The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-27

Macon and Specialist This was the or
der in which the transports entered tie
harbor here
The voyage rom Guantanamo bay TO
this port was uneventfuL At noon yester-
day General Miles called for a consulta-
ton, announcing that he was determined
not 70 go by San Juan cape. but by the
Mona passage instead. land here. sur
prise the Spaniards and deceive their
military authorities. The course was
then changed and the Dixie was sent to
warn General Brooke at Cape juan
Port Guanica has been fully described
by Lieutenant Whitney of General Miles
staff, who recently made an adventurous
tour of Porto Rico.
Ponce, which is situated ten or eleven
miles from this port, IS to the eastward
and harder lace to take. In addition the
water at Ponce Is 100 shallow for the
transorts to be able TO get close in TO
shore. Then again, Ponce itsea Is some
little distance from wner5 the troop
would have been able TO land If that
point had been selected for the debarka~
ton of the expedition.
Ollo SJIf VI LAAiS place 10 l4iclI ~ 40
situated close 10 the railroad connection
with Ponce. which means OF transporta-
ton our troops hope to secure today.
Early this morning the Gloucester, n
charge o Lieutenant Commander Vain
wright, steamed into Guanica harbor in
order to reconnoitre the place. With the
feet waiting outside the gallant little
fighting yacht braved the mines which
were supposed to be in the harbor and
water close in shore.
Guanica bayis quiet place. surround
ed by cultivated lands. In the rear ore
high mountains and close TO the beach
nestles a village of about twenty houses.
The Spaniards were taken completely
by surprise. Alm"st the irsI they knew
Of the approach or the army of invasion
was in the announcement contained in
the firing of 4 gun from the Gloucester.
demanding that the Spaniards haul down
their flag. which was floating from a
flag staff in front OF E. block house stand
ing to the east of the village. The first
couple Of 3-pounders were fired into the
hills right and left of the bay, purposely
avoiding the town, lest the projecuies
hurt women or children. The Gloucester
then hove to within about 600 yards OF
the shore and lowered launch, having
on board a Colt rapid firing gun and
thirty men under the command OF Lieu
tenant Huse. which was sent ashore
without encountering opposition.
Quartermaster Beck thereupon told
Yeoman Lacey to haul down the Spanish
flag, which was DONE and they then
raised on the flag staff the first United
States flag 10 float over Porto Rican
soil.
Suddenly about thirty Spaniards opened |
fire with Mauser rifles on the Amer ca I |
party. Lieuter3nt Huse and his party |
responded with great gallantry, the Colt |
gun doing effective work. Norman. who |
CerYera's surrender, and Wood, |
a volunteer lieutenant, shared the honors |
with Lieutenant Huse.
Almost Immediately after the Span
iards fired on the Americans the Glou-
cester opened fire on the enemy with all !
her three and six-pounders which could |
be brought to bear, Smelling the town |
and also dropping shells INFO the hills to
the west of Guanioa, where a number OF |
Spanish cavalry were seon fastening to |
the spot where the Americans had |
landed.
Lieutenant Huse then thew up a little !
fort which he named Fort Wainwright.