The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-07-29
OLD GLORY RAISED.
Miles Lands in Porto Rico and the
Spanish Flag Is Hauled Down.
A SMALL ENGAGEMENT At CUANICA.
Four spaniards Ixnied hut N" Americans
Huft-A Litti. Fort Buiit-Gen. Miles
sends Ia Dispatch About the
situation.

situation.
Port Of Guanica, Porto Rico, July %,
via St Thomas, ID. w. l., July 20. The
United States military expedition un'
der the command OF Maj Gen. Nelson
A. Miles, which left Guantanamo
bay during the evening of Thursday
last, was landed here successfully to-
day, after a skirmish with a detac1-
meht of the Spanish troops and crew
of 80 belonging to the launch OF the
United States gunboat Glouces-
ter. Four Spaniards were killed and
no Americans hurt. The troops were
pushed forward promptly in order TO
capture the railroad leading TO Ponce,
which is only about ten miles east OF
this place. From Ponce there is an ex-
cellent military road running so miles
north to San Juan. The whole OF
Gen. Brooke's force, with the New Or
leans Annapolis, Cincinnati Leyden
and Wasp, are expected here within "a
hours
The voyage from Guantanamo bay
to this port was uDeventful. AT noon
| Sunday Gen. Miles called for con-
sultation, announcing that he was de-
termined not TO go by San Juan cape,
but by the Mona passage instead, land
here, surprise the Spaniards and de-
ceive their military authorities. The
| course was then changed and the
! Dixie was sent to warn Gen. Brooke
at Cape Juan Ponce, which is stu
ated 10 or 20 miles from this port, is
10 the eastward and a harder place TO
take. In addition, tine water at Ponce
is too shallow for the transports TO be
able to get close in shore. Then,
again, Ponce itself Is some little dis
lance from where the troops would
have been able to land II that point
had been selected for the debarkation
of the expedition. One advantage of
this place is that it is situated close to
the railroad connection with Ponce,
which means of transportation our
troops hope to secure to-day.
Monday morning the Gloucester, in
charge of Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright, steamed into Guanica
harbor in order 10 reconnoiter the
place. With the fleet waiting outside,
the gallant little fighting yacht braved
the mines which were supposed
to be in the harbor, and found that
there was five fathoms of water close
in shore. The Spaniards were taken
by surprise. Almost the first they
knew of the approach OF the army OF
invasion was in the announcement
contained in the firing of gun from
the Gloucester demanding that the
Spaniards haul down their flag. which
was floating from flagstaff in front
of a blockhouse standing TO the east
of the village. The Gloucester then
, hove TO within about 600 yards Of the
, shore and lowered n launch having
on board a Colt rapid fire gun and 81
} men under the command Of Lieut.
, Huse. These were sent ashore with
ont encountering opposition. Quar-
J termaster Beck thereupon told Yeo
man Lacy TO haul down the Spanist
] flag, which was done, and they theT
E raised upon the flagstaff the frs
: United States flag to float over Porte
Rican soil.
e Suddenly about 80 Spaniards opened
: fire with Mauser rifles on the Ameri
: can party. Lieut.. Huse and his mel
D responded with great gallantry, thu
Y Colt gun doing effective work. Nor
d men, who received Cervera's surrender
and Wood, volunteer lieutenant
= shared the honors with Huse. Al
I most Immediately after the Spaniard
e fred upon the Americans the Glouces
n ter opened fire upon the enemy, shell
IS ing the town and also dropping shell
l. in to the hills to the west of Guanica
a where n number of Spanish cavalr
a was TO be seen Fastening toward tn
l. spot where the Americans had landed
i Lieut. Huse then threw up a littl
e fort, which he named Fort Vain
d wright
l. GEN. MILES SENDS A DISPATCH.
l. Washington, July a. The followin
d dispatch was received yesterday frol
l. Gen. Miles:
n St Thomas, July %. 90 Secretary Of Wa
a Washington: Circumstances were such tn
- ! deemed IL advisable to take the harDor
~ Guanica first, 10 miles west OF Ponce, Whit
was successfully accomplished between da.
light and II O'Clock. Spaniards surprised III
Gloucester, Commander Wainwright, first eT
e tered the harbor; met with slight resistanc
,s fred a few shots All the transports are nc
a in the harbor and infantry and artillery ra
- idly going ashore. This Is well protect
n. harbOr The water Is sufficiently deep for
a. transports and heavy vessels to anchor with
is 200 yards OF shore The Spanish flag was lo'
=, cred and the American nag raised at II o'clo
X to-day. Capt Higginson, with his fleet, h
d rendered able and earnest assistance TT
IN troops in good health and best OF spirits
q, casualties Miles, Major General Comman
al ing Army, "