The Washington herald., 1914-05-03
SAILOR TELLS
VERA Cruz Fight
Battle IN Town Described as
Seer from Esperanzas
Decks.
SHELLS WELL PLACED
Rapid-6re Guns Rout Mexicans from
Vantage Points in Guerilla
Warfare.

Vera Cruz. May 2-The Esperanza ar
rived in Vera Cruz on her regular "Trip
on April 10. and. as usual discharged her
cargo, after which she started to load
One hold was full when suddenly every
body working it quit, and the huge steam
cranes stopped.
The following day the cargo put in was
taken out and all sorts Of runors filed
the air. We heard we were going to
carry troops. refugees, etc, That after
noon a corps of signalmen came on board,
and the navy wigwag was put into use
for communication with the rest Of the
feet
We lay at our dock for three days.
when we began to take on refugees. The
ships white bands were taken on the
stack, and the government commission
flag was hoisted. We were "shanghaied
and thrown into the navy" as one mem
Der of the crew aptly expressed il. All
Americans had been ordered out of the
country, and the Esperanza, as well as
several other ships, freighters, warships,
etc, were being rapidly filled up with
them
On Thursday, the 18th, we were or
dered away from the dock because the
Ward Line steamship Mexico was due
and had considerable difficulty maneu-
vering around the small inner harbor,
as "norther" was blowing up. and
the harbor was full of warships, etc.
We dropped anchor right at the Span
ish warship Carlos VS. stern, or else
we would have rammed her.
Perfect View of Fight.
1t was because of this that we had
the premier grand stand position of
any vessel or building at the battle of
Vera Cruz. We could see all the har-
Dor front, docks, buildings, forts, etc.
and, looking up Miguel Lerdo street.
could plainly view the city's central
plaza, which is near the water front.
The British cruiser Essex was to the
starboard side of US. The prairie was
on our bow. alongside the Spaniard.
The Ward liner Mexico pulled away
from the dock the morning of the 21st
and anchored in the outer harbor.
At 1O:45 a. m. of the 21st we saw
the Prairies boats being lowered, and
they were soon filling up with khaki
clothed marines. The people on the
huge sanitary wharf of which we lay
and all along the water front started
for the objective point of the Prairie's
boats, Ward Line dock No. 4. 1t looked
as IL our boys were going to receive
a peaceful reception. The Prairie's
detachments had been augmented by
the Floridais- marine crew, and lined
up along the dock in formation.
The crowd which had gathered there
suddenly began to scurry in all direc-
tons and We saw the Mexican soldiers
in blue uniforms emerging from the
cuartel further along the waterfront.
They marched up side street and were
followed oy several wagons Of artillery
and a regiment of cavalry. We saw
them enter the Plaza and halt there.
while some companies Of infantry
marched down Avenida Independencia to
the railroad yards, up which our boys
were coming about 800 strong.
They got there ahead Of our men and
hid in the sheds, rolling stock. etc, or
which the terminal was full. When about
where Avenida Independence crosses the
terminal tracks the Mexicans opened on
our boys dropping six OF them. Our lads
broke formation. and a guerrilla warfare
ensued in which the MeXicans had de-
cidedly the worst of II and were driven
into Avenida Ind. pendencia. the city's
main thorouChfare, pursued by the Yam
kee marines. They broke into the houses,
virtual fortresses, and fred on our men
from every window, housetop and door
way.
Guns Rout Mexicans.
The enemy in the Plaza were seen ad-
yancing to reinforce their infantry. but
broke and fed in all directions when
couple of Colt automatic rapid-fire guns
were let loose up the street The enemy
now adopted the guerrilla method. and
fired from every commanding point at
our men. Our boys could do no effective
work against the foe while they were
themselves in the open. They accord
ingly "battle-axed' the buildings and
drove the foe from one housetop to an
other. The din by this time was tre-
mendous The cracking Of Springfield
and Mauser was occasionally punctured
by the sharp staccato of the rapid-firer
pouring forth a rain of death. The
enemy were now intrenched in all parts
OF the city in houses. towers, etc, and
were firing on our boys from every
side.
They had mounted a couple of three |
Founders in the old lighthouse tower and
had fired a couple of shots when the |
transport Prairie let loose with her
three-pounders. The first shot took the |
top of the tower. The second banged |
amidships, cleaning out men, guns, etc, |
while the third landed right at the base, |
completely quitting the building and max
ing it useless for a fortress. The Prairie |
also landed two shots in the Quartet and |
one in the icehouse. Every shot fired by |
the Prairie took effect. It was fine |
craftsmanship. |
By o'clock in the afternoon our men |
had possession of that part of Vera Cruz |
running from the terminal to the plaza, |
and had been strongly REINFORCED: about !
3 900 of our lads were engaged by that |
time. The Mexicans had pressed prison. |
ers into service, as well as civilians, |
men and women. The firing ceased al |
most entirely as nightfall arrived and ali |
the city was in darkness Our men rested !
''on their arms in the quarters they |
had captured. At s O'Clock that night |
the San Francisco came in and tied up |
at the Custom-house or Sanitary Wharf |
Shoot at the ship.
The wharf was full of the enemy, who |
persisted in taking pot shots at the Es- i
peranza and every other ship in the har- /
bor. The San Francisco is a mine layer. /
and we thought she was going to dyna-
mite that wharf. But she came away /
from il without firing shot. and dropped
anchor to windward of the prairie About /
10 O'Clock the Minnesota, Arkansas, New /
New Jersey, and Delaware
arrived, also the transports Dolphin. Han
cock, and Panther.
The scene that night is one that / will 4
long remember. The lights in the city
were out because the electric light plant
was in the enemy's territory Not a
giimmer came from the town. and all 4
was IN pitch darkness. The Florida was
the first TO open up her searchlights, then
the others broke out Each ship played
Z rom eight 10 sixteen lights apiece on