The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-05-19
CAMPAIGNING IN PORTO RICO.
with Gen. Stones Brigade from Ponce q
Areoibo.


to Rico. July %, and In the afternoon
marched through town to camp near the
San Juan road. Our company went on
lieved on the Both.
Our company was ordered on Aug.
to report to Gen. Stone. who was with q
detachment Of his Engineer Corps at
Adjunta, a town about Is miles from
Ponce, north toward Arecibo, which is
on the northern coast. We left camp at
ter dinner under the command Of Lieuts.
Bodemer and Ilson, our Captain being de-
tailed on other duty. After leaving Ponce
We met regiment Of light artillery which
had come from Santiago. At III o'clock
at night we camped in deserted store.
Aug. We broke camp at 8 o'clock and
marched to Adjunta, arriving at noon. We
were there welcomed by Gen. Stone.
After dinner, in which the General
joined us, we were ordered to proceed to
town % miles inland. Three or four
miles from Adjunta the roads were found
impas sable for mules and wagons and ours
were sent back, with detail to guard
them. The roads were almost impossible
for man. In places we had to go single
file; and one had to be careful not to make
a misstep or he would roll down the
mountainside. In other places mud was
knee deep. We marched till midnight
through darkness so intense that one
could not see his file leader. We camped
in an old coffee-shed
The next morning Gen. Stone tele-
graphed to Gen. Miles that we stood the
march we'll and had passed over the worst
roads he had ever seen. We started at
I o'clock, accompanied by about 50 ma
tives armed with machetes, and advanced
carefully. Spaniards were reported in the
neghborhood. We had already taken two
prisoners.
Toward noon we turned the shoulder
Of hill and saw below us a beautiful
little valley, and near the hill the town
Of Utuato. A white flag, indicating nom
resistance, was flying at the entrance OF
the town. As precaution against ambush
or treachery, we advanced in deployed
skrmish line and took possession OF the
town. There we arrested a Spanish spy
and took several others prisoners and Sc
cured nearly 200 rifles and over 5000
rounds of ammunition.
Aug. 4 we reconnoitered the envirOns,
took seven prisoners, found a number OF
contraband rifles and q considerable guam
tity Of dynamite.
Gen. Stone was informed that at Saras,
Is miles distant, the Spaniards had cap
tured an American messenger and intend
ed to execute him. At midnight Lieut..
Bodemer was ordered to take five men and
proceed in haste with flag of truce, and
warn the Spanish commandant that Il he
permitted the messengers execution Gen.
Stone would storm the town and exact
a severe penalty. The Lieutenant returned
the next day and reported that the COM
mandant had left the town before the
Lieutenant reached IT, but that an an
swer would be received in a day or two.
He found the place garrisoned by about
400 Spaniards. They were amazingly care
less. The Lieutenant and his squad. all
on horseback, passed the first barracks
and entered the town some distance be-
fore the enemy discovered them. Then
all was confusion among the Spaniards.
The men hurried to their arms and, had not
an officer arrived at once. would have shot
them regardless Of the flag of truce. In
deed some Of the men had already leveled
their guns to fire, when the officer inter-
fered.
While Lieut.. Bodemer and his squad
were absent we recOnnoitered eight miles
toward Arecibo and brought In three pris-
OnerS.
Arecibo, but after marching four miles we
were halted for the night, guards posted,
and we lay down in the wet grass to
sleep, with nothing but shelter tents for
mattress and quilt. Gen. Stone showed
that he respected us greatly, for he com
pared us with the old Iron Brigade. The
next day we received orders to hold our
evening. orders came from Gen. Miles to
rejOin our regiment. This was good news,
and it did not take us long to get into
line. Then orders reached us to stay
where we were over night, and march for
Ponce In the morning.
At 6 the next morning We broke camp
and marched to Utuato, where we took ra-
tons for the march. The citizens Of the
town gave us hearty good cheer, and our
march back to Ponce began. We reached
Adjunta at o'clock a. m, and quartered
in Spanish barracks, having covered the
% miles in IL hours. Then we met two
companies Of the I'd q. s., sent, we sup
posed, to take our place.
The next morning our Captain and bat
talon Adjutant came out to see how We
were getting along. From them we learned
that our regiment had started on a march
toward San Juan. At p. m. we left
Adjunta on our march Of Is miles 20
Ponce The roads were much improved,
scores of natives having been at work on
Mass, of Gen. Henry's command, 10 miles
out, going to the points we had reached.
They were saying all kinds Of uncompli-
mentary things about the roads. We did
not discourage them by information that
vastly worse were before them. They
were under orders to keep their guns load
ed and be in readiness to sustain and re-
pulse attack. and We assured them that
they would not see any armed foe, as our
company had cleared the country of the
enemy all the way to the northern coast.
At 2 o'clock that night we reached
Ponce, and found quarters in barracks and
rested our weary bones on the best beds
we could fnd-the soft side of stone
paved floor.
The next morning we marched to our
old campground, where we breakfasted.
after which we pitched tents and gave
ourselves up to well-earned rest.
Aug. II, at p. m, marched to join
our regiment, camping for the night en-
route to Juana Diaz.
At q next morning we moved again.
and marched till noon, stopping now and
then to rest. At noon we came to
spring Of nice, clear water and halted
to eat our dinner Of crackers. After our
crackers and spring water lay down in
the grass for a good rest. We saw our
Colonel Dorm coming to us. He told
us there would be no more fighting as
orders had come that morning to cease
hostilities. Glad OF that news, we start
ed on the remaining five miles march. AS
we approached Coamo our regimental