File No. 837.00/1409a
The Secretary of State to the Consul at Santiago de Cuba ( Griffith )
For Morgan Consul General:2
Your letters July 29, August 3, and August 8 to Stabler received.3 … Importance and urgency of sending American forces to Cuba is clearly realized by Department, and War Department informed this Department July 24 that it would send a regiment of cavalry to camp for ostensible training purposes in vicinity Santiago and requested that Wittenmyer be instructed to proceed to Santiago to choose site. Before report was received from Wittenmyer, Secretary of War decided that it was impossible to spare any forces from Army for this purpose and at conference in White House between Secretary of War and Secretary Navy it was decided to send a regiment of Marines to Guantanamo to carry out State Department policy. Navy informed Department Marines will leave in few days. This change of plan has retarded action.
Reports in press to effect that United States Government declined invitation of Cuba for training camps unauthorized and source unknown. Department is issuing statement to-day to effect that offer of Cuba for training grounds has been accepted and that troops will go in near future; that this offer of President Menocal shows Cuba’s earnest desire to cooperate in war. This statement will be given publicity everywhere. Presence of regiment of Marines in eastern end of Island should restore confidence planters and labor. …