Evening star., 1900-10-06

sugar cane plantation. on guard for two Or
three hours on our most advanced line.
Mistook Comrades for Foes.
Being finally relieved by a detachment
of artillery-and ordered back to the ship
for duty in connection with the pontoon
bridge. I reached there about nightfall--
and during that night used the search
light of the ship-the bridge was built by
the battalion and guarded by my men.
Desultory firing was heard nearly all night
OF the 18th. and at NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
brigade having started up the road to
Yauco-was ambushed at river ford, from
well-coEstructed rifle pits, by strong
force of the enemy, of about 100 in all. who
fell back on being attacked, to the Hacf-
0nda Santa Decidera. and there broke ana
fed. This engagement, in which the Span
,sh had some fifty casualties, was clearly
seen and heard from the deck Of our ship.
frim which our battalion was at once Or
dered by Gen. Miles in person then
aboard) to land and occupy the crest OF the
hill. 500 feet in height, Immediately on the
east of the harbor This was done in ex-
cellent shape. and during the day the crest
was slightly fortified, and at night most
rigid outlook was kept for flank move
ment. which was reported as likely. Dur
ing the night a ridge three or four hundred
yards east Of our position was occupied un-
known to us. by company Of the 9Th Hi
nois, and each party, mistaking the other
for the enemys scouts, many shots Were
exchanged. which being aimed only at sucn
indefinite targets as were created Dy the
movements of the men in the darkness. and
In the direction Of sounds no one on either
side was injured. In the disposition OF the
company along the ridge Lieut. A. "A.
Smith showed most excellent judgment. l
inspected my entire line on the crest OF tne
ridge, passing from group to group lying
behind rough rock cover, each In toucn
with the next. finding all alert ana wen
situated"
Excellent Scouting.
Capt LOCKER recounts further movements
including the building Of a fort at the top
Of a mountain back Of Guanica camp and
military road to overcome vertical helsnt
Of 500 feet, and continues as follows:
Between the time of landing DULY 20
and the signing of the protocol august l2)
there were constant rumors OF attack 10
be made on the post, and almost every
night for a week there was an alarm ana
rapid disposition Of our force for defense.
Under instructions 1 sent out during this
period my first sergeant (B. s. Nelligan,
with two men of the battery, to endeavor
to make a reconnaissance to the northwest
Of our position. They were gone several
days, Travelled on wide circuit OF ABOUT
forty miles, suffered great hardshfps, and
the party was nearly captured by the Span-
ish rear guard, their forces then retreating
toward Mayaguez. But the object was
completely accomplished, the enemy's pre-
else position being determined and reported
by me to Gen. Miles. and incidentally dis
charged Spanish soldier, denounced by the
people as a dangerous spy, was captured by
Sergt. Nelligan and brought to the post
few days later l received instructions to
investigate an attempted murder or Span
ish overseer by natives and arrest the OIL
tenders. This duty was most admirably
performed by Second Lieut. A. A. Smith,
with small guard. who penetrated most
difficult mountain district, captured all the
| 70 ,Ir1da a
guard. to be dealt with by the civil courts.
On the night of August II occurred at
Yauco a very ugly riot, caused by the de-
sire Of the populace to massacre some
twelve regular Spanish soldiers. then con-
fined as prisoners in the town hall.
"Quartermaster Sergt. r. B. LOCKER. Com
pany H, 1st D. G. ", happened to be there
on business. and four members Of the Sig
nal Corps were there on telegraph duty
No other American soldiers were nearer
than Guanica, six miles away.
Sergeant Lockers Gallantry.
Sergeant LOCKER, in the coolest and most
gallant manner. dispersed the entire mob.
numbering three or four hundred. charging
tho mob alone, revolver in hand, and saving
thus the lives Of the Spaniards, whose muir
der under such circumstances would have
been not only most discreditable to the
town, but would have brought odium upon
our military administration. Later In the
saved another Spaniard and held at bay
another mob who would have killed the
latter, and then patrelled the town alone,
preserving order until my arrival with suf-
ficfent force to permanently control the sit
uation. The four signal men were held by
the sergeant in reserve and were posted by
him as guard at the town hall For this
exploit the sergeant was recommended for
promotion by Gen. Miles to a second heu-
tenancy, but he lost his reward by reason
OF discharge for Illness, typhoid fever soon
after thus imperiing his life. For saving a
member Of the battery from drowning. at
the risk of his own life the same nom
commissioned officer has been recommend
ed for honorable mention by the army
board Of brevets. and was SO mentioned in
the list published by the War Department
He would have received the life-saving
medal of the Treasury Department but for
purely technical difficulties in the law gov
erning such cases. On reporting the affair
at Yauco I was placed by Col. Hood Cat
that time military governor Of southwest
Porto Rico), in command of the district of
Yauco, comprising the southwest division
Of his own territory, and containing some
q, 900 people, in many villages, and one
large town.
Assurances of Good Will.
Immediately after the outbreak at Yau-
CO. translated the Presidents proclamation
on the protocol and published 1t there. and
issued myself an address to the people, indi-
eating the absolute certainty that no ILL
treatment Of Spaniards would be permitted;
that all the people would be protected in
their civil rights and that order would be
maintained at all hazards. No further
trouble occurred during stay in Yauco
or in that district 1 maintained at Yauco
sufficient guard under Sergts. Campbell
and Hyde to make good all statements.
The important lighthouse at Guanica being
deserted, 1 re-established the keeper there
in and maintained a regular light. to the
obvious advantage Of the great fleet of
transports and war vessels passing along
the south coast. The large transport Rou-
manian having gone on 4 reef just outside
the harbor of Guanico, she fired signals of
distress, which were heard and understood
by us, and in two hours, by using the tele-
phone, several large vessels were secured
from Ponce, which. under the direction of
Col. Black, who came with them. were made
fast to the ship and pulled her off. A tug
from the United States, towing lighters for
Ponce, put into Guanico harbor short of
coal and water, and left the lighters under
our protection. Her captain was assailed
by a guerrilla force q few miles west of
Guanica, but escaped capture. On his re-
port to me I went to Ponce on the tug
and urged that 1 be given a tug small
steGrl vessel OF some sort, with which to
Al along the southwest shore and break