Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-07-26
CALLED FOR CONSULTATION,

announcing he was determined not to
go by San Juan cape, but by the Mona
passage instead, land here, surprise the
Spaniards, deceive their military au-
thorities. The course was then changed
and the Dixie was sent to warn General
Brooke at Cape Juan. Port Guanica
has been fully described 10y Lieutenant
Whitney, of Gen. Miles staff, who re-
Gently made an adventurous tour
through Puerto Rico. Ponce, which is
situated ten or fifteen miles from here,
is to the eastward, and harder place
to take in addition the water at Ponce
is too shallow for transports to get close
in shore. Then again Ponce itself is
some little distance from where the
troops would have been able to land, If
that point had been selected for the de-
barkation of the expedition. One ad.
vantage of this place is that it is sit
uated close to railroad connection
with Ponce, which means the
transportation of our troops. Early
this morning the Gloucester, in charge
of Lieut. Commander Wainwright,
steamed into Guanica harbor, in order
to rec0nnoitre. With the fleet waiting
outside, the
GALLANT LITTLE FIGHTING YACHT
braved the mines supposed to be in
the barbor, and found there were five
fathoms of water close In shore. Qua
MICA IS surrounded by cultivated lands.
In the rear are high mountains and on
the beach nestles village of about
twenty houses. The Spaniards were
completely taken by surprise. Almost
the first they knew of the approach of
the army of invasion was the firing of
gun from the Gloucester, demanding
that the Spaniards haul down the flag
floating from a flagstaff in front of a
block house, standing to the east of the
village. First, couple of three pound
ers were fired into the hills right and
left of the bay, purposely avoid
ing the town lest the projectiles
might hurt women or children. The
Gloucester then hove to within about
600 yards of the shore. lowered her
launch, having on board Colt rapid
fire gun and thirty men, under COM
mand of Lieutenant Huse, who was
sent ashore without encountering 0p.
position. Quartermaster Beck there
upon told Yeoman Lacy
TO HAUL DOWN THE SPANISH FLAG,
which was done, and they then raised
on the flagstaff the first United States
flag to float over Puerto Rican soil.
Suddenly about thirty Spaniards opened
fire with Mauser rifles on the Amecican
party. Lieutenant Huse and his men
responded with great gallantry, the Colt
gun doing effective work. Norman, who
received Cervera's surrender, and Wood,
Volunteer Lieutenant. shared honors
with Lieutenant Huse. Almost i'm
mediately after the Americans were
| fired on, the Gloucester opened fire on
the enemy with all her three and six
Founders, which could be brought to
bear, shelling the town, also dropping
shells into the hills west of Guanica,
where a number OF Spanish cavalry
were seen Fastening toward the spot
where the Americans landed. Lieu
tenant Huse then threw up little fort
which he named Fort Wainwright.
Bulletin.-He laid barbed wire in the
street to repel the expected cavalry
attack. The lieutenant also mounted
the Colt gun and signaled for reinforce
ments, which were sent from the Glou-
cester. The Associated Press dispatch
boat Cynthia III. was the only boat in
the harbor except the Gloucester. While
the Mausers were peppering all around
Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
called to the Associated, Press cores
pondent: "They fired on us after their
flag was down and ours up, and after ]
had spared the town for the sake of the
women and children. The next town
strike will blow up" Presently a few
Spanish cavalry joined those fighting ir
the street of Guanica, but the Coll
barked to the purpose of killing four
BY that time the Gloucester had thu
range of the town and blockhouse, anC
her guns were splitting fire, the doctor
, and paymaster
HELPING TO SERVE THE GUNS,
Soon afterwards the white coated gal
Hoping cavalrymen were seen climbing
the hills to the westward. and the foo
soldiers were scurrying along the fence
: leading from the town.
: BY 9:45 a. m. with the exception o
J a few guerilla shots, the town was wo
] and the enemy driven out of the neigh
: borhood. The Red Cross nurses and
: detachment of regulars were the first t
| land from the transports. Lieut.. Hus
!. deployed small force into the suburbs
but he was soon reinforced. ALI tn
9 boats, men-of- war and the transport
were used in landing the troops, e4c
d steam launch towing four or five boat
: loaded to the sails with soldiers. But e'
:. erything progressed IN an orderly mar
q ner. and according to the plans of Gen
n Miles. The latter went ashore abor
r noon, after stopping to board tn
0 Gloucester and thank Lieut.. Com
t mander Wainwright for his gallant &C
tion.