The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-11
BIG FLEET OF TRANSPORTS
CHARTERED BY THE WAR DEPART
MENT FOR IMMEDIATE USE.
General Miles to Personally Direct
OperatiOns-Departur of Advance
Guard on the Steamer Gussie.
snecIal to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, May 1O.-In pursuance
Of the plan of short, sharp and crushing
campaign for the conquest of Cuba the war
office has decided to rush the volunteers
who were to be sent to Chickamauga
straight to ports where they can be de-
barked directly for the island. Soldiers will,
accordingly give Chickamauga the go-by in
great part and proceed at once to Tampa,
Mobile and New Orleans Transports are
being concentrated at those three points.
and within a week from this date the gov
ernment can have fifty thousand troops
the waters for Cuba. This most extraordi-
nary burst of activity on the part of the
war Office fills the military establishment
with unbounded enthusiasm. The volun-
teers and the regulars already smell powder.
In imagination they have already driven
the Spaniards and the Spanish flag from
cuba and returned home to peaceful voca-
tons.
The President and everybody connected
with the administration expresses un-
bounded qualification at the tidal wave of
patriotism which is sweeping over the coun-
try. oblterating caste and class lines The
so-called "better element seems to be TAX
ing the lead in a desire to engage in nlili~-
tary service, and from all parts of the
Union there is overwhelming testimony of
tt, to
go to the front in almost any capacity. Most
of them prefer to lead something or do staff
duty, but if they cannot get what they
want they appear to be willing to take
what they can get, so that it enables them
to join the army. Illustrative of the eager
ness Of young men to do staff duty it may
be mentioned that $40 applications have
been filed for the appointment on the staff
of General Miles alone.
An Associated Press dispatch says: One
effect of the retreat Of the Spanish fleet to
Cadiz has been to hasten the preparations
already under full headway for the dis
patching of military expeditions to Cuba
1t also has caused a complete change in
the concentration plans Time is now be-
lieved to be the great factor. There is no
longer opportunity to indulge in extensive
drilling and practice maneuvering. The reg
ular army troops do not need these and are
TO be thrown at once into the fray. Many of
the regiments of the National Guard, which
are entering the volunteer service, are felt
to be sufficiently trained from military
point Of view to follow the regulars i'm
mediately and the department indicated it's
purpose to-day of dispatching these volun-
teer troops directly to the gulf coast for
shipment, instead of sending them to Chick
amauga. This disposition was shown by the
changes in the new orders issued to the
troops, although there yet may be a return
to the original programme of concentra-
ton if the plans show signs of weakness
as they develop.
The quartermaster general has already
got under charter twenty-seven merchant
steamers for the transport of troops and.
roughly speaking, these ships carry about
twenty thousand men. Others are being pro-
cured as rapidly as possible. The plan of
the War Department is to have these YES
sells assemble at the different gulf ports,
Tampa, Mobile, New Orleans and Calves
ton, TO take on troops which will be sent
there. The Navy Department is expected to
furnish conveys for these transports which
would be absolutely helpless against Span
ish attack. At this point there are signs of
friction. First, the transports will be
obliged to await Admiral SIMPSONS return
in order to secure proper convoy, and. sec
Ond, the navy objects very decidedly to un-
dertaking the task of conveying a number
OF transports. 1t insists that to assure the
safety of the convoy of the troops all of the
transports should be gathered in one fleet
10 start from Tampa, and the navy is like
II to prevail in this
BY Friday morning the commanding gen.
sral Of the United States army, Major
General Miles will have assembled his staff
around him at Tampa. He leaves Washing
ton tomorrow night, taking with him COL
Michler. Co. Maus, Col. Greenleaf, Major
Osgood, Major Humphreys, Capt Seyburn
and apt Scott. Only one member of the
staff. Captain Davis. will remain at head
quarters and he will follow the general
within two or three days, or as soon as he
can turn over the care Of the business at
army headquarters TO another officer TO be
designated for that duty. Unless present
plans are changed the general viii go with
the first military expeditionary force to
Cuba. He is not expected TO relieve the
major generals already selected for that
task Of the conduct OF the campaign, but
Doth IN Florida and in Cuba VIII exercise
lAe same general superintendence over the