The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-27
OUR FLAG NPORT0R RICO
General Miles Advance Guard
.=- Bouts Spanish Soldiers. ~.
FOUR OF TIE ENEMY KILLED.


the Entire Force Landed without
MisIiap-The Spaniards Taken Conn
pletely by Surprise.
Port of Guanica, Porto Rico, via st.
Thomas d. w. l.. July N.-Tho Uhited
States mllltary expedition under the
command Of Major General Nelson A.
Miles was landed here successfully on
Monday, sitter a skirmish with"a de-
tachment iof the Spanish troops and a
crew Of 80 belonging to the launch of
the United States auxiliary gunboat
Gloucester formerly Mr.. ]. Pierpont
Morgan's steam yacht Corsair. Four Of
the Spaniards were killed and no
Americans were hurt.
The American troops will be pushed
forward promptly in order to capture
the railroa leading to Ponce, which Is
only about ten miles east of this pace
From Ponce there is an excellent mill
tary road running IS miles north to San
Juan.
At noon on Monday General Miles
called for consultation. announcing
that he was determined not to go by
San Juan cape, but by the Mona pas
s"se 's'eau' iaiu here' surprise the
~ epah'a.us anu oeceiVe their milllafy
au'n"''.'es. Inc course was then
oiahssu ana the Dixie was sent 10
warn General Brooke at Cape San Juan.
Early Monday morning the Glouces-
ter. In charge of Lieutenant Com
maHder Wainwright. steamed into
Guanica harbor in order to reconnoiter
VI. p'a.e WIN me nee. Waitins out-
s,.e' s,. 'ne s"han' ''.!e hsntiTs yacnt
ooueoa.o' n,aveu .he nihes "h'cn
W 'uppossu ~ pe III TINS narpor anu
. ". 'ne'e "e se .a'io,i'e VI
ves :" s"oie. uuanica Day -
pa.s' u'iou'usu W eui'iva'eu
."n's, III w. ieai are hisn niountaihs'
nu 80 a, ~ ."e neaen nee''ee V'hase
M q 'ouses'
lug epa"'a..9 were co.hpietey taheh
~ su'p''se' Alii,os' 'ne hle' 'hey khe"
VI .ne appfoa'i VI the army OIL IN
sas'on was III 'ie announcements CON
la'"eu ~ 'he hr'ps Vi gun from tne
o'oue.s'e,' oe'ianuins that 'he SPAN
aus ""u' 'io"' 'ileh iias' "hIoh was
i'a,'ns iioih 'he ,,ass'ah IN front ot
eiochhoose stahulhs 10 the east OF
the ViHage. Ihe 11rst couple OF three
FOUNDERS were iired into the nils right
ana lelt OF 'he Day, purposeiy avoiding
the town, lest the pro1ectlle hurt wO-
men or chitdren. The Gloucester then
move TO within about 6eo yards OF the
shore and lowered launch, having on
board Colt rapid fire gun, and 30 men
under the command of Lieutenant
Huse, which was sent ashore without
encountering opposition.
Quartcrmaster Beck thereupon told
Yeoman Lacy to haul down the Span :
ish flag. which was done, and they
then raised on the flagstaff the first
United States flag to float over Porto
Kican soil.
Suddenly about 30 Standards opened
fire with Mauser rifles on the Ameri-
can party. Lieutenant Huse and his
men responded with great gallantry,
the Colt gun doing effective work. Nor
mon, who received Admiral Cervera's
surrender ard Wood. a volunteer lieu
tenant, shared the honors with Lieu
tenant Huse.
Almost Immediately after the Span.
iards fired on the Americans the Glou-
cester opened fire on the enemy with all
her 3 and 6 Founders which could be
brought to bear, shelling the town and
also dropping shells into the hills to
the west of Guanica, where number of
Spanish cavalry were to be seen
Fastening toward the spot where the
Americans landed.
Lieutenant Huse then threw I'D a
little fort, which he ma ID Fort VAIN
wright and laid sbarbed wire In the
street in front of it in order to repel the
expected cavalry attack. The lieuten- /
ant also mounted the Colt gun and
signalled for reinforcements. which J
were sent from the Gloucester. The nress
dispatch boat CYNTHIA III was the onIv
beat in the harbor except the Glouces.
ter.
While the Mausers were nenner,ns
all around, Lieutenant Commander
respondent and said: They fired on US
after their flag was down and ours was
up and after I had spared the town for
the sake of the women and children
The next town I strike I will blow up"
Presently few of the Spanish cav
airy Joined those who were fighting in
the street of Guanica, but the Colt
barked to a purpose, killing four of
BY that time the Gloucester had the