Newspaper Page Text
Abbeville Chronicle.
VOL. II.
1
IS *
Are Ordered to
Join Sampson.
They Will Assist In the Chase
For the Spanish Fleet.
Left Hampton Hoads
In a Hurry.
Five vessels of the flying squadron,
under Commodore Schley, led by the
flagship Brooklyn, steamed out of
Hampton Koads Friday afternoon to
join in the chase for the Spanish fleet,
which has now entered the Carribbeau
sea. After passing the Virginia capes
the vessels took a southerly course,
going, it is said, to augment Admiral
Sampson’s fleet now in the vicinity of
Porto Bico.
The order directing the squadron to
put to sea was received at midnight
Thursday night. A few minutes later
•the signal “be ready to put to sea at
daybreak” was flashed from the flag
ship. men-of-war the
Back from the came
answer.
In a jiffy the men were summoned
to the decks and the work of making
the ship ready to sail commenced.
Suppressed excitement, mingled with
delight, prevailed. Then the men
waited for the signal to weigh anchor.
Day broke, but the signal was toward not
hoisted. The day wore on im
noon. Excitement gave way to
patience, for the men had been lying
off Old Point for six weeks waiting for
orders to go to sea and they were
afraid they were to be disappointed.
The Signal Run Up.
At 4 o’clock the signal ordering the
battleship Massachusetts, the Texas,
tho dispatch boat Scorpion and collier
Sterling to weigh Brooklyn’s anchor was military run up
to the top of tlie
mast. Thirty minutes later smoke was
from the stacks on the ships
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BATTLE SCENE ON OLYMPIA’S GUN DECK.
and they were plowing tho sea at a
rate of fifteen knots.
The cruisers Minneapolis and New
Orleans were left behind, as was also
the auxiliary cruiser St. Paul, which
was taking on a supply of ammunition.
At 8 o’clock Friday night the Min
neapolis hauled up her anchors and
steamed out at full speed to o. ertake
the squadron. St. Paul,
Captain Sigsboe, of tho
and the commander of the New Or
leans also received orders to proceed
at midnight. laden
The fact that the Sterling,
with 4,000 tons of coal, accompanied
the fleet indicates that a long sail is
contemplated, The arrival of the
flying squadron will greatly strengthen
Admiral Sampson’s fleet. in circula
There was another report
tion Friday night that a flotilla of
Spanish torpedo boats has been sighted
cruising along the Atlantic coast, and
that the flying squadron has been
ordered out to intercept the fleet and
sink the boats; but an officer from the
St. Paul says no credence should be
placed in the rumor. Commodore
Schley left under sealed orders.
The Movements Explained.
A Washington special says: The re
ceipt of the news from Sampson of his
attack on the forts at San JuaD, and
the news of actual presence of the
Spanish flying squadron off’ Martin
ique, only 500 miles miles away from
Sampson and less than 1,000 miles
from Havana, caused the dispatch of
the flying squadron under Commodore
ABBEVILLE. GA., THURSDAY, MAY I!). 1898.
Schley nnd the delay of the army of
invasion of Cuba.
It is to the navy that the govern
ment again locks for a battle that may
end the conflict. The news of the
Spanish fleet revealed the possibility
of a quick move on tlie part of the
Spanish fleet that cut the line of com
munication by water between Cuba
and Key West, exposing to great peril
any American landing force that might
be caught between a superior Spanish
army in Cuba and the sea patrolled by
Spanish cruisers. It became necessa
ry, therefore, to defer the departure of
the military expedition from Florida
until the Spanish fleet is mot and
crushed or driven from West Indian
waters.
Orders flew thick and fast from both
the war and navy departments. The
first checked the movement on Flor
ida, setting in from all parts of the
country, nnd diverted the troops to
ward the concentration camp at Chick
nmauga. The navy department wired
Sampson informing of the approach of
the Spanish fleet and directions what
to do, nnd another order flashed to
Schley, who has been eating out his
heart at Hampton Bonds in his eager
ness to get into the fray, to start with
his vessels at the earliest possible mo
ment. The commodore took no chance
of a cancellation of those highly desir
able orders, but at 3:45 o’clock had
put himself beyond the reach of any
telegraphic recall. What is expected
of him cannot be^Iisclosed at the navy
department, and, naturally, is purely
a matter of conjecture.
