The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-18
RETURN OF GEN. ERNST.
Commander of the First Brigade Dis
cusses the Campaign in Porto Rico.

Commander of the First Brigade Dis
cusses the Campaign in Porto Rico.
NEW YORK, Oct. 1.-THE United States
transport Minnewaska arrived to-day and
was cleared from quarantine at 4:1O p. m.
On board of the transport were General O.
H. Ernst and staff and the Sixteenth Penn
sylvania Volunteers, about one hundred men
of the Third Wisconsin Volunteers and
number of convalescents from the hospitals
in Cuba and Porto Cuba. There were also
about fifty civilians, among whom was w.
S. Larner, of the postal commission.
Of the campaign OF the First Brigade in
Porto Rico, General Ernst, who is now with
his family, at the Brevoort House, said to-
night: 1.-The Sixteenth Pennsylvania had
been thrown forward as an advance guard
on Aug. 4. The rest of the brigade moved
on the 6th and joined the Sixteenth Penn
sylvania on flank march to the rear of
Coamo, which was occupied by four hum
dred Spanish troops, strongly intrenched.
| Remembering, we observed that the Span
iards had blockhouse, and although our
accommodating parties were fired on some
times we concluded we could capture the
entire outfit. On the night of the 9Th OF
August the :, Sixteenth Pennsylvania
marched six miles and bivouacked on the
mountain side. The next day the men were
marched over an exceedingly rough noun
tain trail sixteen miles and on the follow
ing day the Sixteenth moved forward and
advanced on the blOckhOuse sharply firing,
and in face of a feeble infantry fire re-
helter-skelter down the hill. Advancing into
the town with the Wisconsin men, we
were met by a heavy infantry firee, but
we dislodged the enemy on every side and
they retreated, with a los of nine killed and
thirty wounded. We captured 167 Spanards.
including five officers. The commander OF
the Spaniards was a brave man, incning
to rashness, as he rode up and down on bis
horse in front of his men, who were In,
trenched on the side of the military road
which runs through Coamo. Our total loss
that day was seven men wounded.
"Our next position was at Benito, about
eleven miles from Coamo. TROOP, G, from
brooklyn was sent in pursuit of the fleeing
Spaniards to prevent the destruction of the
hrdees. A number of bridges were blown
Ne arranged 10 leave the battalion where
1t was ard take the rest of the brigade on
another flank march. The position OF the t
| Spaniards in front of Tiento was one Of the
strongest military positions in the world,
owing to the entertainments and the natural
features of the country AS | SAID we nad
leaving this battalion to face their out
posts. Our pack trains were ready. our ad-
vance guard was on the road awaiting the
order to march, and in ten minutes that
order would have been given Just then
staff officer rode up and informed me that
the peace protocol had been signed, and
warlke preparations were suspended. We
went into camp and made ourselves COM
| Portable as possible. We lay in the camp
I
was ordered to San Juan. We got as far
| as Cayey when orders were received to re-
| turn to the United States
In conclusion General Ernst said: Il con-
| slider General Miless handling of the Porto
Rican army of invasion a most masterful
one from every standpoint. He had four
| lines Of operations. One was established
at Arroyo thirty miles from Ponce; one
northwest from Ponce, at Las Juanitas
one stiil farther west by way of Mayaguez
and my own. In each of these columns
there were skirmishes. The losses were
slight and might have been heavier had
other arrangements been made.
Less than a dozen soldiers arriving on
the transport Minnewana were Ill enough
to be sent to a hospital. They were af-
fected with typhoid and malaria and were
removed to st. Francis Hos1tal, Jersey
City after the transport locked there. There
was a change in the original plan regarding
the transportation of the Pennsylvanians,
it having been first decided to send five
companies by the Erie and seven compa a.
| telegraDhing and consulting it was finally
| decided to ship all by the PENNSYLVANIA
| road The men then began to disembark.
| They were given leave to go out of the
| Yards into Jersey City and spend their time
| as they pleased until there was chance
| Of the train starting, which Will not be I'M
al come time tomorrow morning.