Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-22

with Whom n Disastrous Battle II
subsequently Fought-Bravery of Com
Pany Boys.
The Argus has received the follow
in q decentralization from its war cor
respondent with Gen. Miles Porto
Rican expedition, giving details and
personal mention in connection with
events which have gone into history
| and told of in general in the regular
press dispatches at the time:
Ponce Porto Rico, u. S. A, Aug. g.
We arrived at Guanica Monday, July
%, and were unloaded the same day.
This is the way it was done: The
Gloucester steamed into the bay at .
4. IN. and fired two shots to draw fire
from the enemy, but there was no
enemy to return the fire. He had
gone and so had the Porto Ricans.
They had all taken to the woods eX-
cept one old colored man, who came
to the beach to tell us that the city
was ours, and we at once put Old
Glory on the mayors house. Then
we were told to unload. This was q
very bad job. At o'clock Il. III. We
were called to arms, and four COM
panies of the 9th Massachusetts, were
sent out to stop the enemy from COM
ing into the city. So we went out,
with Gen. Garretson at the head. We
marched four miles, when we were
suddenly attacked from hill bv
about eight hundred Spaniards. You
should have seen me hug the ground.
Our men found bitches and COM
menced firing at the enemy, who
suffered great losses, think so killed
and ID wounded. OF the 9th Illinois
there were four men there. Mai. An
thony, Lieut.. Whiteside, Ben Sears
and myself. Our loss WAS two
wounded and none killed. If we had
had their position on the hill we
would have Killed all of them, but we
had to shoot up hill, which makes it
very hard TO aim good. Company \
the first IS hours was on outpost duty
on Il mountain. and | can tell YOU
truly they are a brave lot of fellows,
as Spanish bullets came thick and
fast.
The rest of the week passed with
out much happening. Saturday the
whole camp left for Ponce, and two
of the 9th Massachusetts,.
together with the sick, DR.. Whiteside
and few nurses and myself were left
behind. We did not know how long
we would remain there, but Monday
came the good news that we would
70 to Ponce by boat. But at my own
request | was allowed to ride my
horse over land to Ponce. | left
Guanica at o'clock Tuesday morn
ing, arriving at Yauco at 8. This is
Il pretty place of about 5000, and
there are some fine stores and homes.
Everyone on the island say they are
Porto Rico Americans. | left Yauco
at IL O'Clock, arriving at Guayanilla
at I. In riding through the latter
city l was stopped by a French
gentleman (who was appointed
mayor by Gen. Miles,, who wished
to show us good time, and
all he could say was lager beer.
So we dismounted and went into his
house, where we were received by Il
lady who speaks English well. We
very much. This is truly beautiful
but there are many funny
things which we do not see in our
country. One is the oxen hitched to
wagons by simply tying them by the
horns to u yoke, and then they have
long sticks with nail in the end and
they keep jabbing them right or left
as they wish to go. The people here
are much better than the Cubans.
They work hard and are more enter
prising than our southern people. |
They are quick to grasp at anything
TO make money. l think that the war
s near an end, as we all hope, for we
have undergone many hardships. |
The march the boys rad from Guam
ia to Ponce was wearisOme. The |
roads were bad and rocky.
In Search OF Two Captains.
] left our camp last night i'll search |
If two captains who left the boat sick. |
was suddenly taken sick myself and |
ell off nv horse. l was picked up |