The herald., 1898-08-10
QUIET AT PORTO RICO
TROOPS ADVANCING ON SAN
JUAN BY EASY STAGES
NO MORE REINFORCEMENTS
Miles Believes He Has All the Troops
He Will Need in Taking
the City


Associated Press Special Wire
PONCE, Aug. 9, morning.-Gen. Miles
will probably leave the Adjuntas road IN
u day or two with troop OF the secofo
cavalry Telegraphic communication mas
| been established between his headquarters
here and all the moving columns, but re-
ports this morning show that all Is quiet.
Gen. Wilson's headquarters now are at
Dascalabrado river. Gen. Wilson In person
made a reconnaissance within sight of the
Spanish outposts entrenched a mile this
side of Coama, and he estimates that the
Spanards are 400 strong at that point.
| Gen. Ernests brigade of the two batter
les, which is encamped here, INDUCED IN
target practice yesterday.
Military Telegraph
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-Gen. Greeley is
advised that 100 miles of military telegraph
are now in operation In Porto Rico, con-
meeting the points occupied by the United
States troops with the cable station at
Ponce.
Insurgents Repulsed
MADRID, Aug. 9, 4 p. m.-An official dis
patch from San Juan de Porto Rico has
been received by the minister OF war, Lieut..
,
under Col. Pinto, has entered the town OF
Fajardo, previously occupied by the Amer
leans. who, on retiring, took their flag with
them. According TO the same dispatch, a
force Of insurgents attempted to surprise
the Spanish outposts at Arecibo on the
north coast Of Porto Rico, but were re-
pulsed. several insurgents being taken
| prisoners.
Movements Of Troops
| PONCE, Island of Porto Rico. August
8, evening. delayed in transmission)-
General Henry, with the Sixth Illinois
and the Sixth Massachusetts,, viii movo
tomorrow by way of A1untas on Arecibo,
which is about twenty miles north Of Alum
tas as the crow flies. A short stretch of the
road that the troops will have to follow
is in a very bad condition. Practically all
our troops will then be. In motion, in four
columns. towards the capital Of the is
land. San Juan de Porto Rico.
| General Schwan Is at Yauco, General
Wilson is near Coamo and General Brooke
is at Guayama,
The Porto Ricans enlisted by General
Stone have been engaged with small
Spanish outpost between Ajuntas and Utu-
ado on the road to Arecibo. A skirmish
took place last night and during the ex-
| change of shots, one Spanish officer was
killed.
| MaJor-General Miles. with several troops
of cavalry, expects to follow General Henry
In day or two. If peace Is promptly de-
c'ored General Miles will he the first to
enter San Juan. going from Aricebo by
railroad to the Porto Rlcan capital.
In view of the news received here about
the progress Of the peace negotiations, all
the American army officers appear TO be-
lieve that there will be no more fighting.
The fleet is in the harbor of Ponce, and
Captain Rodgers of the Puritan, who is
In command, expects orders at any time to
proceed to San Juan de Porto Rico.
Good Progress
NEW YORK. Aug. "a dispatch TO the
Herald from Ponce, via st. Thomas, says
| General Miles invasion of the Island of
Porto Rico is progressing in highly sat-
isfactory manner. Nothing has taken place
to interfere with the plans finally decided
upon by General Miles and the American
troops are gaining advanced ground every
| day.
| This plan Of having the army march
| upon San Juan from four directions Is
regarded as one Of General Miles shrewd-
est moves. He has the Spaniards In COM
plete doubt and has arranged a large
enough force under each General to insure
| successful resistance against Spanish at
| tacks.
| At the same time, by this plan General
Miles speedily will have several thousand
troops shut up in the vicinity of Aibonito
unless the enemy should change its plans
and hasten to San Juan over the military
road.
There will be a formidable American
force ready to advance upon the Porto
Rican capital with the troops under Gen
eral Schwan at Arecibo. 1t is probable
that much of the artillery to be used in the
siege of San Juan will be sent to Arecibo
by transports and taken from there to San
Juan by rail.
This will be work easy of accomplish
ment and General Henry and General
Schwan undoubtedly will be able to form
a junction with the other troops as soon as
they can march to the capital. No opposi-
ton Is expected by the American troops
in the execution of this plan. All our men
are light hearted and there is plenty of
good food for all. The forage for the horses
is superb.
| GeueIdl MILES Is SINlIlS his peTSOHdl u
tention to the management of the details
Of the campaign. He intends to press for
ward to San Juan regardless of the peace
negotiations until orders come from Wash
ington for hostilties to cease.
No More Soldiers
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-The Secretary
of War has stopped the dispatch Of fur
Their reinforcements to Porto Rico.
General Miles reported by cable this
morning that the force at his command
was ample for the purpose of completing
the conquest of the island. This leaves all
Of General Wade's provisional corps of
eighteen regiments still in the United
States. 1t is believed that all of General
Wilson's division, except the Third Ken
lucky and Fifth Illinois, have already
sailed and they will be allowed TO proceed.
The two regiments above named are at
Newport News and will be detained there
until the department has arranged for
their further detail.
|