The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-08

OLA LETTER AND A DISPLAY OF
FTRalNEss AND NERvD FIGURED
IMAM EXPLOIT THAT WILL LIVE.
Through the kindness Of Hon. Au-
gustus Pollacl, the 1uteaigencer IS per-
mitted to reproduce this morning, LETT
ter received from Lieutenant William
BraunerGreut9Ier U s. N, formerly In
Structor at the LdnslN and now exec
ttiye officer on the cruiser Charleston,
which sailed from San Francisco to rein
force Admiral Dewey in Manila Bay,
ana en- route captured the principal city
and capital Of the Ladrone Islands Be-
yond the fact that Lieutenant Braun
eEsreuther was the officer detailed by
Captain Glass to effect the capture, lit
ne has become known Of the details Of
the exploit, and the graphic story told
by the hero Of the occasion in the fol-
lowing letter Will be Thoroughly enjoyed
by the Inteldgencer's readers, many Of
whom are personal friends Of the leu
tenant. The exhibition OF cool Ameri-
can nerve on the part Of the lieutenant,
which made It possible TO do the thing in
Just twenty nine minutes and With the
entire absence Of bl0odshed possibly
fnds no parallel in American history
The letter follows:
.. s. s. CHARLESTON,
AT Sea and 1000 Miles From Manila
June "a, 1893,
Ny Dear Mr. Poiiack:-Distance. you
see, Is unable to sever friendships such
as ours. / have left Mare Island, leaN-
ing the navy yard for good. and the
family. for the time being In Vallejo,
Just across the river. They are 10 re-
main there until L can arrange to have
them Join me in Japan, or perhaps even
In Manila. We have just carried out
our orders to capture the Spanish au-
thorities ut the capital of the Ladrone
Islands, Agana. was selected by the
captain to undertake this Job and given
100 men to land with, as a starter.
went ashore 10 have a talk with the
governor about affairs and the results
were that ] did not lose even a single
man. The matter was all settled In one
day and we are carrying with US Atty
four soldiers (Spanlsh) and six officers
besides q lot OF Mauser rifles and nearly
10000 rounds Of ammunition. had the
whole to handle and did 1t up quickly.
The captains Instructions were to wait
q half hour for his answer to ultima
ttim, then use my troops. waited
and In ttst twenty-niHe minutes the
governor handed me his sealed reply,
addressed to the captain OF my chip out
in the harbnr about four or i've miles
OF,
knew this was sealed with the sole
object of gaining time, and hence
broke the seal, read the contents, the
governor protesting and saying that was
a letter for my captain. replied:
II represent him here. You are now
my prisoners, senors, and will have to
come on board ship with me"
They protested and plead and finally
the governor said:
,'You came on shore to talk over mat
tens and you make US prisoners In
stead"
/ replied:
II came on shore to hand you a letter
and to get your reply; in this reply. now
IN my hand you agree to surrender all
under your jurisdiction. If this means
anything at all, It means that you will
acceda 10 any demands / may deem
proper to make. You will at once write
an order to your military man at Agane,
the capital (this place was five miles
distart), directing him to deliver at this
place ut D. M Ut was then 1880 q nH'
June 21st), all arms and ammunition,
and all Spanish flags on the island. Each
soldier to bring his own rife and arnnu:.
milton, and au the soldiers native and
Spanish, with their officers, must witness
They protested and demurredt saying
there was not time enough to do It, but
! said: "Senors, It must be done"
The letter was written, read by me and
sent I took all the officers on board
with me in boat, and at p. m went
ashore aEaau and rounded in the whole
oUtft. was three miles away from my
troops and had only four men with me-
Al an. M, when dlsaTmed l0S men and
two officers, I had foFty-six men and
three officers With me- The Keynote TO
fbe whole business was my breaking the
eea3 Of that letter and acting at once.
They had no time to delay or prepare
any treacherous tricks, and got the
drop on the whole outfit as they say
out west
lowed TO return to their homes unEe-
gtricted; they had manifested great JOY
n being relieved from Spanish rule. 1t
was i1arsh treatment TO tear these Span:
in oficers from their families and
homes and business affairs, and
without any change Of cioihlUg, but 1t
fad to be done, and they were given
chance to write letters to their wives re-
ouegting that clothing be sent down to
them to 20 on board Mt 4 p. mt While It
was harsh, It was war, and In connection
with the Spanish treachery It was all
that could be done. T'wenty-four hours
Wo1iid have-yes, believe even four
hours with leader such as the COVER
nor was, lieutenant colonel IN the
Spanish arIny-givep them q chance 70
hide along the road to Agana and NJ IN
4ervats In the dense tropiCNf foAage they
could have almost hnndhilhted any ioTce
We cotSd land The approaches to the
sanding over shallow coral reefs would
have made r. landing without terrible
iosg OF life almost an mpossibtS5ty-but
Eali is well that ends well"
We have increased by conquest, the
no1uiatfoH OF the United States by
nearly 1900 people. The capital has
population Of 5000 people. This harbor
IN which we were is beautiful, easy OF
access, plenty OF deep water, admitting
AZ the presence Of large number o.
vessels at the same time, and IL an ideal
Mace for a coating station. II our gov
ernment decides TO hold the Philippines.
II would then come in so well; san
Francisco to Honolulu. 2.100 miles; HON.
olulu TO the Island OF Guam, $500; and
thence to Manila, 1000 miles. With
chain OF supply stations like this we
could send troops the whole year round,
II necessary, and any vessel with q
gteamlnE capacity OF $500 miles, could
enoHtt a ftusa NJ RHnRiipH.