Sampson’s fleet is strong enough un
aided to overcome the Spanish flying
squadron, if he can ever catch it out
of the reach of fortifications. Schley’s
fleet, however, is lacking in speed as
compared to the Spanish vessels, and
co-operation on the part of our flying
squadron would add very much to the
chance of cornering the Spaniards and
forcing the fight which is believed to
be necessary to the success of the Cu
ban campaign as now planned.
CHAOS AVI) FAMINE
Reigns In Many Cuban Towns—Pork Sell
ling at SI.50 a Pound.
A dispatch to the New York World
from Neuvitas, Cuba, by way of Nas
sau, Now Providence, says:
Chaos reigns at Camaguey and fear
and famine at Neuvitas. People are
starving. Salt pork costs $1.50 a
pound, rice 50 cents and goats bring
$100 each.
The Spanish commander told the
starving citizens to go into the coun
try, as he could not feed thetn.
Many soldiers are joining the insur
gents to get food.
The conditions at Puerto Trineipe
are still worse. The surrounding forts
are almost abandoned.
RELIEF FOR MANILA.
Report that Spain Will Send Bis Kipedl
tion to the Philippines.
A cable dispatch from Gibraltar
.
says: The Cape Verde fleet is at Mar
tinique, but a second Spanish fleet is
now at Cadiz.
The second fleet consists of the bat
tleship Pelayo, the armored cruiser
Emperador Carlos V., the cruiser Al
fonso XIII, the Bapido and the Pat
ria, auxiliary cruisers, formerly the
Hamburg-American line steamers Col
umbia and Normania, and three tor
pedo boats.
It is reported that a strong military
expedition is being organized at Cadiz
and that it will shortly proceed to tho
Philippine islands, escorted by the
Cadiz fleet.
WINSLOW OFF KEY WEST.
Slie Will lie Ready For Sea Again In a
Short Time.
The torpedo boat Winslow, dam
aged in the engagement at Cardenas,
reached Key West Thursday night un
der her own .steam in charge of En
sign Bailey, of the Wilmington. It is
believed the boat can ho repaired
and made ready for active service again
in a few weeks,
Two of the seamen on board of her
were badly injured. They say that
one of tho crew who was standing in
the conning tower had his coat liter
ally shot away but received nothing
hut a slight flesh wound in the right
side. Eighteen shells struck the
Winslow during the engagement.
INFORMS THE NAVY DEPARTMENT
OF HIS FIUIIT AT SAN JUAN.
JHE VERDE FLEET AT MART1NEQUE
Official Report Hus Been Received That
Leaves No Doubt of That
Fleet's Location.
At 7:20 o’clock Friday morning the
navy department received the follow
ing dispatch from Admiral Sampson.
It was dated St. Thomas, May 12, and
was as follows:
“A portion of the squadron under
my command reached San Juan this
morning at daybreak. No armed ves
sels were found in the port. As soon
as it was sufficiently light I commenced
attack upon the batteries defending
the city. This nttaek lasted three
hours and resulted in much damago
to the batteries. The batteries replied
to our fire but without material affect.
One man was killed on hoard the New
York and seven slightly wounded in
the squadron. No serious damage to
any ships reulted.
(Signed) “SAMrSON,”
Admiral Sampson’s statement that
he entered the harbor with only a por
tion of his fleet is taken to indicate
that he did not find it expedient to
take the entire squadron into the har
bor, though it is not believed be has
separated bis fleet. The navy depart
ment officials were at a loss to know
bow bis dispatch reached St. Thomas
until receipt of the Associated Press
dispatch announcing the presence of
tho Yale at St. Thomas.
Details of the Flglit.
Additional dispatches regarding the
bombardment of Porto Bico state that
the forts were bombarded by part of
Beal Admiral Sampson’s fleet until
they were silenced. The enemy’s loss
is believed to be heavy. The American
loss is two men killed and seven men
injured.
After three hours’ firing the admiral
withdrew the fleet, and headed for
Key West. He said:
“I am satisfied with tho morning’s
work. 1 could liavo taken San Juan,
but I have no force to hold it. I only
wanted to administer punishment.
This 1ms been done. I came for tho
Spanish fleet and not for San .Tnan."
