Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-05
THRILLING STORY
From Ensign CarCe|on, Au-
burn, otCfuiser Tacoma.
Stationed OF BIuetietds, Me.
aragua, Near Seat Of Trouble.
The Maine Lad Will Command Ar.
tiIIery, II Sent Ashore.

1
cruiser Tacoma, now stationed off
| Bluefields, Mic, has written his par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. A. A. Garcelon of
| Auburn, interesting letters on the rev.
| dictionary situation in the Central
| American hornets nest, says the Lew
iston Journal.
| The marines and soldiers on the Ia
coma and Des Moines are ready for
| immediate transfer to the land to pro-
| tect Americans and American interests
at Blueheld in case the government
| troops attack that city which is an in
surgent stronghold. They are living
| under arms and every man is anxious
| for the excitement of battle in which
they can participate.
| Ensign Garcelon writes of two visits
to Bluefelds, one for the purpose OF
| locating a desirable place for the
Americans to take their stand and the
other as officer in charge of staff
| 10 assist in treating those wounded IN
battle in which the insurgents de-
fcated the federal troops.
Under the date of Dec. 16, he wrote
| as follows:
Just two years ago today the big
battleship fleet left Hampton Roads
ready for "a fight or Il frolic." Well,
we mad the frolic, and it may be left
| for the modest cruiser Tacoma to
see the fight. lust at present we are
| living under arms on board ship
| knapsacks canteens, rifle balls etc,
filled and stacked with our arms-all
no O. a
notice. Everyone on board the "Des
Moincs' also is ready.
AS this town is the revolutionary
| stronghold. the Nicaraguan regulars
are about to attempt to force it. They
are planning to drive on the troops
sent ont from here and capture the
town. Our billet is to land when there
is any danger of a fight and protect
American interests.
My part in this affair is to command
the artillery force, consisting of the
battery landed from both ships. or
course we have no horses, but have
to use scores of men to man the drags,
etc. ] shall be disappointed if we do
not land now that all is ready and the
men are drilled right up to their job.
We had two Nicaraguan peace COM
missioncrS on board here-bringinS
them from Port Limon-and it was fun
to see them at night when our search
lights would show up small vessels
stcaming into the lagoon loaded prob
ablvably with provisions and ammu-
milton for the revolutionists. How
easy TO StCn them With our Suns.-but
we explained to our passengers that
we had not established blockade. so
all they could do was to ''jabber.'
More letters from the front"
Under date of Dec. % he wrote as
follows:
BY now you have read in the papers of
the great battle of Rama. about 50 miles
from Bluefelds. After two days fighting
the revolutionists captured the whole of
Zeaya's army on this coast-2o0o men
together with several thousand rifles and
ammunition. Over 1000 We're killed on
both sides and from 800 to 400 wounded.
1t is easily the biggest battle Central
America has ever seen, and the courage
of these people and the Generalshp of
their leaders has surprised everyone. AS
soon as the leaders of the Zelayan army
were killed off, however. the troops very
willingly surrendered: for even they were
half in sympathy with the revolution.
We on board have been standing by
equipments packed and arms at hand
for some time and all have been very anN-
ious to land. On Tuesday we received
word that there had been fighting around
Rama the day before and that it had re-
commenced at o'clock that morning, SO
in anticipation of retreat on Bluefields-
;,,,, 70 Iola IrnfS
troops were to loot for two days-another
officer and l went ashore in the after
noon to make final survey of the ground
with a view to it's defence. / found hill
where l intended to plant my battery to
cover the probable approach of the
forces-by way of small river from
Rama While ashore l saw buried two
insurgent officers who had been wounded
and then Drained.
Returning from this long trip-for our
ships are anchored seven miles from town
I was just beginning to take it easy
when a wireless from Bluefields told us of
victory for Estrada. the revolutionist
general. and that half a hundred wounded
were on their way by water to Bluetields.
Orders were immediately issued to send
the surgeons ana nOSptal corps or DOtn
ships to look after the wounded, as all
the town doctors but one We're with the
army. | was ordered by the captain of
the Des Moines. the senior officer present
and in command, with whom I had gone
ashore in the afternoon. to take this par
ty in. AS I left the ship to go all the
other officers We're anxious to volunteer
in my place.
Navigating through the lagoon is bad
enough by day: but at night, with no aids
to navigation to speak Of and with only
a shallow channel winding for the seven
inches. on either side of which are mud
banks just awash or with one to three
feet of water over them. it is fairly inter-
esting. Our steamer was drawing over
four feet and there was heavy whale
boat in tow, loaded
Feeling our way in. and eyes strained
ahead. we finally arrived off the town: but
upon hearing firing and seeing flashes
splitting into the darkness from rifles
along shore, we were for a moment at a
4 loss to comprehend the situation. We