The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-04
TRANSPORTS FOR THE TROOPS.
PLANS FOR LEAVING TAMPA BEING
PUSHED.

s,art Not Apt to Be Made Before the
First of Next Week-0nIy Four of
,be Necessary Boats Now in Port.
Very Little Likelihood of the 9th
crs Being Ready Before sunday.
Latest Gossip Puts Wade in Com
mand in Cuba.
1rar,na. Fla, May SIT is now almost
certain that Brig. Gen. J. F. Wade will
nave active command of the United States
froops in the field in Cuba.
Roth Gems. Wade and Shafter will, it is
satd ac ompany the expedition when it
sars. but the latter, although having COM
,oand at headquarters, as he Is ranking
General will not direct the movement of
the troops in the field. Authority for such
cotton it is asserted, was received to-day
from Washington. although nothing is OBJ
tainabe from official sources on the sub
ject.
The arrangements for the embarkation
of the troops are being pushed with the ut
most igor The Florida and Olivette are
being put in shape for the reception of the
soldiers, and the Mascotte, which came in
to-day, will be taken in hand tomorrow
ami prepared for service as a transport
Nearly every regiment in camp had a
rigid inspection to-day. The guns, am
munition and camp equipage of the troops
were carefully examined and Instructions
given to have everything in the best pos
s.ble shape for a breaking of camp on short
notice.
The entire Twenty-second Regiment of
Infantry was vaccinated, Notwithstanding
the active preparations for service.
1t is hardly possible that the United
States forces will be actually en- route
for Cuba before the first of next week.
only four of the necessary transports are
as yet on hand. and it will probably be
Sunday before all of the boats are here
and have received their coal and and other
necessary supplies. Once the order is given
il would not take long to load as every-
Thing possible to do beyond the actual
breaking of camp has been done. and in
less than twenty-four hours after the or
ders are issued it is probable that every
man, gun, horse and pound of supplies to
be taken viii be safe on board the ships
The enlistment of Cubans for the regi-
ments which are being formed here is as
Stunning large proportions. To-day there
were over 500 applications for service.
most of which Will be accepted and work
in several of the big tobacco factories was
practically at a standstill Besides the
native Cubans many young Americans are
enlisting for service under Gomez.
The companies of Cubans already form
ed here, with those that arrived last
night, have gone into camp in West
Tampa, and are being rapidly armed and
uniformed. Their number was swelled to-
day by the arrival on The Mascotte of $50
Cubans who had enlisted at Kew West
ana who came here for organization and
armament. They were in charge of Fer
nando Mendoz, native Cuban, who has
been active in filibustering, and who has
conducted several successful expeditions.
Later in the day forty Cubans. all armed
with the deadly machetes and wearing
natty uniforms, arrived from Jackson
vile, They also went in the West Tampa
camp.
The board for promotion of infantry CT
fcers under the new army reorganization
bill was organized to-day and went to
work at once. The board consists of Col
H. Ii. Hall of the Seventh Infantry Lieut.
Col. McKibbon, Twenty-hrst Infantry.
Maj. j. w. Coe Twenty-first; Mai. H. S
kilbourn and Capt. William Stevenson,
medical department and Lieut. Col. 7. G.
Gregg, recorder. Flftyeseven commission
HlctuQlfR
captains, twelve first lieutenants and thir-
ty-seyen second lieutenants, under orders
from Washington All examinations were
made orally, and officers were required
TO give practical maneuvers of infantry
in the field.
Maj. Gen. Shafter and Maj. Gen. Wade,
were heartily congratulated to-day upon
their promotions from brigadier general
Announcement was made to-day of the
appointment of Col. POLAND, commander
OF the Seventeenth Infantry, as a brigadier
general. He will be an command of one of
the divisions now here.
Gen Wade had been in command of the
Second division, which consists of the sew
en- regiments that first went into camp
here
Gen Shafter has been in command of the
First division, which was in camp at New
Orleans, but the majority of which is now
here
Another division, consisting of all the
regiments that are here and not included
IN The other divisions, has been formed and
Gen. POLAND win probably be placed in
charge
There is a strong probability that Col.
POWELL commander of the Ninth Infantry,
VIII be appointed a brigader general and
gwen command of a division of the army
o. invasion. His many friends IN the army
ana IN civil circles are urging his promo
uon His regiment came here from Sack
etis harbor, New York, where Col. Powell
mas host of friends who would be de-
1shled to learn of his promotion.
NO information is given out at Gen.
shafter's headquarters and the regiment
OF newspaper men that throng the head
quarters have no way TO get any authori-
i've news regarding the troops.
II Preparations for the reception of the
'o-unteers are progressing. Col. j. B.
anderson, inspector general of the Flor
laa state troops, has been detailed by the
Governor to select a camp site for the
+ iorlda regiment of volunteers. The gar
Iison has been selected as the place for
me camping grounds for the regiment of