The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-17
SPANISH LACK OF ENTERpRIsE.
Abandoned Bridges and Trenches in
 Porto Rico Without Restsfnnce.

Porto Rico Without Resistance.
 Ponce, Porto Rico, Aug. 3, 1S9S-Had the Spaniards been enterprising they could have administered some severe punishment to the American invading forces here. For week after the first landing was made at Guanica we had small detached forces at various little points, miles from support, which might have been surprised and cut to pieces, or captured, had the enemy been bold and dashing. With but two regiments ashore guarding our base and without cavalry or guns, Colonel Rulings, with two battalions of the Fourth Pennsyl- vania, advanced out on the main road to San Juan, over which the Spaniards retreated,, and established two compa- nies at Juana Diaz, eight miles away. Six companies were held in reserve in the rear of the town.
 Considering the force at his command, Colonel Rulings disposed of his men ad- mirably, but the Spaniards, who at first considerably outnumbered Colonel Hull ings' force, could at any time have flanked him. The broad fields which stretch away on each side of the mili- tary road are covered with growing su- gar cane from six to ten feet high, and would afford shelter to an army corps. But the Spaniards did not attempt to molest the small invading forces, al- Ia,J ,1Io q information regarding our location and numbers. They did not even attempt to waylay the little attachments which Colonel Rulings sent out on the various roads for reconnoitering purposes. Oc- casionally these reconnoitering parties would run into a Spanish outpost and retire, but the next day, when a recon noissance in force would reach the spot, the Spaniards would have disappeared
 Evidences were continually found be- tween Juana DiaZ and Coama, fourteen miles beyond, of contemplated resist ance, which had been abandoned at the sight of our uniforms. Bridges were found ready for mining, trenches were begun and abandoned. The Spaniard seems to fight best when his back is against the wall. It was so at Santia- go; it will probably be true here. He seems to dread the first onset, but once the fighting is begun, he shows an utter indifference to death. Thus, without striking blow, the main Spanish force which had been stationed here retreated all the way to Aybonito, while the small garrisons in the towns and villages, af- ter committing all sorts of depredations and terrorizing the inhabitants. were all drawn in at that point.
 Perhap it is no small wonder that they grew faint t-hearted when con- fronted with the Americans who had dealt them such heavy blows by land and sea; but it must also be said in their defense that San Martin. their commander here, was considered a rank coward for evacuating Ponce, and it took the Spanish troops some time to rally after the demoralizing example set by him. When Otega, his superior, took command, San Martin was sent to San Juan under arrest. The wholesale desertion of volunteers doubtless con tinued also to the early demoralizat tion of the regulars. It is a tribute to the soldiers of Spain, however, that not one of them deserted. The volunteers are a poor lot. Most of them are na- tives or Spaniards anxious to get into the public service. They joined the