The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-11
Work Of Loading Them With Am
mum ion Begun.
REGULARS NUMBER 1900.
Florida Regiment to Go Into Camp
This Week.

Tampa, Fla, May 1O-By Thursday six
Of the big government transports at Port
Tampa will be in readiness for actual
loading of the troops and horses. They
have already been fully supplied with coal
and water.
The work of building the stalls for the
horses and mules was practically compet-
ed to-day, and long lines of freight cars
filed with boxes of ammunition for the
rifles of the soldiers and for the Cuttings
and Hotchkiss quick-fring guns were
backed up on the tracks along the
wharves and the work of loading them
was commenced.
Gen. Shafter spent most of the afternoon
at the port inspecting the work. which will
continue night and day until completed.
Tomorrow each transport will have
mounted or her bow one or more of the
Hotchkiss guns, while the Gatlings, which
will be taken along, win be placed on the
lower decks.
The Orizaba, now at the quarantine sta
ton near Egmont key, will arrive here
Thursday and will be put into the slip at
once for coaling, and her load of supplies
and ammunition.
In the camps soldiers and officers alike
are quietng preparing for orders for the
breaking of camp. Practically all their
belongings except such things as are alb
solutely necessary, have been packed
away and when the orders come but lit
tie will remain to done, except the taking
down and loading into the wagons of the
tents which furnish the soldiers protec>
ton.
The ordering TO Tampa from Chickamau-
ga of the Third and Sixth Cavalry Regi-
ments and all the infantry regiments yet
remaining there will swell the total num-
Der OF regulars at this point to over 1900
men, and with the state troops and the
cuban volunteers, 1900 soldiers will be
encamped here.
The Olivette of the Plant Steamship
Company sailed at o'clock this evening
lor Key West, with all her tanks and the
Water-ught compartments of her hold
nlled with water from the st. Petersburg
spring. She went over to st. Petersburg
ana took in tow the large lighter which the
Iarpon towed down some time ago. which
IS now filled with water The water on
at Dry Tortugas and the vessels of the
North Atlantic squadron
Ii VIII take the Olivette at least two days
10 make the round trip, and as she has
been selected as the flagship in the fleet
OF transports, the fleet will not sail until
she returns and is loaded with arms, am
munltion and supplies.
ne Oliyette will carry the commanding
oIlcers Of the expedition and their staffs.
ba oh, Of
the squadron.
Inc steamship Florida is now being load
ea with field pieces, and as soon as the
other boats are ready they will also be
loaded
The steamers of the Merchants and
miners Transportation Company will car
~ the artillery
The Whitney and Gussie of the MORGAN
Line and the Florida will carry the cavaI-
ry and the steamers Comal and Alamo
o. the Mallory Line win carry the infantry
ana supplies. As soon as these steamers
leave with the regulars now here, ten
oiner transports recently chartered will
arrive here, and will carry the regulars
and volunteers that are now on the way
here
Maj. W. D. Smith arrived at the Ttmpa
BAY hotel tonight and with DR. Castillo,
chief of the Cuban forces here had a
long consultation with Gen. Shafter Maj
omIth has spent the two last years On
zen. Gomez staff and comes on a mis-
son of Importance from Gen. Gomez He
made his way to the Cuban coast and was
taken on board the torpedo boat Dupont
and transferred here via Key West Mai.
smith is an Ohio boy but registers from
Chicago. Maj. Smith is closeted tonight
with Dr. Castillo and Generals Sanguily,
Lacret and Acosta. His arrival is not
hhoWn but an important movement u i'll
result from his mission. He says Lieut.. |
Rowan, United States army, did not com
municate with Gen. Gomez and that
Whlle the insurgent army lacks |
clothing and supplies or arms and ammu- !
Hluon, the forces are enthused with pa |
trlotism and hope for speedy battle united
with American troops.
Thls afternoon at 1 o'clock orders came |
LOT the departure of the Gussie and shortly |
after she cast loose from her moorings |
and started on her long journey south. |
A large crowd of soldiers had gathered on
the docks to see their comrades depart, |
and as the boat steamed slowly away |
hearty sheers were sent after the boys in |
piue on her deck.
Everything is In a great stir making |
preparations for the encampment of the |
florlda state troops that will arrive here |
thursday. Capt. Thomas w. Woodruff, |
IeCIu llAnS ofncer Tor the Florida volunteer |
Iorce, arrived this morning and began i'm |
meulately making preparations. Capt. |
woodruff made requisition by wire upon
me quartermaster general of the army for
ail needed equipments. and was informed |
lhat they have already been shipped. The |
supplies and equipments viii be an exact |
duplicate Of those for the regular army,
except that for the present the state
troops viii be armed with the Springfield
rine instead of the -Jorgensen gun
USED by the regulars. 1t is hoped at an
early day to make change for the better
gun.
capt. Woodruff is here IN a double capac-
lty as representative Of the adiutant gen