Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-08-01
PONCE LIVELY,
Natives Still Celebrating Ad-
vent of American Forces.
Their Excuses Against the Spaniards
Promptly Stopped by Gen. Wilson.
No Forward Movement 10 Be Made Until Re.
Inducements Arrive.

Copyright. 1898, The Associated Press}
Ponce. Porto Rico. Friday July y,
. T. NJ. via St. Thomas. d. W.
l., July 31.-No forward move
ment Of the army is expected
for several days The trans
ports with Gen Brooke's army corps
ana the remainder Of the LIST corps are
slowly arriving. oar troops will prob
ably remain until the bulk Of the army
has disembarked, Only three trans
ports have arrived since yesterday
They have just appeared in the off
ing and only have been made out. Il
has on board the 9TH Ohio Cavalry.
General Miles will retain his head
quarters at the Custom House in the
port of Ponce while General Wilson
will be in immediate command Of the
troops in the city. General Wilson
pushed General Ernst's brigade, CON
sisting of the 2nd and 81 Wisconsin
and the 10th Pennsylvania regiments
out mile and half on the military
road after dusk. last night. retaining
two companies of the 18th to act as
provost guard in the city. Captain
Allison has been appointed provost
marshal and with the ala OF the local
cnnstabulary has preserved excellent
order, almost the entire population of
the city remained in the streets cele-
brating the arrival of the American
liberators. until long after midnight
During the night all sorts of ru-
mors We're brought in to General Will
son. The first was that the Spanish
We're to attack the city in force. In
view of this a strong line of outposts
were maintained by General Ernst
and the men slept on their arms. This
report. however. soon gave way 10 ru-
mors that the Spanish We're retreat
ing. putting entire villages. plantation
buildings and houses to the torch,
numbering and ravishng as they went.
Some Of the wealthy plantation own
ers of the vicinity became terror strik
en- ana appealed wildly to General
Wilson to dispatch troops 70 the res
cue, but it was manifestly Impossible
to divide SO small a force.
None of the reports was confirmed.
when daylight came. except that the
Spanish were in full retreat. That
they INDUCED in excuses of a cruel
indicative character is doubtless true
but the town Of Juana Dias, which
was reported to have been burned,
last night. is known to be standing.
this morning.
General Jose Garcia, who is immedi-
atelv in command of the Spanish reg
ulars-not believed to number more
than 500-was deserted by most Of the
Spanish volunteers in his command.
during the night and they began
struggling back to the city, with the
dawn They Immediately presented
themselves to the provost marshal ana
surrendered their arms.
The appearance of the volunteers
aroused in the breats Of the natives |
who had suffered at their hands III |
the past especially the political pris-
oners who were released when we took |
the city, a desire for revenge, and they !
began TO ferret out all the Spanlards IN |
the city who had ever been in the VOL
unteer service and drag them to the |
plaza. Bloodhounds could not nave
been more savage. Most of the Span
iards in hiding upon being discovered
were hauled in triumph by. hooting'
ieerinc mobs to General wilson |
Headquarters or to the provost mar
shars office in the municipal buh-
dings. Some of the natives even pc
tContinued on page ~
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