Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1898-08-17
THE BATTLE OF GUAYAMA
DETAILS OF THE FIGHTING.
Story of the Puerto Rico Campaign
The Natives as Cautious In Bat
tie as They Were Enthusiastic in
WelcOming-Span Reiterated.

Guayama, Puerto Rico, Aug. S.-(Cor
respondence of the Chicago Inter Ocean
Aug. l5,)-Ever since Guayama was oc'
cuped, three days ago, the natives have
been demonstrative in praising the Amer
leans, and in showing how delighted they
were at the retreat of the Spaniards. To-
day there came change, which was not
at all surprising to those who know the
character of the Puerto Ricans.
1t was just o'clock this afternoon
when a horseman came galloping into
town shouting "Send the dynamite guns
at once The Fourth Ohio is being ami.
hilated."
In less than five minutes the alarm had
spread throughout the town and the
streets were filled with soldiers hurrying
to their quarters.
The natives disappeared as if by magic,
not a 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
tItll dCtloliS tHtN dullClpdltu tllt IT,
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 Ambuscade.
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 G OF the Fourth Ohio, started ear
ly in the morning to reconnoter 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 5
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
tiO iiohts lItiC Ntit HO HbIStS " Idul
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 had been wounded in
the engagement, but it was subsequently
learned that he had been overcome by
the heat
At 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
ambuscade had been made. The road
here took sudden turn to the right,
while 300 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 EarthworLs.
The Spaniards were about 600 yards
away. They were entrenched on one
side behind a blockhouse and on the other
behind earthworks located on the top OF
a hill.
Nothing but shallow ditch on the left
side of the road had saved the American
troops, for that the fire had been blister
ing hot there was shown by the trees,