The herald., 1898-08-06
tenant Colonel of the Sixth Mat sachusetts
A Madrid Message

A Madrid message
MADRID, Aug. 5.-An official dispatch
from Porto Rico says: American cavalry
assisted by the insurgents have captured
Fuenta and Cabejas. the lighthouse sta
tion at San Juan.
The Ships Scattered
OFF SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO. on
board the Associated Press dispatch boat
Aug. 5. via ST. Thomas. d. w. l.. Aug. g.
Copyright, 1898, by the Associated Press. }
The Americans have taken peaceful pos
session of the eastern portion of the island.
Small parties of marines have landed. who
have lighted the lamps In the lighthouse of
Cape San Juan and other lighthouses along
the coast. They met with no resistance.
Indeed. at Cape San Juan populations of
citizens came out to meet them. The war
ships now in this vicinity are the Montgom-
cry, Annapolis, the Puritan and the Am
phitrite. The two former are looking for
the troop transports which left the United
States and have scattered all about the
island. The Annapolis rounded up the
Whitney. the Florida and the Raleigh yes
terday and they are at Cape San Juan.
There seems to have been serious mis-
take as to the rendezvous, for no two ships
have got to the same place and 1t will take
several days to locate them and get them
to Ponce, where Gen. Miles is waiting
Off San Juan the cruiser New Orleans
alone maintains the blockade
Macias' Proclamation
Capt. Gen. Macias has issued a procla-
nation in the course of which he says:
Spain has not sued for peace, and can
drix ar
did SIMPSONS attempt before"
daughter of the captain general is
helping to drill the gunners in the forts.
Altogether there are $500 Spanish regulars
In the city. The troops of the enemy who
are retreating from Ponce and the other
towns on the south coast occupied by the
Americans have not yet arrived The Ger
man steamer Polynesia with a cargo OF
rum, canned meats and tobacco. tried to
run the blockade this morning but was
stopped by the New Orleans.
Strategic Point Taken
AT DESCALABRODO RIVER, six miles
beyond Juan Diaz, en- the road to San Juan.
Thursday night, Aug. a. via ST. Thomas,
ID. w. l., Aug. 5.--She Sixteenth Pennsyl-
vania, Gen. Ernest's brigade, advanced TO
this point today and holds the bridge over
the river.
The Second and Third Wisconsin are ex
pected tomorrow. No sign of the enemy
is reported, but it Is believed that the Span
iards are about 400 strong between this
point and Coamo.
The seizure OF the bridge insures control
or the road to Coamo. Pickets are being
pushed out and they may collide with the
Spanish outposts.
Dodging the Mines
NEW YORK, Aug. "a dispatch to the
herald from Ponce, via ST. Thomas. saws:
General Miles, having received nforma-
ton that the fine military road from Ponce
10 san Juan has been mined by the Span
iarus' mas formed practically a new plan
Tor the Porto Rican campaign.
IN accordance with this new plan. Gem
eral stone. with some Wisconsin troops. is
pressing rapidly toward Arecibo on the
nortn coast of the island, and General
BROOKE, who has arrived with General
Harris and 1900 men, will advance toward
San Juan from Arroyo.
BY this plan Miles will avoid riskiny the
lives of the troops through the explosion
OF mines along the military road and the
use of explosives which the Spaniar-1s have
hidden IN the bushes along the way. At
the same time he will foil a considerable
body of Spanish troops in the town of
Aibonito, where the enemy was Under
stood to be ready to make a strong resist
ance. The unsafe portion of the military
road, by the reports brought to General
Mics lies between Juan Diaz and Aibonito
ueheral stone after occupying Album
70 he,
pany A. second Wisconsin, as far north as
Utuado, fifteen miles beyond Adtuntas. |
This road Is not adapted to the transporta-
ton Of artillery and wagons, but the cav
airy and infantry will have no difficulty
In advancing by this route to Areceibo.
from which point railroad and good dirt
road extend to San Juan. The artillery
and wagons will be sent by transports TO
Areceibo, and 1t will be a simple matter to
take them with the army toward San Juan.
Moving on San Juan
While the Spanish capital is being
threatened from the west by the advance
Of General Stones troops, the troops under
General Brooke and General Harris will be
moving from Arroyo to Cage, where they
will seize the military road beyond the
danger points and from which place the
Americans can advance rapidly upon San
Juan.
The Spanish troops, who are preparing
to resist the Americans at Aibonito, unless
they make forced march from that place
toward San Juan, are likely to find them
selves beset by American troops on both
sides.
The Americans who landed at Ponce are
steadily pushing forward, and their out
posts now run miles beyond the city. No
large forces of Spaniards have been en-
countered, and the stars and stripes are
waving over all the neighboring towns
Our troops are being welcomed everywhere
with enthusiasm.
There was a little ceremony at General
headquarters yesterday when
Rosendo Cintron, the first local Judge ap-
pointed by the United States. was sworn
into office. He was required to swear al
legiance to the United States as long as
the island was occupied by her troops and
to "renounce all fealty to every foreign
prince or potentate, and particularly the
Queen Regent ard the King of SPAIN"
The oath was administered by Colonel
Clous, the Judge Advocate of General
Miles staff.
This Is the first time In the history Of the
United States that the Judges of q foreign
and hostile. but conquered, country have
sworn to support the Constitution of the
United States. This Is all that was de-
manded of the Porto Ricans.
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