New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-27
ARMY LANDS AT GUANlCA
AMERICAN FLAG HOISIED 1N
PORTO RICO.
sp.NrARDs LOSE FOUR MEN IN AT
TEMPTING TO REPEL THE 1NNA-

TEMPTING TO REPEL THE lNNA-
sION-PLANS OF GENERAL MILES.
Port q, Guanica. Porto Rico. July %. via 81.
Thomas Danish West Indies. July Zo'-1he
United States military expedition Ander the
command ~ Ma,or-General Nelson A. Miles,
commanding the Army Of the United states
which left Guantanamo Bay. Cuba on the even
ing of July 81. landed here successfully TO-
aav. after a skirmish between detachment OF
spanish troops and crew OF thirty from 'he
launch Of the United States auxiliary gunooa'
Gloucester.
Four OF the spaniards were killed ard no
Americans were hurt. The American troops
will be pushed forward promptly in order to
CAPTURE the railroad leading TO Ponce. which IS
only about ten miles east OF this place.
From Ponce there is an excellent military
road running eghty-fve miles north to San
Juan de Porto Rico the capital of the island.
The whole of General Brookes force. with the
Orleans. the Annapolis. the Cincinnati, the
Leyden and the Wasp. Is expected here within
twenty four hours.
The ships left Guantanamo Bay suddenly on
Thursday evening, with the Massachusetts. COM
manded by Captain +. j. Higginson. leading
Captain Higginson was in charge OF the navai
expedition, which consisted OF the Columbia,
the Dixie the Gloucester and the Yale. Cen
eral Miles was on board the last named vessel
The troops were on board the transports Nueces
he he
Unionist the saltwater. the City Of Macon
and the Specialist. This was the order in which
the transports entered the harbor here The
voyage from Guantanamo Bay to this port was
uneventful.
MILES CALLS FOR A CONSULTATION.
At noon yesterday General Miles called for
consultation. announcing that he was deter
mined not to go by San Juan Cape but to go by
the Mona Passage instead. land here. surprise
the Spaniards and deceive their military au-
thorlties The course then changed. and
the Dixie was sent to warn General Brooke at
Cape San Juan.
Ponce which is situated about ten miles
according to other maps. from this port. is TO
the eastward. The water at Ponce is too shall
low for the transports to be able to get close In
shore. Then. again. Ponce itself is little dis
tance from where the troops would have been
able TO land II that point had been selected for
the debarkaton OF the expedition. One advan-
tage OF this place is that it is close TO the rail-
road connecting with Ponce. which means Of
transportation the troops hope to secure to-day.
Early this morning the Gloucester in charge
OF Lieutenant Commander Wainwright. former
ly OF the Maine and one Of the heroes Of the
naval battle off Santiago de Cuba. steamed into
Guanica Harbor in order TO reconnoitre the
place. With the fleet waiting outside. the gal
liant little fighting yacht Gloucester braved the
MINES which were supposed to be in this har-
DOT and, upon sounding found that there were
nve fathoms Of water close in shore.
sPANIARDs TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
Guanica Bay IS quiet place, surrounded by
cultivated lands. In the rear are high noun
'ains. ard close to the beach ncstles village Of
about twenty houses
The sranards were completely taken by sur
PRISE Almost the first they knew Of the ap-
proaeh o. the army OF invasion was in the an
"ouhcemen, contained in the firing Of a gun
from the Gloucester. saucily demanding that
'i'e epaniards haul down the flag Of Spain
""'oh was floating from flagstaff in front of a
Ooo"house standing to the of the village
i"e hrst couple of 3-pounders were fired into
'''e ''iiis right and left Of the bay In order ia
scare the enemy. The fighting yacht purposely
~'o'ued hring into the town. lest her projectiles
,hurt The women and children
Inc gloucester then hove 10 within about six
hundred yards Of the shore and lowered q
launch. having on board a Colt rapid-nre gun
""u 'hirty men, urder the command Of Lieutsn-