The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-08-06

threw up an entertainment across the
-strset. mounted the colt rapid fire gun on
its centre, tangled some barbed wire in
front of the entrenchment to repel
possible cavalry charge, signalled for re-
Endorsements and then opened fire on the
Standards with the Colt, with the result
that four of the enemy were soon killed,
ghils not one American was even
wounded. .---s---F
1t was only a skirmish after all. but II
was as gallant little sorimmage as one
would wish to see. The presence OF an
active foe was not suspected after our nag
was raised, and the Spaniards were well
concealed by the houses, trees, etc. OIL
the neighborhood. General Miles stoppea
on his way ashore, boarded the Gloucester
and warmly thanked Lieut.. Commanded
Wainwright for, had not the spanlarus
been uncovered by the Gloucester IRE
many American lives would nave peen
sacrificed in the landing OF the troops
which followed Immediately. Mhen
Lieut.. Huse and his men were renewed
Inv battery of the fifth regular artillery,
and returned on board the Gloucester.
they were most heartily oheered by the
soldiers on the transports and by the
crews Of all the vessels.
1t was probable the Spaniards would
not have been so willing to attack Ihe
Americans if they had been able to see
the big warships and the transports out
side the harbor.
The landing of the troops was conducted
in a methodical manner and was easily
accomplished.
Boat load after boat load of men, and
sometimes long strings of boats towed by
the steam launches of the Massachusetts,
made for the shore and the troops formed
into companies and promptly occupied
the points of vantage in the neighbor-
hood. A strong detachment of our
troops was sent to Yauco, small place
about five miles inland, which forms the
western terminus of the railroad leading
to Ponce, fifteen miles distant, due east.
Ths highway thence is very bad, but the
military road from Ponce to San Juan,
S. miles long, is in admirable condition
and fully adapted for the passage of ar
tillery and munitions of war. The port
of Ponce contains considerable shipping
and before this letter is published the
cable will doubtless have announced the
fall of the second city of fruitful,
beautiful Porto Rico. The island, by the
way, is healthful. if ordinary care is
taken and fears of yellow fever, as an
endemic need not be entertained.
At the request of Col. Whitney of
General Miless staff, who made the
amous reconnaissance of Porto Rico, the
despatch boat of the Associated Press to-
night will take from ST. Thomas to
Guanioa MIR. Philip G. Hanna, consul of
the United States at Porto Rico who
left San Juan at about the time General
Fitzhugh Lee left Havana, and who has
been in St. Thomas ever since. He will
be able to assist Gen. Miles in number
of ways. He will take with him several
Porto Rican guides for the use of the
army. T1.
The English residents of the island of
Porto kico, as a matter of course are eager
for American occupation, and this is
true, Mr.. Hanna adds of the French and
German residents as well.
In the light of the Cuban developments
it may be pleasant to know that the in
surgents of Porto Rico are merely in
surgents at heart. That is to say, they
are neither armed nor organized, and
when our troops have captured Porto
Rico there will be no unsolved problem
to trouble our authorities.
poN,r ,Iu- ouo rEpnnc