Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 92, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1898 — PLANS OF GEN. MILES. [ARTICLE]

PLANS OF GEN. MILES.

The Advance Guard Jias -Probably Reached Puerto Rico. TROOPS MAY BE LANDED AT ONCE. AH Will Depend Upon the Siae of the Enemy’. Force—More Soldiers on the Way to Join Army of Miles. Washington, July 25.—1 t was said at the war department late Sunday that no news can be expected from any official source as to Gen. Miles’ movements until to-day at the earliest. It is calculated that he arrived Sunday evening at the point on the coast of Puerto Rico selected as the rendezvous for all the vessels of the expedition. Whether or not he will undertake to make a landing in advance of the arrival of the whole expedition probably will depend entirely upon conditions as he finds them. Should there be no Spanish force, or at least an unconsiderable one, on the coast, the troops will be landed to relieve them from the disastrous effects of being confined closely on shipboard under a tropical sun. The general has with him sufficient artillery to hold any position he may choose 1o occupy, supplemented as this artillery will be by the guns of his naval convoy. ►. Troop, on the Way. Meanwhile the department is making every effort to hurry along the remainder of the expedition. Soma troops are now on their way from Tampa and Charleston and shoutd reach Puerto Rico by the middle of the week. Naval officials are assisting actively in getting the troops off and are sending the necessary orders to that end to the commanders of the r.aval auxiliary vessels which have been placed at the service of the war department. In the course of a day or two the troops brought from Chickamauga by Gen. Brooke will sail from Hampton Roads, where they have been arriving and are ready for the transports. There is a probability that Gen. Miles may be delayed for several days in his landing operations for lack of lighters, but several of these ate now on their way and others will be hurried forward as rapidly as possible. However it may be as to his speedy landing on Puerto Rico soil, it will be well along towards the end of this week before the active land campaign can be begun in Puerto Rico. Gen. Shafter reported by cable that the condition of the troops at Santiago was rapidly improving, and said he hoped in the course of a day or two to have them all located in comfortable camps, where they may rest and recuperate and where the sick may recover. He is feeding 11,000 of the Spanish prisoners of war, and although he has not yet been able to furnish them tents yet this deficiency is being made good, and meanwhile their present condition is no worse in this respect than was their condition before the surrender.

Doubted at Washington. The general makes no mention of the alleged letter from Garcia to himself, nor does he speak of any friction between them, whence the department has come to doubt the authenticity of published stories on these subjects. Doubt is cast upon reports of recent exciting events among the Cubans at or near Santiago owing to the failure of Gen. Shafter to make any report upon them, and inasmuch as he has made less important subjects matter for dispatches it is hard to understand why he should fail to mention an event of such importance as the reported attack by Garcia upon Spanish troops on their way to surrender to Shafter. Probably a Forgery. Washington, July 25.—Advices from Santiago say the letter alleged to have been written by Gen. Garcia to Gen. Shafter was written by a newspaper man, probably without the knowledge or consent of Gen. Garcia. Garcia is at Santiago and in harmony with the American officers. A Wise Measure. Santiago de Cuba, July 25.—Gen Shafter’s refusal to permit the entrance of armed Cubans into Santiago is an extremely wise measure, as in these excited days there might be trouble. Unarmed persons, however, are free to enter at all times. As soon as the Spanish soldiers have embarked the Cubans will be allowed to enter the city freely. The first embarkation is expected next Thursday, in accordance with a contract made between the United States government and the Spanish Trans-Atlantic company. Sunday the Spaniards turned over their cavalry horses. Only 143 were surrendered. The others had been killed for food for the nrniy.

Latest from Shafter. The war department at midnight posted the following: "Santiago, via Haytf, July 25.-Adjutant General of the Army. Washington: Lieut Mi ey has returned from San Luts and I alma Soriano, where he went four days ago to receive surrender of Spanish troops The number surrendered was larger than -Z ora ! r *«x»Pte<l—B.a« Spanish troops and 360 volunteer guerrillas gave up their arms and gave parole and have gone to work. Three thousand stands of arms were turned in loaded on ox < n rts and started to the railroad. Spanish troops accompanied him to San Luis, and all were apparently greatly delighted at prospects of returning home. They were on the verge of starvation, and I have to send tnem rations, ir the numbers Keep up as they have, there will be about 24,000 to ship away—nearly 12.v00 here, 3,000 from San Luis, 6,000 from Guantanamo, and over 1,000 at Sagua and Uuracoa. "SHAFTER. ' "Major Ganeral Commanding " All the surrendered troops are suffering from disease and starvation and Gen. Shafter has instructed the immediate forwarding of rations and relief. He has informed the Spanish officers that their families will be given

transportation to Spain with food at the expense of the government and that the maintenance of the men is provided for by contract. x To Move on Havana. An authoritative statement is made to the effect that Gen. Miles as com-mander-imchief, aided by Gens. Shafter, Brooke, Lee and Graham, with a combined force of 150,000 men, are to take the field against Havana in the fall. Meanwhile Shafter’s men will be recalled to the United States for recuperation, three regiments from Tampa going to Santiago to take their places, in company with the immunei now there. Havana Defense. Strengthened. The Spanish troops in Havana, together with the residents, have strongly fortified the city, say Spanish reports, and are eager for an opportunity to measure arms with the American forces. All express a willingness, it is asserted, to yield up their liv&s if necessary. ; William la Friendly. President McKinley has received a message from Emperor Willianj of Germany which is understood to be of a highly gratifying character, in view of the disquieting rumors of German action at Manila. The message was communicated to the president last Friday by the German ambassador. It was read to the cabinet, and was considered to be of such importance that its tenor has been guarded with unusual care. All that is known of it is that it was satisfactory, and leaves the impression that the situation at Manila, as far as the Germans are concerned, may be left to Admiral Von Diedrichs and Admiral Dewey, without the necessity of the German or the United States governments taking up the case in mutual represntations. Spaniard. Preparing to He.I.L St. Thomas, D. W. 1.. July 25.—The Spaniards at St. Juan de Puerto Rico are making extensive preparations to resist an anticipated attack upon the part of the United States warships which are understood to be convoying the army of invasion commanded by Gen. Miles. About to Attack Manila, London, July 25.—A special dispatch from Madrid says that Gen. Augusti, captain-general of the Philippines, has telegraphed to the government as follows: “The Americans are about to attack Manila. Grave events are impending.” Cuban. Address the President. Santiago de Cuba, July 25. —A document which is being circulated for signature among Cuban residents in Santiago, addressed to the president of the United States, thanking him for the cooperation of the army of the United States and expressing the hope that the American government will recognize Cuban sovereignty in the surrendered portion of the province of Santiago de Cuba, was drafted by De Armis, the newspaper correspondent on the staff of the Cuban general, Castillo, who also drafted the alleged letter of protest from Gen. Garcia to Gen. Shafter. Will Obey the President. Jacksonville. *Fla., July 25. —Lieut. Charles Fritot, of the Cuban army of this city, who was a member of the Cuban expedition on the steamer Florida and who recently returned from Cuba, states that the P*lorida expedition was met by Gen. Gomez, and that he had a personal talk with the general, in the course of which he said, when asked what message he had for the American people: “I have only to say that the only man that has anything to say in the direction of matteys is Mr. McKinley, and we shall do whatever he says. I have given instructions to all my forces to cooperate with the Americans, to whom we are much indebted.”