Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-06

SCENE OF THE LANDING.
The transports were slower than the
porpoises that cumsily gamboled around
them, and there was a feeling OF relief
when General Miles. on Sunday morning
| headed south by west into the Monapsj,
and IT became known that the southern,
| and not the northern. coast OF Porto
Rico was TO be the scene OF the landing
| OF the American army on the Island OF
Porto Rico.
| Early on Monday morning the Glouces-
| ter formerly ]. Pierpont MOrgan's yacht
Corsair). commanded by Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright turned boldly
toward the Porto Rican coast and steam
ed into the harbor OF Guanca Steadily
the Gloucester went, ahead OF the Massa-
chusetts. the Yale and the Columbia,
| not to mention the tardy transports, her
lead line constantly going and her com
| mander pointing out. outside, the points
which embraced the harbor, the safest
| anchorage for the big warship
As the Massachusetts and her consorts
let go their anchors Lieutenant Command
or Wainwright headed the Gloucester into
the pert, and for a time she was lost
10 view. Shortly afterward the reports
Of her s-pounders were heard. and then
silence followed. The dispatch boat there
upon obtained permission to enter the
harbor and steamed in after the Glou-
cester.
a HAVEN OF REST.
The harbor Of Guanica Is an exquisite
place-a vertable haven Of rest-with high
! mountains for n background a bay OF
considerable extent a plateau Of Guilt
waited meadowland stretching from the
beach 70 the mountains, a score or so OF
shore. a sugar-mll on the right. a block
house distant a couple of miles on the
left, and directly in front of the place a
small log house, before which foated the
Spanish flag.
As the dispatch-boat entered the harbor
those on board OF her saw the launch Of
the Gloucester, with a rapid-hre Colt gun
in her bow, land about thirty sailors I'M
der Lieutenant Huse. The little party
promptly advanced on the run 10 the spot
from which the flag was floating. The red
and yellow of Spain was quickly hauled
down, and then up went the Stars and
Stripes on the Spanish flagstaff a hearty
cheer echoing over plains and heights
a few minutes later there was a spite
full spatter OF bullets around the GIouces-
ter and the dispatch-boat from n squad
OF Spanish soldiers who were concealed
Guanica. which runs direct from the
beach. In less time than It takes TO tell
IL the treacherous guerrilla-like foes, who
had not fired a shot while their flag was
up. were fleeing in every direction before
the answering fire of the Americans
ashore, backed up by the guns Of the
Gloucester. on board Of which even the
doctor and paymaster took a hand in
serving the pieces. The four 6-pouuders
Of the converted yacht merrily shelIed
the block-house and the hills 10 the west.
sending some Spanish cavalry. on their
way to reinforce Guanico, scurrying to-
ward the mountains like jack rabbits be-
fore prairie fire.
THREW UP INTRENCHMENTs.
Ashore, Lieutenant Huse and HIS men
had not been idle "As much for practice
as anything" as he put it, they threw up
an intrenchment across the street. mount
ed the Colt rapid-hre gun on its centre
tangled some barbed wire I'm front Of the
intrenchment TO repel a possible cavalry
charge, signaled for endorsements. and
then opened fire on the Spaniards with
the Colt, with the result that four OF he
enemy were soon killed, while not one
American was even wounded.
1t was only a skirmsh, after all, but II
was as gallant a little "scrimmage" as
one could wish TO see. The presence OF an
active foe was not suspected after our
flag was raised, and the Spaniards were
well concealed by the houses, trees. and
trenches Of the neghborhood.
General Miles stopped on his way
ashore, boarded the Gloucester, and warm
ly thanked LieUtenant-Co Vain
wright, for had not the Spaniards been
uncovered by the Gloucesters fire, many
a American lftrn-
need in the landing of the troops, which
followed Immediately.
When Lieutenant Huse and HIS men
were relieved by a battery Of the Filth
Regular Artillery and returned on board
the Gloucester, they were most heartily
cheered by their shipmates, by the sol
diers on the transports, and by the crews
Of all the vessels I'm sight.
HIDDEN FROM VIEW.
1t is probable the Spaniards would not
have been so willing TO attack had they
been able 10 see the big warships and |
the transports outside the harbor. but |
these vessels were hidden from Guanica |
by the points Of land on each side Of the |
harbOr entrance.
The landing of the troops was conduct |
ed in methOdical manner. and was |
easily accomplished, having been care |
lully planned. BOdl-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 i'm the neighhorhood. strong
Of troops was sent 10 Yauco
a small place about five miles inland.
which forms the western terminus Of the
railroad leading to Ponce. fifteen miles
distant due east. The highway thence is
very bad, but the military road from
Ponce to San Juan, eighty-five miles long.
adapted for the passage Of artillery and
munitions of war.
The port of Ponce contains considerable
and before this letter is pub
lished the cable Will doubtless have an
nounced 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 yelow-feVer as an
epidemic, need not be entertained
There may be fighting, shut IT is safe to
predict that there will not be 80 many
American casualties as at Santiago be-
tore Old Glory replaces the Spanish flag
over tho Moro Of San Juan.
AT the request of Colonel Whitney, Of
General Miles's stan, who made the
famous reconnaissance OF Porto Rico, the
OF the Associated Press
tonight will take from st. Thomas TO
iuanica Philip c. Hanna, Consul of the
United States at Porto Rico, who left
San Juan about the time General Fitz-
lugh Lee left Habana, and who has been
n st. Thomas ever since. He will be