Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-08-11
THE PORTO RICO CAMPAIGN.
American Troops Steadily Moving
Toward San Juan.
ARE WELCOMED Everywhere,
Almost the Whole Southern Half OF the
Island Under Control OF Gen. Miles
Navy Ready to Bombard San Juan's
Fortifications at Amy Time.


unteers are surrendering themselves
with arms and ammunition. Four
fifths of the people are overjoyed at
the arrival of the army Two thous-
and from one place have volunteered
to serve with us. They are bringing
in transportation, beef cattle and other
needed supplies. The custom house
has already yielded $4,000. AS to the
government and military occupation
/ have given instructions based upon
those issued by the President in the
case of the Philippine islands and sim
liar to those issued at Santiago"
Col. Hulings, with 10 companies of
the Sixteenth Pennsylvania, has oc-
occupied Juan Diaz. about eight miles
northeast of Ponce, on the road to San
Juan. The American flag was raised
and greeted with great enthusiasm by
the populace. The American troops
have also reached Coamo, about 16
miles northeast of Ponce, on the road
to San Juan. Thus far they have met
with no resistance. The first real re-
sistance is expected when our troops
reach Aibonito, 80 miles northeast of
Ponce. Aibonito has thousand feet
elevation. The military road to San
Juan is broad and well beaten and
will offer no such difficulties to the
passage of artillery and supply trains
as did the soggy and almost unbroken
trails of Cuba to the advance of Gen.
Shafter.
Capt. Goodrich, commander of the
auxiliary cruiser st. Louis, seized the
ports and harbors of Arroyo and Quay
anna. 40 and 45 miles, respectively, east
of Ponce. and hoisted the Stars and
Stripes over both places. They will
probably be used as a base of opera
tions for the second division of the
American army. the advance of which
under Mai.-Ge Brooke was landed at
Arroyo by the st. Louis. Gen. Brooke
at once marched north and took the
town of Cayev, on the military road
which runs from Ponce TO San Juan,
and directly east of Aibonito. Thus
Gen. Brooke will be able either to dis
regard the Spanish force at the latter
point and to push on TO San Juan or to
close in upon it from the rear. The
natural strength of the Spanish strong
hold at Aibonito and the character of
the defensive works erected there ne
cessitated flank movement and this
is what Gen. Brooke accomplished.
Gen. Miles. having received informa-
ton that the fine military road from
Ponce to san Juan had been mined by
the Spaniards between Jaun DiaZ and
Aibonito formed new plan, in accord
ance with which Gen Stone, with
| some Wisconsin troops pressed rapidly
toward Arceibo, on the northern coast
of the island and Gen. Brooke will adj
vance toward San Juan from Arroyo.
Gen. Stone, after occupying Adjuantas,
to the north of Ponce took Co. G, See
ond Wisconsin, as far north as Utuado,
10 miles beyond Adiuantas. The road is
impracticable for the transportation of
artillery and wagons, but the cavalry
and infantry will have no trouble in
advancing by this route to Arceibo
from which point railroad and good
! dirt road extend TO San Juan. The ar
tillery and wagons will sent by trans
ports to Arceibo.
While San Juan is thus being threat
ened from the west by the advance of
Gen. Stones troops, those under Gen.
Brooke will have seized the Ponce mil
itary road beyond the danger points
and from which place the Americans
can advance rapidly. The Spanish
forces which prepared to resist the
Americans at Aibonito are likely to
find themselves beset by Americans on
both sides, as the forces from Ponce are
steadily pushing forward and their
outposts are now 20 miles beyond Ponce.
The American navy has occupied as
a harbor and base of supplies for the
San Juan operations large bay within
the line of islands and reefs at San
Juan point. 25 miles from MORO castle.
! This splendid anchorage was unsus-
pected. The outside seems to be made
up of small islands. The entrance to
| the channel is tortuOus. Fourteen OF
our ships are there and others are COM
ing and when the American army APP
pears before San Juan. The fleet will
lombard the Notifications and make
other diversions TO keep the enemy
busy at every point while the army at
tacks the city from the land side.
Gen. Brooke's advance guard entered
Guyana after sharp sl<irmishing, in
which several ON both sides were
wounded. The Spanish force at Guy.
amo, numbering 500, were driven back
toward Cayey with the loss of one
killed and two wounded. Gen. llaines
occupies the town. Maj. Flaglers
forces, while accommodating nea,
Coamo. ran into the enemy's picl1ets.
and was fired upon. Thirty shots were
fred, but no one was injured.
Gen. Stone set large force of natives
at work clearing a road from Adjunta>
to Utuado and then a general advance
of the American forces at Ponce began
c. c. Campbell's grain elevator ano
general store at Atlanta was totally
4. nGS n bn,.t - ZOO.