The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-12
GALLANT WORK OF MARINES
CAPE SAN JUAN LIGHTHOUSE DE-
TENDED BY A SMALL FORCE.
Eight Hundred Spaniards Forced to
BeIated Dispatches from Miles.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 11.-several dis
the War Department to-day. The most i'm
portant was one from General Schwan to
General Miles and forwarded by the latter.
General Schwan reports sharp fight with
the enemy and a decided victory His mes
sage follows:
Camp near Hormigueros. Aug. 10.-The
advance guard, including cavalry, of this
command while accommodating northwest of
Rosario river, near Hormigueros, developed
a strong Spanish force, which lay con-
ceaed in the hills north of Mayaguez. In
a general engagement that followed Lieut..
Byron, Eighth Cavalry, my aid-de-camp,
was wounded in the foot and Private Fern
berger, Company d, Eleventh Infantry, and
one other private were killed and fourteen
enlisted men wounded. 1t is reported that
the most, if not the entire Spanish garrison
of Mayaguez and surrounding country, con-
sisting of one thousand regulars and two
hundred volunteers, took part in the en-
gagement We drove the enemy from his
position and it is believed inflicted heavy
loss. A wounded Spanish lieutenant was
found in the field and brought in our lines.
The conduct of officers and men was be-
yond all praise. 1 propose to continue my
march on Mayaguez at an early hour to-
morrow
A helated telegram from General Wilson,
dated Aug. 8, was also forwarded from
Ponce by General Miles. 1t reads:
General Ernest's brigade captured
Coamo at $50 this morning. The Sixteenth
Pennsylvania, Colonel Hulings commanding,
led by Lieutenant Colonel Riddle. of my
staff. having made a turning movement
through the mountains, striking the Alb
onto road half a mile beyond town, cap
tured the entire garrison of Coamo about
$50 men. Spanish Commander Illeroa and
Captain Lopez were killed Our loss was six
wounded, only one seriously. Men and off,
GERS behaved excellently.'
General Miles adds: Colonel Hulings and
Colonel Biddle are especially to be COM
mende6:. This is a very important capture
and we'll executed. Names of wounded as
soon as received here" Another cablegram
from General Miles, dated Aug 10, gives the
following list of wounded in the Sixteenth
Pennsylvania in the skirmish beyond CO.
amo, Aug. 8:
Corporal Barnes Company E. left side.
Private C. C. Frank, Company C, right
side
Private George whitlock. Company c,
right side.
Private L. Ubold, Company. e, right ell
bow.
Private E. V. Jolly. Company f, left arm.
Still another dispatch from General Miles,
dated Ponce Aug. 10, says he has estab-
lished telegraphic communication with Gem
eral Brooke, who reports that in a skirmish
on the Sth inst. with the enemy about three
miles north of Guayama General Hains
forced the enemy to retreat No one was
killed, but the following men of the Fourth
Ohio were wounded:
Capt. Edward Q. Thompson, Company x.
in right breast.
Private Samuel ]. Jones, right knee.
Private Noble w. Haniacker, Company C,
in ankle
Private Harry S. Haines. Company C, in
right foot.
Private William Jeddington, Company A,
in right hip.
General Greely has received a dispatch
from Colonel Allen who is now at Ponce,
stating that the telegraph lines have been
extended, first from Ponce through Quay
anna and Arroyo to the headquarters of Gen.
eral Brooke; second, through Guayama to
the headquarters of General Wilson, third,
through Adiuntas and Utuado to the head
quarters of General Stone, and, fourth,
along the coast TO Guanca. The lines all
extend 10 the cable station, and they place
this country in communication with more
than half the island of Porto Rico.
A telegram was sent to General Miles to-
day giving him directions as to tariff and
other charges in the Island of Porto Rico.
The new duties will be similar in general
outline to those put in force prelimnarily
at Santiago. A regular tariff schedule for
Porto Rico will be prepared soon.
Few people are aware of the heavy ex-
pense attached to cable communication
under existing conditions between the gov
ernment here and General Miles and the
naval commanders at Porto Rico The rea-
son assigned for the heavy cable tolls is
that it is necessary to use very circuitous
route and transfer through several different
cables in order to reach New York from
Ponce General Greedy. chief signal officer.
hopes to better this condition very shortly.
The French cable passes about twelve miles
northward of San Juan on the north coast
and it is the expectation of General Greedy.
with the consent of the cable officers, to
have this cable cut at that point and a
landing made on the north shore of Porto
Rico, where cable station will be ordered.
The immediate result will be to afford much
more direct communication between Porto
Rico and the United States and cut the
cable tolls in half. The French cable officials