The men killed were: Seaman Frank
Widemark.of tho New York; Gunner’s
Mate-, of tire Amphitrite. The
latter died from tffects of the extreme
heat. Of the injured, three were on
board the Iowa and four on board tho
New York.
Ths names of those slightly injured
on the Iowa: Seaman Mitclieli, Pri
vate Marine Merklo, Apprentice Hill.
The injured on the New York: Sea
man Samuel Felton, serious; Seaman
Michael Murphy, and two other en
listed men, slightly injured. The Now
York’s men were injured by the burst
ing of a shell on deck.
The American ships were uninjured.
The engagement began at 5:15 a. m.
and ended at 8:15 a. m. Tbe town in
the rear of the fortification probably
suffered.
Bear Admiral Sampson’s fleet bom
barded the forts at San Juan until they
were silenced. Our loss was two
killed nnd seven wounded, The
enemy’s loss xvas severe. The city
could have been taken but there was
no land forco to hold it. Tho object
in reducing the fortifications was to
prevent the Spanish fleet from running
in under their walls for protection at
some future date.
It was definitely made known at
Washington Friday,despite all Spanish
statements heretofore to tho contrary,
that the Cape Verde fleet is at Port de
Franc, capital of the island of Martin
ique, four hundred miles from Porto
Bico. It is also stated positively received tlmt
the commander of (lie fleet
orders Friday after the bombarding
of San Juan by Sampson to put to sea
at once. Madrid advices received in
day morning state that tbe fleet will
sail for an unknown destination im
mediately. Long out
At 9:40 Secretary information gave had a
statement that official
been received that the Spanish squad
ron had been sighted to the westward
of Martinique.
THE LAFAYETTE WAS 0. K.
An Explanation Is Given Out By the State
Department.
The state department has given out
the following: “In view of the widely
published report that the French mail
steamship.Lafayette, which was recent
ly permitted to enter Havana and d.s
charge her official mail, had violated the
neutrality under which the privilege
was accorded her by the government of
the United States, it is authoritatively
stated that the department of state lias
been satisfactorily convinced lmt
nothing of the kind was done; that no
merchandise whatever no contraband
of war and no Spanish gunners were
recently lauded at Havana by the
Lafayette.
I
Spanish Cabinet
Is Broken.
a New War Cabinet Will He
Named and Will Be Prac
tically Dictated By
Weyler.
Advices from Madrid state that all
the members of the Spanish cabinet
have resigned. Senor Sagasta commu
nicated tbe situation to the queen re
gent, who entrusted him with the task
of forming a new ministry.
The Spanish cabinet which has just
resigned was composed as follows:
President of the council, Senor Sa
gasta; minister of foreign affairs,Senor
Gullon; minister of justice, Senor
Groizard; minister of finance, Senor
minister of Senor
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TOEPEDO BOAT WINSLOW.
Capdepon; minister of war, General
Correa; minister of marine, Admiral
Bermejo; minister of agriculture and
commerce and of public works, Count
Xiquena; minister of colonies, Senor
Moret.
The Liberal cabinet under Senor Sa
gasta was formed shortly after the as
sassination of Senor Canovas Del Cas
tillo, who was assassinated on August
8th, 1897, by an Italian anarchist
named Golli.
Senor Moret, the miuister of the
colonies, has confirmed the state
ment that any changes made in the
composition of tbe cabinet would be
wholly in the direction of a more active
war policy.
Tbe war cabinet to be named will be
practically dictated by Weyler.
The queen regent has charged Senor
Sagasta to form a new cabinet. The
premier, Monday evening, conferred
with the presidents of. the chambers
nnd with Senor Gamazo.
Marquis Vega d’Armijo, president
of the chamber, has advised Senor Sa
gasta to end the crisis as quickly as
possible. Senor Moutero Bios, presi
dent of the senate, has offered his sup
port, but does not desire to enter the
new cabinet. Senor Gamazo, who is
ill, also declines to enter the cabinet,
but he promises to support any minis
try organized by Senor Sagasta.
The difficulty, it appears, is to find
men who are willing to assume office
under the conditions which now pre
vail in Spain. An empty treasury,
internal disorders and the loss of the
Philippine islands, Cuba and Porto
Bico, are not the only problems con
fronting Spanish ministers, and it is
not astonishing that under the circum
stances a military dictatorship lias
been discussed.
