The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-23
MILES LEAVES PONCE
HE HAS ARRANGED FOR THE EVAC-
UATION OF PORTO RICO.
Military Commission Will Have Lit
tie to Do when 1t Reaches San Juan
-Henry's Men Short of Food.

PONCE. Porto Rico, Aug. 22.-General
Miles and his staff left for home on the
steamer Arkansas tonight. He held a final
conference to-day with General Brooke,
who arrived from Arroyo on the Saltwater
this morning, and General Wilson, whose
headquarters have been moved here.
General Miles has arranged matters gen.
orally with Captain General Macias pre-
paratory to the meeting of the peace com
mission at San Juan. General Macias while
maintaining his outposts, is steadily retir-
ing his forces to the capital preparatory to
their embarkation. Mail communication be-
tween Ponce and San Juan has been estab-
lished and the overland telegraph wires.
which have been severed, will be connected
Immediately All that will remain for the
commission to do, General Miles says, will
be to secure an inventory of government
property transferred to the Americans and
to give receipts to the Spanish authorities.
Captain General Macias, in his various
communications with General Miles, has
shown the best spirit. He is anxious to CO.
operate in bringing about evacuation at
the earliest moment possible, and is placing
no obstacles in the way of the volunteers
returning home.
Lieutenant Colonel Ramery, the highest
reached here last night from Aibonito
Other officers have been coming through
our lines all day. Lieutenant Colonel
Ramery says the Spanish forces at Aibonito
were short of ammunition and water and
entirely dependent for food upon Cayey
They must have suecumbed. he says, as
soon as General Brooke struck Cayey.
According to a letter from San Juan, the
Spanish residents there who fled from the
city have returned and there is great re-
joicing among them that the war is ended
a feeling shared by the soldiers.
Colonel San Martin, former Spanish COM
mander at Ponce, who abandoned the city
on the approach of the Americans, and who
was reported to have been shot for for
saking the city. is in the hospital, sick, He
merchants express their gratitude at his
course, because the flight of his command
prevented the destruction of their property,
and they are raising a subscription for him.
General Miles advised General Brooke
to embark the Spanish prisoners here and
send them Immediately TO San Juan. Ii is
expected that Rear Admiral Schley will he
there in a few days
Most of the troops in the island will re-
main stationary until the final details have
been settled, and they will then march to
San Juan, where they will embark. Gen.
Miles will consult with the authorities at
Washington as to the force that is to re-
main. The volunteers are anxious to go
home.
closed, and for the first time in the history
of the island there was a public Protestant
religious service.
The officers and men on the monitors at
Guanica think il unnecessary for the ships
to remain there any longer. These vessels
are absolutely unsuited for a tropical eli
mate like that here, and the Puritans off,
GERS have sent formal complaint TO Secre-
tary Long.
At Agorda the Spanish troops killed two
natives last Friday.
Senior Lopez, editor of the San Juan Cor
respondencia, is here. He reports that Gov
ernor General Macas. is pushing prepare
tions for the evacuation of the island. The
obstacles in the harbor of San Juan are
being cleared away and a ship loaded with
dynamite has been removed. Gen. Macias,
Senior Lopez says. will return to Spain in a
few days. leaving the details of the evacua-
ton to his SubordinateS
General HenryS men are badly in need of
provisions. The garrison here says it is inn
possible TO transport supplies over the
mountain trail and it has been arranged to
send them TO Arecibo, an open port.
The Sixth Massachusetts. with the Sixth
Illinois Regiment, are without shoes.
General Brooke, who is to be in command
of the island, may leave General Wilson in
direct command of the troops while he
General Brooke) is attending the sessions
of the commission for Porto Rico.