The National tribune., 1903-09-03
THE AMERICAN
SPANISH WAR.
Continued from nrst page,

that the Importance of this preliminary
work was urgent, as also that 1t should
be completed in advance of the troops
leaving their States; and il wss further
more strongly represented that this might
be done while the general and staff officers
were being selected, appointed and prop
erly instructed, and the large camps were
being secured. and stores collected there
for. 1t was matter of very great con
Germ to me that unequipped. ununiformed
men by the thousands should not be col
lected in great camps away from their
States, where it would Re difficult for tn. NJ
to be properly supplied with food. camp
equipage, blankets. tentage, medicinal sup
plies and transportation facilities: for the
absence of these appliances could not but
cause facilitating results upon the health
and strength of the men who were thus
gathered together.
SECRET SERVICE.
While the railways of the United States
were engaged in transporting troops, mu-
nitions of war and supplies to Tampa and
other points of departure on the Guif
and the South Atlantic, the military au-
thorities at Washington took steps to OBJ
tain accurate and detailed information
within the limits of the prospective seat
of war. Two young. energetic and inteiii-
gent officers of the Bureau of Military In
forma ton were assigned. the one to CUBA,
the other to Porto Rico. TO attempt the
daring and difficult duty of aScertaining
and reporting conditions as they might be
found to exist in the territories respective
ly assigned to them. Both. in the results
OF their efforts. gave abundant proof OF
the wisdom of their selection.
The emisSary to Cuba. Lieut.. Rowan.
having left the United States on April
9, landed April a at Portillo. about 10
miles west of Santiago de Cuba He pene,
trated the interior, found and conferred
with Gen. Garcia. one OF the most sue
cessful and brilliant leaders of the Cuban
army, and without undue delay fastened
to lay before his superiors in Washington
the valuable data that he had acquired.
With Gen. GarciaS concurrence, he
brought back with him two officers OF
that chiefta:n's staff. Brighten. Enrique
Collazo and Lieut.-COl. Carlos Hernandez.
The course of his return journey lay up
to Manati. on the North Coast: thence by
an open boat to Nassau. New Providence.
whence they arrived in the United States
May 13.
1t was nearly month after Lieut. Row
ans departure that Lieut.. Whitney sailed.
May ), from Key West for Porto Rico,
which. after a 10 days voyage. he en-
tered and proceeded to explore under dis
guise, giving his attention more partIcu
larly to tie southern sections of the IS
June 1, and reported the results of his
mission in Washington on the 9th of that
north. Like the report of Lieut.. Row
an, that of Lieut.. Whitney was eminently
satisfactory at Army Headquarters He
had gone on the most hazardous duty an
officer can be called upon to perform. He
was in constant and imminent danger OF
discovery, the penalty for which would
have been an ignOminiOus death from
;,b f1,ara bar no nnnQaI
SEVERAL RELIEF EXPEDITIONS
carrying arms and supplies for the Gu
bans were organized and dispatched. The
first of these was equipped at Key West
under the direction of Col. Hall, since pro-
NOTED to Brigadier- General. This expe-
dition landed under charge of Capt. O'Con-
nell, of the United States Army, his as
sistant, Lieut.. Crofton, also of the Army,
being the first officer to land on Cuban soil
during the Spanish-American War:
One of the most important of these ex-
petitions was under the command OF
Lieut-Col. Dorst, of the volunteer army,
which sailed from Key West by way OF
Nassau and landed at the harbor of Banes,
on the north coast OF Cuba. where he de
Iivered to the Cubans. who held and con
tinued to hold that port, 1900 rifles. mil
lion cartridges, 5000 uniforms and other
munitions of war and supplies Of which
the 10000 veteran Cubans under Gen
Garcia stood sadly in need. Col. Dorst
returned early in June. reported the en-
tire success of his expedition, and received
the hearty congratulations of his COIN
manding officers. whose trust he had SC
thoroughly indicated.
Meanwhile the forces gathering at lam,
pa, originally destined for an invasion OF
Cuba on a much larger scale. were being
organized TO a strength of 5000 with {
view to lodgment at Tunas, on the south
side of Cuba, where it was expected to
open communication with the General-In-
Chief of the Cuban forces. Gen. Gomez
and support and cooperate with him in
the healthful mountain region where he
was understood to be operating. This ex,
petition was designed to he under the
command of Maj.-Gen. Shafter. the SEN
ior officer then at Tampa, and was in
tended to be strong enough to effect a
landing and maintain its position, while
furnishing all the supplies needed by the
| force of Gen. Gomez. The movemen,
of Admiral Cervera's fleet from the Cape
de Verde Islands rendered necessary the
adoption of new plans, and this eXpedi
ton, like the first one designed. was sus
pended. and in effect never advanced tC
the point of setting sail.
GEN. MILES DETERMINES TO TAKE THF
FIELD.
The reports of conditions at Tampa be
came such that ut this time | determined
to take the field in person, with headquar
tiers temporarily at Tampa. / issued al
order to the Army designed to increase
and promote the esprit de corps on the
part Of officers and men, to bring the
military forces to the highest state of eff
ficiency. and to call forth the best energies
of all the elements composing the Army
of whatever character or station, in order
that they might the more speedily accom-
plish the objects in view through an in
creased zeal for the cause and an enlarged
earnestness of effort. Attention was called
to the high development which had been
reached throughout the civilized world by
the experience of the past century. and
the faithful observance of laws and reg
| uations which govern military bodies in
all civilized countries, and l urged that al
officers, of whatever grade. should as fan
as lay in their power guard and preserve
the health and welfare of all under then
charge, that the officers should labor dill
gently and Zealously to perfect themselves
| and their subOrdinates in military drill
| instruction and discipline: and above all
! that they should constantly endeavOr. by
precept and example, to maintain the high.
est soldierly standard. to foster and Stimu
late that hi h soldierly spirit and patriotic
devotion to duty which must characterize
an effective army. Reciting the fact that
the order was issued upon the day sacred
! to the memory Of the heroic dead, the 50th
of May, l hoped that the injunctiOns. from
all the circumstances, would be strongly
| impressed, and result beneficially, most
| especially throughout the volunteer regi
| melts that were so rapidly forming, and
lessen the dangers that are always present