PROHIBITS DELIVERY OF COAL.
Oovernor of IbIiwi(1 st . Thollla . Adopt<
strlnacnt sf«tt»nro».
An official announcement just issued
by the governor of the island of St.
Thomas, prohibits the delivery of coal
to warships of tho belligerent powers
without the previous permission of the
governor, who will determine the
amount each vessel may receive and
who will supervise its delivery.
HOSTILE TO ENGLISHMEN,
The British Elect at Coruna In Refused
Provisions By Spaniard*.
A dispatch to The London Standard
f Coruna says: /
The prefleuc of the British channel
^ at Villagarcia is likely to
to BOme unpleasaIlt „ess. The
; , ka of an Anglo-American alliance !
has B0 in fl amod the Spaniards that the
pogtmen f roiu the fleet when on shore
to co n ec t lefters have been stoned.
Threats have been made to stop the
, of provisions to the fleet. The
con8u , proteBte d to the alcaide,
who explained that the popular resent
meut was dne to B belief in the exi8t .
of an al]iance ,
ADMIRAL SAMPSON ('llAMIES HIS
FLANS OF OPERATION.
HE 15 CHASING THE SPANIARDS.
Another Spuninh Huge Revealed anti
Which Will Fail of Its
Purpose.
It was said at the navy department
that Admiral Sampson reported to the
department. Monday by cable from
Cape Haytien. It was also stated that
Admiral Sampson, by reason of infor
mation just received by him, changed
his plans of operations, and instead of
going to Key West, directed his ves
sels toward Oienfuegos.
The Spanish fleet, last seen at Cura
coa, is presumed to be beaded toward
Cienfuegos, and this places Sampson
in chase.
The navy department takes with
great allowance the report that the
Spanish strategists have succeeded in
sending n second sqadron, under Ad
miral Villamil, to the WoHt Indies,
and that it is also off Martinique,
Eveu if the alleged information did
not bear the suspicions earmarks of a
Madrid date, the department would
not be surprised to hoar that Admiral
Villamil, as well sb Admiral Gervera,
was with the Spanish force in the
l'ibean sea.
The fact that the report came from
Madrid satisfies the officials here
this is another ruse to center'
our attention on Martinique while their
ships have passed westward. Vill
The report has it that Admiral
amil has with him the cruisers Cisne
ros, Cataluna and Princess de Austur
ias. It is known, however, that Villa
mil is not the admiral of those ships,
and that at least one of them, the Cis
neros, is on the other side of the
water.
It is also known that Adimral Villa
mil lias arrived with his fleet at Mar
tinique, but this is merely the torpedo
adjunct to tho main fleet and was re
ported when the fleet first made its ap
pearance. the alleged report of
The fact that
the second squadron passed a Madrid
censor indicates the desire of the
Spanish authorities to spread abroad
this misleading information.
Its purpose, it is believed, is to in
duce Admiral Sampson to remain with
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EX8ION WOUTII nXOLF.V.
(First American killed In tbe war with
Spain.)
his fleet at or near Martinique,in quest
of the shadowy second squadron so as
to take him away from the pursuit of
Admiral Cervera and the actual Span
ish game already in sight.
W. C.T.U. NOT ENDORSED.
Methodist Conference at Baltimore Ob
jected to “PoIltUml Work."
A Baltimore dispatch says: The
committee on temperance reported un
favorably at the general conference of
the Methodist Episcopal church a pro
position to endorse tl.e Woman’s
Christian Temperance Union, nnd a
lively debate ensued. The resolution
was opposed “on account of the po
litlcal work of the organization.” After
considerable debate the friends of the
resolution accepted an amendment
which endorsed the temperance work
of the white ribboners.
NO. 18 .
SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND MEN ARE
NOW READY FOR BATTLE.
ORDERS AFFECTING VOLUNTEERS.
A List of Vui loim Division* of Troops nnd
the l’olnta of Concentration for
Each Is Given Out.
A Washington special says: Sixty
five thousand troops Lave been nins
tered in.
