Gen. Corbin stated today that re-
ports receiy ed by him indicated that thirty
regiments Of infantry and five batteries of
artillery, comprising Lab officers and ~
OS7 men, were ready to move to the front
without further ado. These troops are di-
vided among the different states as fol-
lows:
Wisconsin, 2 regiments, % officers, !, 1926
men.
men.
Minnesota, 3 regiments, 80 officers, 2,9O3
men.
Indiana, A regiments, 1874 officers and T. 1O4
men.
Indiana, batteries. 8 officers, 800 men.
Illinois, regiments, ~ officers and 1000
men.
Maine, regiment. 46 officers, $50 men,
Massachusetts, regiment, 46 officers, 9A
men.
Missouri, light battery, officers, 119
men.
New Hampshire, l regiment, SO officers,
100 men.
New York. regiments, % officers, 1,96O
men.
Ohio, regiments. 1874 officers, 1912 men,
Ohio, light artillery, battery, 20 officers,
396 men.
Pennsylvania, regiments, 800 officers,
$3.50 men.
Rhode Island, regiment, 40 officers, 800
men.
Vermont. l regiment, 46 officers, S15 men.
Total number of regiments, 30: total num-
Der of batteries. 8: total number of officers,
1,415: total number of men. 290S7.
Orders were given for all the above nam
ed troops to proceed at once to the Chicka-
manga camp. with view of being licked
into shape for service with the Cuban army
of invasion. Although not SO stated, it il
believed that other volunteer regiments will
also be sent to Chckamauga as soon as
they have been mustered in. All previous
orders conflicting with the concentration