The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-18
JANUS-FACED VOLUNTEERS
WHO CURSED AMERICANS ONE DAY
AND WELCOMED THEM THE NEXT.
Lament of a Sugar Planter-The In
vaders Greeted by the Poor Natives
The Great Military Road.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

ildFS duHl1LlSl0Teu some severe punishment
to the American invading forces here. For
a week after the first landing was made at
Guanica we had small detached forces al
various little points, miles from support,
which might have been surprised and cut
to pieces or captured had the enemy been
bold and dashing.
With but two regiments ashore guarding
our base, and without cavalry or guns, Col.
Rulings. with two battalions of the Fourth
Pennsylvania, advanced out on The main
read to San Juan, over which the Spaniards
retreated, and established two companies at
Juana Diaz, eight miles away. Six COM
panes were held in reserve in the rear of
the town. Considering the force at his COM
mand, Colonel Hulings disposed of his men
admirably, but the Spaniards, who at first
considerably outnumbered Colonel HUI
ings's force, could at any time have f1anked
him. The broad fields which stretch away
on each side of the military road are COW
cred with growing sugar cane, from six to
ten feet high, and would have offered shell
ter to an army corps. But the Spaniards
did not attempt to modest the small invad-
ing force, although they must have had
plenty of information regarding our location
and numbers. They did not even attempt to
waylay the little attachments which Col.
Hulings sent out on the various roads for
accommodating purposes. Occasionally these
accommodating parties would run into a
Spanish outpost and retire, but the next
day, when reconnaissance in force would
reach the spot, the Spaniards would have
disappeared.
Evidences were continually found between
Juana Diaz and Coama, fourteen miles be-
yond, of contemplated resistance, which had
been abandoned at sight of our uniforms.
Bridges were found ready for mining,
trenches were begun and abandoned. The
Spaniard seems to fight best when his back
is against the wall 1t was so at Santiago.
He seems to dread the first onset, but, once
the fighting has begun, he shows an utter
indifference to death. Thus, without strik-
ing a blow, the main Spanish force, which
had been stationed here, retreated all the
way to Aibonito, while the small garrisons
in the towns and villages, after committing
all sort of depredations and terrorizing the
inha bitants were all drawn in at that point.
SAN MARTIN A RANK COWARD. -
Perhaps it is no small wonder that they
grew faint-hearted when confronted with
the Americans, who had dealt them such
heavy blows by land and sea- but it must
also be said in their defense that San Mar
tin their commander here, was considered
a rank coward for evacuating Ponce, and it
took the Spanish troops some time to rally
after the demoralzing example set by him..
When Otaga, his SUPERIOR took command,
San Martin was sent to San Juan under ar
rest.
The wholesale desertion of the volunteers
doubtless contributed also to the early de-
moralzation of the regulars. 1t is a tribute
one of them deserted. The volunteers are
a poor lot Most of them are natives or
Spaniards anxious to get into the public
service. They joined the volunteers because
no man can live on the public IN any capac-
ity in Porto Rico Unless he is enrolled as a
volunteer. With the prospect of immediate
American control over the islands, these
people took the first opportunity OF desert
ing.
French ship captain, who was at Guam
lea when the first landing was made there,
American pigs that day with abundant
Spanish profanity, who, two days later,
were greeting our soldiers at Ponce with
prOfuse proteStationS of friendship for us
and maledictions upon Spain and everything
Spanish. These two-faced wretches are SIM
ply time-servers. Many of the Spaniards Of
the better class make no such protestations,
although they are genuinely glad that the
end of Spanish rule, with Its exactions and
expressions, is at hand: They do not forget
whose achievements were so many and SO
great, and they view with grief the final
ruin of SPANS military glory.
The writer lodged one night last week
at the hacienda of rich sugar planter, just
outside of Juano Diaz. The planter was a
Spaniard. His wife and children were born
in Spain. They were rather frigid at first,
but when they ascertained that the writer
and his companion were correspondents, not
officers, they gradually became more genial.
and after disposing of a bottle of fine old
Madeira, the old gentleman actually wept.
Not he said, because the Americans were
to possess the fair island of Porto Rico He
had been in America and fully realized that
with out conquest would come progress and
many advantages to the inhabitants. He
wept. he said, because the Spanish soldiers
had basely deserted their flag and dishon-
ored their country. To be defeated, to yield
to superior force-that was honorable. But
to f1ee-that was disgraceful. Then, as his
eyes lighted up he said: But Otaga and
Macias will retrieve the national honor.
They will fight They may die. but they
Spaniard. who honestly rejoiced because of
the prospective American conquest bewail
the fact that thus far the invasion had been
bloodlesS. He desired to see the island con-
quered, not surrendered.
WELCOMED BY THE POOR.
TIE Porto Rican natives. especially the
poorer classes. have given us the most en-
thusiastic welcome. They had dreamed Tor
years of the time when the hands of the
oppressors would be removed from their
throats, and now it has come With the
exception of few Of the rich, they seem
to care little about the independ ence of the
island. The old revolutionists ambitious for
political power, inquire anxiously if we will
retain POSSESSION of the island, and shout
enthusiastically for Puerto Rico libre,"
but the great majority cares little for in
dependence, perfectly satisfied with the con-
viction that we have come to drive out the
Spaniards.
Last Tuesday the writer accompanied
accommodating expedition under Gen. Roy
Stone, of Pennsylvania, into the mountains
north of Ponce. 1t was remarkable in more
ways than one. General Miles had ascer-
tanned that the enemyS position at Aibon-
decided to turn the left flank of the Span
ish position by landing General Brooke's
forces at Arroyo and thence moving his coll
umn to Cayey, in the rear of The Spanish
position at Aibonito. The advisa bility of
a movement by our left flank was also dis
cussed. This could be done if the road
across the mountains to Arecibo, on the
north coast. was passable. The reports
we're that there was a fine carriage road
from Ctuado to Arecibo. The only question
was as to the character of the road as far
as the former point. General Stone VoIun-
teered to make the reconnaissance He took
with him several men of the signal corps,
four newspaper correspondents. in car
riages, armed with Remfngtons, and a com
pany of the Second Wisconsin. The start
was made at noon. The road led straight
up to the top of the mountain for ten miles
and the infantry company was soon far be-
ponies, and went up the mountains on gall
lop. except when the reckless drivers
stopped to breathe the animals. IL was
right into the heart OF the enemy's coun-