The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-13

! beyond San German, midway between
that place and Mayaguez. the troops en-
countered their first real opposition. Al
that point. a mile or so 10 the rorthwar I'd
| OF Il G main highway, there stands the
/ village of Horrigueros, a small town upon
the hillside. But HormiSueros boasts a
cTaIte de infanteria, an army barracks
| The structure, like all Of .;s kind that
have seen, is urge and imposing. 1t IS
! blilt of brick, painted yeiiow with white
| triron irg s, with a high tower. The build
| ing IS square AMI surrounds ~ ample cen
! trail courtyard. The Quartet at Hormigu-
eros, was the headquarters of Spanish
battalion. which is practically the equiv
alent of an American regiment in its
numerical strength. Here an engagement
took place.
There was bit Of sharp infantry FIR
ing, with sharp casualty list for both
sides. But it was hardly even skirmish
fight. My driver illustrated the scene
with great admiration as 1 passed it on
my way. His finger pointed out the line
of march of the "Americanos." The index
was suspended to indicate a certain spot.
A vigorous and staccato Pom m-m, -
meant that the artillery had halted at
that point and tried a shot or two. Then
the word "Espanol,'' an animated rotary
motion of the hands; and the pointing
out of the Hills behind the Quartet made
sufficiently clear the manner in which the
valiant Spaniards had tumbled over each
other in their efforts to get away behind
the SUBMITS which formed the pictures
que background of the village OF Hormi-
gueros. It was not much of a fight, but
it put the American flag in the place Of
the Spanish bandera over Spanish mill
tary edifce. The Spaniards might have
within the next few miles. They might
have decimated the American ranks by
guerilla firing. They might almost have
played the mischief with us, generally.
But they appeared to have been utterly
ratified" They would seem to have been
terror-stricken by the appearance of an
army which fired as it moved forward,
and moved forward always.
This army did not stop, Spanish fashion,
for a grand celebration of its victory at
Hormigueros. 1t left a small detachment
as a garrison, and went on its way. This
detachment might have been very easily
swallowed up by a return of the Span
iards from their flight across the hills,
but they SEEM TO have been too much in
terested in getting some where else.
Mayaguez was occupied practically with
out resistance, and the army pushed on
toward Aguadilla and Lares. Anasco was
occupied, and Aguarda was virtually oc-
cupied. The Spanish troops fell back to-
ward Lares, with the Americans in hot
pursuit. They were overtaken on the bank
of a river near Las Marias, and a rather
snappy little gagement took place. Gen.
Schwan's report, think, give the Spanish
loss as five killed and fourteen wounded.
He tells me that later reports received
from those who have come in and those
who have been brought in assure him the
losses from the American fireing from
death by drowning in crossing the river,
were very many times the number re-
ported. Las Marias was occupied, and
the troops pushed onward toward Lares
and Aguadilla. Then came the truce. An
other twenty four hours would undoubt-
eddy have found Gen. Schwan in posses
sion of both places, as both had been
practically evacuated, and in control of
the western part of the island. The Ameri
can losses throughout the whole campaign
amounted to two men killed and one Of
fcer and seventeen men wounded.
1t was not grand campaign. 1t was
not an affair Of which a thrilling history
could be written. 1t occupied barely more
than a week. But 1t was well planned
and well executed, and only came short
of complete success through the procla-
nation of the armistice before it was pos
sible TO cover the whole territory. But It
was not a picnic. The hospital records
viii show that. One of the dangers and
hardships of such a march it is difficult
to obtain an adequate idea without some
practical knowledge of the conditions of
which it was made. Nor were the troops
unduly crowded forward. There was no
disregard of life or health. The hardships
were only the inevitable attendants of the
conditions. II the march was to be made
at all, it could only be made as it was
made.
To understand what 1t means to march
through a drenching rains. and under
broiling sun. sleeping at night on damp
ground and under heavy dews, one needs !
to try little of it. had very little of
il one day, and got all 1 wanted, when
I accompanied a little bunch of the engin-
eer corps on a trip across the nils for
q AiAL els t4ktE4A LklAES II W d. 4+DA 4 very
had day either, though we came through 4
half dozen mountaoin showers, which |
as I had lost my czin coat the day before,
turned me. body and clothing. into
soaked and saturated pulp. I became !
rather more than a -'demned, damp. moist /
body" Most OF the men had /
their ponchos. but they are sorry pro
lection against such storms. Then the !
ret sun would come nut and turn every |
thing into steam bacn with an apparen- |
OF several thousand degrees. !
Bu; Twas better of than my mpanioas. !
for I had horse 10 which I could resort !
il 1 saw 1T, though I was very glad 70 /
use aim for the benefit o. some Of tie |
boys, who were lmping and ho0oiiug pain |
fully along wiki blste-ad feet in WORKOUT /
shoes. I saw enough OF i. however. 20
fairly well what that SORT Of /
thing means.
The merit OF the M@yargez expedition I
lies N the prompt and 5uslness-iike way f
in wh.-a +. Aas carried oct. n the pluck /
and sl7~dJ1ood ST aged by the troops /
who we're engaged ii II. 81 the valor 4
shown IN such encounters win the enemy j
as came in their way. and their patient /
endurance Of hardship and discomfort Il +
may not have been d grand campaign I; 1
was not on q big enough scale Tor that 4
But honor lies with these men OF our 1
regular army. WITH the Eleventh regiment ]
OF Infantry. with Troop 4 q the Fifth 4
cavalry. With c Battery Of the Tni~d and /
n Battery % the Fifth Artillery. L would 4
also seem fitting that. If there be any i
stars going as rewards OF merit for ser
vices during mis- campaign IN Porto Rico.