Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-07-28

ny tllC OpdllidluS LAPCCt u
(Copyrieht, 1898, by the Associated Prcsa)
Port of Guauico Island Of Porto Rico,
July -, . =. m, via the Island Of st.
Thomas. Danish West Indian Islands. July
2G.-Morning-Thc United states military
expedition under the command of Major
General Nelson \. Miles commanding the
army of the United States which lett
Guantanamo Bay during the evening of
Thursday last July q was landed here sue
cesSfully to-day after IA skirmish with a
detachment of the Spanish troops and a
crew of 80 belonging to the launch of the
United states auxiliary Gunboat Glouces-
ter. formerly Mr.. J. Pierpont Morgan :
steam yacht Corsnir. Four of the Span
iards were killed hut no Americans We're
hurt.
The American troops will he pushed for
ward promptly i'm order to capture the
railroad leading to Ponce. which Is only
ten miles east Of this place. From hence
thor" is an excellent military road ran.
ming about live miles north to san Juan
de Porto Rico. the capital of the island.
The whole of Gen. Prooke's force with the
New Orleans, Annapolis. Cincinnati. Ley
den and Wasp are expected here within Il
hours.
nr ships left Guantanamo BaI sudden
ly on Thursday evening with the Nussa-
ginson. leading. Capt. fIginson was IN
charge of the naval expedition which con-
consisted of the Columbia, Dixie, G.ouccs-
ter and Yale Gen. Miles was on board the
last named vessel. The troops were on
board the transports Nueoos. Lempaus,
Comanchie. Rita, Union, City of Macon
and specials. This was the order in which
the transports entered the horbor here.
th- ,oyag" from Guantanamo Bay to
this port was unevcntful. At noon yes
tcrday Gen. Miles called for a consultation
announcing that he was determined not To
go by san Juan Cape but to 90 ny the
Mona Passage. instead, land here sur
prise the Spanards and drive back their
military authorities. The course was thsn
changed and the Dixie was sent to warn
Gen. Brooke at Cape San Juan, Porto
Guanico (also written GuaniCa), which has
been fully described by Lieut. Whitney Of
Gen. Miles STAFF who recently made an
adventurous tour Of Porto Rico. Ponce +
situated about ten miles according tO
some maps. and about Is miles accord
Ing to other maps from this port. 1t Is "a
the westward ana a harder place to take
In addition tho water at Ponce Is too shall
low for the transports to be able t. got
close IN shore Then again Ponce tscll
II some little distance from whore the
troops would have been able to land II
that point had been selected for thu de-
h1rkaton Of the expedition. one advan-
tagc of that place is that II is situated
close to the railroad connecting with
Ponce, which means of transportation our
troops hope to secure to-day.
'a.y TINS morning the Gloucester In
charge Of Lieut.. Commander Vain
wriGnt, formerly of the Maine ana one ot
the heroes of the naval battle of Santi-
axe de Cuba, steamed into GuanlCo hur-
Dor in order to rcconnoitre the place
With the fleet waiting outside the galan,
little l9hting yacht Gloucester braVcG tHC
mines which were supposed to be in mis-
harhor and lpon sounding found that
there were five fathoms of water close N
shore. GudnlCo bay is IA quiet place sur
rounded by cultivated plains In the rea!
are high mountains and close to he beach
nestles villas, of about twenty houses
Thc Spanidrds were completely taken by
surprirc. Almost the first they knew OF
the approach of he army of invasion was
in the announcement contained in the flr-
ing of a gun from the Gloucester, sauCily
! demanding that the Spanards haul down
the dag Of Spain, which was floating from
| a flag statf IN front of block house
standing to the east Of the village. Tho
first couple OF three FOUNDERS were firCd
into the hills on tho iGht ana left of The
bay and in order to scare the enemy as
the lighters purposcy avoided firing into
the town lest their projectilcs hurt the
women and children. The Gloucester
then hove to within about Cj0 yards OF
shore and lowered "A launch having on
board colt rapid firing gun and 80 mer
under the command Of Lieut. House and
she went ashore without encounterinG OPP
position. Quartcrmaster Berk thercupor
told ycom0n Parry to haul down the
Spanish flag, which was done, and they
then raised on the naRstafr the first Uni
tod States nag to lloat over Porto Rican
soil
u, o,Ig vr
with Mauscr rifles on the American party
Lieut. House and his men responded with
great gallantry, the colt gun doing eff
fcCtiVc work. Norton, who received Ad-
miral Ger, cras surrender, and Wood, tho
volunteer lieutenant, shared the honors
with Lieut.. House Almost Immediately
after the Spaniards fired on the Ameri-
cans the Gloucester opened fire on the
enemy with all her three and six FOUNDERS
which could be brought to bear, shelline
the town, and also dropping shells int
the hills to the west of Guanico. where
4 number of Spanish cavalry were to be
seen Fastening toward the spot where
the Americans had landed Lieut.. House
then threw up Il little fort which he
named Fort Wuinwright and laid harbed
wire in the street in front of 1t in order
TO repcl the expected cavalry attack The
lieutenant also mounted the Colt gun and
signalled for rcinforcemonts, which were
sent from the Gloucester.
The Associated Press despatch boat
Cynthia was the only boat in the harboI
except the Gloucester. while the Mauscrs
were pepering all around Lieut. Com
mander Wainwright called on the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent and said
They fred on us after their fias was
down and our was up and after | had
spared the town for the sake Of the wont
en- and children, The next town l strike
! will blow up"
Presently a few of the Spanish cavalry
joined those who We're lighting in the
street of Guanico but the Colt barked tc
purpose, killing four of them.
| by tnat time the Gloucester had the
range of the town and of the block hous,
ana all her guns were splitting firc, tn,
doctor and tho paymastcr helping to scrv,
the guns, Soon afterwards company OF
Igalloping cavalry men were seen CLIMBING