The following order has been issued:
“With the approval of the secretary of
war, the following assignment of
troops is ordered by the major general
commanding the army:
H. C. Coubin, Adjutant General.
To Camp George H. Thomas, Chick
awauga. Ga.— Arkansas, two regiments
infantry; Colorado, two troops cavalry;
Illinois, three regiments infantry, one
battery light, artillery, one regiment
cavalry; Indiana, three regiments in
fantry, two batteries artillery; Iowa,
three rogiments infantry; Kausas, one
regiment infantry; Kentucky, two reg
iments infantry, two troops cavalry;
Maine, one regiment infantry; Mary
laud, one regiment infantry;
Massachusetts, one regiment
infantry; Michigan, two regiments in
fantry; Minnesota, two regiments in
fantry; Mississippi, one regiment in
fantry; Missouri, three regiments iu
fantry,one battery light artillery; Mon
tana, four troops cavalry;Nebraska, one
regiment infantry, New Hampshire,
one regiment infantry; New Jersey,
one rigimeut infantry; New York, six
regiments infantry, two troops cav
alry; Ohio, four regiments infantry,
four batteries light artillery, eight
troops cavalry; Pennsylvania, seven
rogimeuts infantry, three batteries
light artillery; South Carolina, one
regiment infantry; Tennessee, two
regiments infantry; Utah, two troops
cavalry; Vermont, one regiment in
fantry; West Virginia, one regiment
infantry; Wisconsin, two regiments
infantry; Wyoming, one troop cavalry;
District of Columbia, one regiment in
fantry; North Dakota, two troops cav
airy; South Dakota, five troops cav
airy; Idaho, one troop cavalry; Ne
vada, one troop cavalry.
Totals, fifty-three regiments infant
ry, eleven light batteries artillery,
one regiment and thirty troops of
cavalry.
To San Francisco, California—Two
regiments infantry, two batteries
heavy artillery; Colorado, one regi
ment infantry; Knnsas, one regiment
infantry; Minnesota, one regiment
infantry; Montana, one regiment in
fantry; Nebraska, one regiment in
fantry; Oregon, one regiment infantry;
Utah, two batteries light artillery;
Wyoming, one battalion infantry;
North Dakota, two battalions infantry;
South Dakota, one regiment infantry;
Idaho, two battalions infantry.
To Key West—Massachusetts, one
regiment infantry.
To New Orleans—Louisiana, Olio
regiment infantry: Texas, two regi
ments infantry; New Mexico, four
troops cavalry; Arizona, one troop
cavalry; Oklahoma, one troop cavalry;
Indian Territory, two troops cavalry.
To Mobile—Alabama, one regimont
of infantry.
To Department Commanders—Ala
bama, one regiment, one battalion;
California, two battalions infantry,
two heavy batteries, two battalions
light battery; Connecticut, one regi
ment infantry, one light battery, two
heavy batteries; Delaware, one regi
ment infantry; Georgia, one regiment
infantry, two light batteries.
To Tybee—Louisiana, one regiment
infantry; Maine, one heavy battery;
Maryland, two battalions; Massachu
setts, one regiment infantry; one regi
ment heavy battery; Mississippi, one
regiment infantry; New Jersey, one
regiment infantry; New York, three
regiments infantry; North Carolina,one
regiment,one battalion infantry; Penn
sylvania,four regiments infantry; three
troops cavalry; lihode Island, one reg
iment infantry; South Carolina, one
battalion infantry; one battery heavy
artillery; Texas,one regiment infantry;
one regiment cavalry; Washington,ono
regiment infantry.
To Washington, D. C.—Illinois,
two regiments infantry; Indiana, one
regiment infantry; Kansas, one regi
ment infantry; Kentucky, one regi
ment infantry; Massachusetts, ono
regiment infantry; Michigan, one regi
ment infantry; Missouri, two regi
ments infantry; infantry; New Jersey, one regi
ment New York, two regi
ments infantry; Ohio, two regiments,
one battalion infantry; Pennsylvania,
four battalions infantry; Tennessee,
one battalion infantry; Virginia, one
battalion infantry.
To Tampa, Fia.—Florida, one regi
ment infantry; Georgia, one regiment
infantry; Illinois, two regiments in
fantry; Iowa, ono regiment infantry;
Michigan, one regiment infantry; New
York, one regiment infantry; North
Carolina, ono regiment; Ohio, two
regiments infantry; Virginia, two reg
iments infantry; Wisconsin, one regi
ment infantry.