Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-08-12
AN EASY TASK.
American Assurance Over
came Spanish Timidity.
Breaking Of a Sealed Letter the Keynote In
the Situation.

Wheeling, Aug. S-The details " e
bloodless capture OF the principal Of the
Ladrone islands reached Wheeling in a
letter from the naval officer who figured
In the leading role Of the exploit, Lieu
tenant Braunerzruther, executive Of
ficer Of the Charleston. The letter is as
follows:
At Sea and 1000 Miles from Manila.
We have just carried out our orders to
capture the Spanish authorities at the
capital of the Ladrone islands, Agana.
! was selected by the captain to under
take this and given 100 men to land with
as starter / went ashore to have a
talk with the governor about affairs,
and the results were that did not lose
even "A single man. The matter was all
settled in one day, and we are carrying
with us "a soldiers (Spanish) and six Of
ficers, besides a lot of Mauser rifles and
nearly 10000 rounds of ammunition.
l had the whole to handle and did 1t
quickly. The captains instructions
were to wait a half hour for his answer
to our ultimatum, and then use my
troops. l waited and in just 20 minutes
the governor handed me his sealed re-
ply addressed to the captain Of our ship
out in the harbor about four or five miles
off. ! knew this was sealed with the
sole object of gaining time and hence 1
broke the seal. read the contents the
governor protesting and saying that was
letter for my captain. l replied: II
represent him here. You are now my
prisoners. ana Will have to come on
board ship with me-" They protested and
pleaded, and finally the governor said:
You came on shore to talk over mat
tiers, and you make us prisoners instead"
l replied Il came on shore to hand you
letter and to get your reply; in this re-
ply now in my hand you agree to sur
render all under your jurisdiction. If
this means anything at all, it means
that you will accede to any demands |
may deem proper to make. You Will at
once write an 1rder to your military
man at Agana this place was five miles
dstantl directing him to deliver at this
place at =. IN. all ammunition and flags
on the island each soldier to bring his
own rifle and ammunition. and all the
soldiers, native and Spanish, with their
officers must witness this" They pro-
tested and dcmurred saying there was
not time enough to do it, but | said: 1T
must be done"
The letter was written, read by me and
sent. took all the officers with me in a
boat, and at 4 p. m. went ashore again
and rounded in the whole outfit l was
three miles away from my troops. and
had only four men with me. At4p. m.
when l disarmed los men and two Off
GERS, had 46 men and three officers with
me. The keynote to the whole business
was my breaking the seal Of that letter
and acting at once. They had no time
TO delay or prepare any treacherous
tricks, and got the drop" on the whole
OUTFIT as they say out west The native
troops l released and allowed to return
10 their homes unrestricted; they had
manifested great JOY in being relieved
from Spanish rule.
While 1t was harsh, it was war and in
connection with the Spanish treachery
1t was all that could be done. Twenty
four hours would have-ycs, l believe
even four hours with a leader such as
the governor was, lieutenant colonel
in the Spanish army-given them a
chance to hide along the road at Agana,
and at intervals in the dense tropical
foliage they could have almost annihi-
lated any force we could land. The an
proaches to the landing over shallow
coral reefs would have made landing
without terrible loss Of life almost an
impossibility; but all is well that ends
well.
We have increased by conquest the
population of the United States by nearly
1900 people. The capital has a popula-
tion of 5000 people. This harbor in
which we were is beautiful easy Of ac-
cess, plenty Of deep water. admitting of
the presence of large number of YES
sells at the same time. and is an ideal
place for coalinG station. II our gov
eminent decides to hold the Philip
pines 1t would then come in SO we'll
san Francisco to Honolulu, POO miles:
Honolulu to island of Guam, $500 and
thence to Manila. 1000 miles. With a
chain of supply stations like this, we
could send troops the whole year round
If necessary, and any vessel with a
steaming capacity of $500 miles could
reach base of supplies. The details
have scarcely touched upon, but had the
officers and soldiers dreamed for one
moment that they We're to be torn from
their homes. there would, l feel sure.
have been another story to tell, and l
am firmly convinced this letter would
never have been written.