Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-07-28
LANDING OF TROOPS.
FOUR SPANISH SOLDIERS KILLED.

|
Guerillas Scatter Before the GIoucester's
Six-Pounders Good Military Road
Leads From Guanica to San Juan.
| Captain Higginson Renders
Efficient Aid
PORT OF GUANICA, ISLAND OF PORTO
RICO, July 25.-(Via St. Thomas, July
27.)-The United States military ex-
pedition under the comm and of Major
General Nelson A. Miles, commanding
the army of tne United States which
left Guantanamo pay erncing the even
ing of Thursday last, July 2l, was
landed here successfully today, after
a skirmish between detachment Of the
Spanish troops and crew of 80 belong
ing to the launch of the United States
auxiliary gunboat Gloucester, formerly
Mr.. Pierpont Morgan's steam yacht
Corsair. -Four of the Spaniards were
killed and no Americans were hurt.
The troops were pushed forward
promptly in order to capture the rail
road leading to Ponce, which is only
about 10 miles east of this place.
From Ponce there is an excellent mil
itary road running so miles north to
San Juan.
The whole of General Brooke's force,
with the New Orleans, Annapolis, Gin
cinnati, Leyden and Wasp, is expected
here within "a hours. The ships left
! mo rtar 1,a1y
day evening, with the Massachusetts,
commanded by Captain F. J. Higgin-
son, leading. Captain Higginson was
in charge of the naval expedition,
which consisted Of the Columbia, Dixie
Gloucester and Yale. General Miles
was On board the last named vessel
The troops We're on board the trans
ports Nueces, Lampasas, Comanche,
Rita, Unionist, Saltwater, City of Ma
con and Specialist This was the order
in which the transports entered the
harbor here.
The voyage from Guanta namo bay to
this port was uneventful. At noon
yesterday General Miles called for a
consultation, announcing that he was
determined not to go by San Juan cape,
but by the Mona passage instead, land
here, surprise the Spaniards and deceive
their military authorities The course
was then changed and the Dixie was
sent to warn General Brooke at Cape
Juan.
Ponce, which is situated 10 or 15 miles
from this port, is to the eastward, and a
harder place to take. In addition the
water at Ponce is too shallow for the
transports to be able to get close in
shore. Then, again, Ponce itself is
some little distance fromwhere the troops
would have been able to land if that
point had been selected for the debark-
alton Of the expedition. One advantage
of this place is that it is situated close
to the railroad connection with Ponce,
which means Of transportation, our
troops hope to secure today.
EARLY this morning the Gloucester, in
charge of Lieutenant Commander
Wainwright, steamed into Guanica
harbor in order to reconnoiter the place.
The Spaniards were completely taken
by surprise. Almost the first they
knew of the approach Of the army of in
tanned in the firing of gun from the
Gloucester, demanding that the Span
iards haul down their flag, which was
floating from a flagstaff in front of a
blockhonse standingto the east of the
village. The first couple of three.
Founders were fired into the hills right
and left of the bay, purposely avoiding
the town lest the projectiles hurt women
and children.
The Gloucester then hove to within
, about 600 yards of the shore and low.
cred launch, having on board Col.
rapid-fire gun and thirty men under
) the command of Lieutenant Huse
, which was sent ashore without encoun.
tering opposition. Quartermaster Beck
: thereupon told Yeoman Lacey to haul
down the Spanish flag, which was done
and they then raised on tho flagstaff the
first United States flag to float over
!. Porto Rican soil.
Suddenly about 30 Spaniards opened
+ fire with Mauser rifles on the American
party. Lieutenant Huse and his mel
, responded with great gallantry, the Coli
gun doing effective work. Normen
who received Cervera's SUR Or, and
| Wood, a volunteer lieutenant, shared
, the honors with Lieutenant Huse.
Almost Immediately after the Span
iards fired on the Americans, the
, Gloucester opened fire on the enemy
) with all its three and six-pounders
. which could be brought to bear, shelline
/ the town and also dropping shells into
the hills to the west of Guanica, where
| a number Of Spanish cavalry were to be
seen Fastening toward the spot where
, the Americans had landed.
Presently few of the Spanish cav
5 airy joined those who We're fighting il
the streets of Guanica. but the Colt