Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-08-19
TIE BATTLE Of GUAYAMA
DETAILS OF THE FIGHTING
story OF the Puerto Rico Campaign
The Natives as Cautious in hat
tie as They Were Enthusiastic in
Northumberland Retrented.

tie as They Were Enthusiastic ,r
Huayama, Puerto Rico, Aug. S.-fCor
respondence of the Chicago Inter Ocean
Aug l5)--Ever since Guayama was oc
cupied, three days ago, the natives hav,
been demonstrative in praising the Amer
leans, and in showing how delighted the,
were at the retreat of the Spaniards. To
day there came a change. which was no,
at all surprising to those who know the
character OF the Puerto Ricans.
1t was just l o'clock this afternoon
when horseman came galloping into
town shouting Send the dynamite guns
at once. The Fourth Ohio is being ami
Inflated"
In less than five minutes the alarm had
spread throughout the town and the
streets were filled with soldiers hurryine
to their quarters.
The natives disappeared as if by magic
not single one of them remaining in
sight. Shutters were hurriedly put up
on all the shops that were open, the hack
men rushed their horses to their stables
and everywhere the natives showed by
their actions that they anticipated the re-
capture of the town by the Spaniards.
The fears of some of the women led
them to seek protection in the cathedral
where they spent the time in prayer. The
whole incident showed how little reliance
can be placed in the sincerity of pro-
American protestations of the natives.
Ran Into an Ambuseade.
The Spanish attack grew out of the
fact that Colonel Colt, Major Dean and
Lieutenant Wardman. the latter of Gen
eral Brooke's staff, had, with Companies
A and c of the Fourth Ohio. started ear
ly in the morning to reconnoiter to the
northward, with the object of ascertain
ing the truth of the reports that the
Spaniards had mined the bridges on the
road to Cayey, whittier General Brooke 3
command is bound.
Knowing the smallness of the reconnoi.
tering party, the report that they had
been attacked by the Spaniards caused
much excitement at the Guayama head
quarters.
A strong force was at once hurried to
the front. There were no horses to haul
the dynamite guns, and the men buckled
to and dragged them over the hills for
five miles to the scene of action.
On the way several struggling privates
OF Company G were met. They reported
that that company and Company A had
been practically annihilated by Spanish
artillery They declared that they were
too tired to fight any more.
1t was also reported that Captain Bid
die of Company c had been wounded in
the engagement, but it was subsequently,
learned that he had been overcome by
the heat.
AT 2 O'Clock the reinforcements reached
a turn of the road and the whole scene of
the engagement lay before them. They
stood directly on the spot where the first
had been made. The road
here took sudden turn to the right,
while 800 yards further on it made a
quick turn to the left. Thus the march
ing troops were exposed at both turns
to fire from the hills on either side.
spnniards Behind Earthworks.
The Spaniards were about 600 yards
away. They were entrenched on one
side behind blockhouse and on the other
behind earthworks located ON the top of
a hill
Nothing but shallow ditch on the left
cil IL of, ho L. II
troops, for that the fire had been blister
ing hot there was shown by the trees,
the leaves and boughs of which had been
torn away by the Spanish shot.
For the greater part of two hours the
Americans lay in the ditch, the Spaniards
meanwhile directing hot fire against
them but not attempting to charge them.
A stampede was started in Company G
by the collapse of Captain Biddle, who
was Frustrated by the heat. When he
fell it was generally believed that he had
been shot.
serious had it not been for Lieutenant
Wardman, who assumed command of the
company and fought CALAMITY through
the engagement. As soon as the rein
forcements arrived he pressed on with
his men to the top of the hill.
Some time before this the enemy had
stopped their cross fire, but as soon Is
the Americans climbed the hill the Span
iards opened a hot fire from the block
house The Americans rushed through
the hail of bullets toward the blockhouse,
and the Spaniards started to retreat.