3-086-474 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Spanish-American War: the United States Mobilisation at Tampa: picket line and wagon train, 1898. 'From a Sketch by our Special Artist, Mr. H. C. Seppings Wright. A wholly different series of warlike operations is about to be commenced by the landing of troops in Cuba at the worst season of the year, for the military campaign necessary to besiege, in the eastern part of that island, the fortified and strongly garrisoned town of Santiago, and subsequently, if the war be prolonged till autumn, the city of Havana, without which captures the American conquest of the island cannot be secured. The first portion of the army destined for the invasion of Cuba, embarked on board a large number of transports from Tampa, in Florida, under command of General Shafter, sailing with a naval convoy squadron from Key West to the eastward, passed on Saturday through the Windward Channel, between Cuba and Haiti, off Cape Maysi, round the eastern extremity of Cuba, and has reached the south coast, where Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley have vigorously maintained the naval attack on the port of Santiago, and have reinforced the small party of marines landed at Guantanamo, some distance eastward of that city.' From "Illustrated London News", 1898.