Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-27
Miles Changed Plans.


uneyentful.
Miles Changed Plans.
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 San Juan.
Port Guanica has been fully described by
Lieut.. Whitney of General Miles staff who
recently made an adventurous tour of
Porto Rico.
Ponce which is situated ten or fifteen
miles from this port, is to the eastward and
harder place to take. In ADDITION, the
water at Ponce is too shallow for the trans
ports to be able to get close in shore. Ponce
itself is some little distance from where the
troops would have been able TO land if that
point had been selected for the debarka-
ton 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 Lieut. Commander Wainwright.
steamed into Guanica harbor in order to
reconnoiter the place. With the fleet wait
ing outside, the gallant little fighting yacht
Gloucester braved the mines which were
supposed to be in this harbor and found
that there were five fathoms of water close
in shore.
Guanica bay is quiet place, surrounded
by cultivated lands. In The rear are high
mountains and close to the beach nestles
village of about twenty houses.
The Spaniards Surprised.
The Spaniards We're completely taken by
surprise. Almost the first they knew of
the approach of the army of invasion was
in the announcement contained in the firing
of a gun from the Gloucester, demanding
that the Spaniards haul down their flag,
which was floating from a flagstaff in
front of blockhouse standing to 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 or children.
The Gloucester then hove TO within about
coo yards of the shore and lowered launch
having on board a Colt rapid-ftre gun and
thirty men, under the command of Lieut..
Huse, which was sent ashore without en-
countering opposition.
QuartermaSter Beck thereupon told Yeo-
man Lacy to haul down the Spanish flag
which was done, and they then raised on
the Flagstaff the first United States flag to
float over Porto Rican soil.
Suddenly about thirty Spaniards opened
fire with Mauser rifles on the American
party. Lieut.. Huse and his men responded
with great gallantry, the Colt gun doing
effective work. Norman who received Ad-
miral Cervera's surrender, and Wood, a
volunteer lieutenant, shared the honors with
Lieut.. Huse.
Almost Immediately after the Spaniards
fired on the Americans the Gloucester open
ed fire on the enemy with all her three and
six Founders which could be brought To
bear, Smelling 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.
Shelied the Town.
Lieut.. Huse then threw up little fort
which he named Fort Wainwright, and
laid barbed wire in the street in front of
1t in order to repel the expected cavalry
attack The lieutenant also mounted the
Colt gun and signaled for achievements
which were sens from the Gloucester The
Associated Press dispatch boas Cynthia ii
was the only boat in the harbor except the
Gloucester.
While the Mausers were pepper;ng all
around Lieutenant Commander Wainwright
called to the Associated Press correspond
emit and said: They fired on us after their
flag was down and ours was up and after
l had spared the town for the sake of the
women and children. The next town /
strike will blow up
Presently a few of the Spanish cavalry
joined those who were fighting in the