The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-06-27

Vera Cruz, Mexico.-Months before
the landing of the American naval
forces at Vera Cruz and the capture OF
the Mexican port plans had been
worked out for the occupation of the
city. They contemplated resistance
by the Mexicans and were not merely
plans for peaceful patrolling OF
streets and administration Of civil du-
ties.
Five months ago the battleship
New Jersey was sent to Vera Cruz
and her officers were detailed imme-
diately for a military survey or the
city. Outwardly the groups OF young
officers who were ashore daily were
merely sightseeing. riding or walking
through the quaint old city and hav-
ing the best of times. Actually, the
city was as carefully charted as II II
were a coast of dangerous reefs and
shoals. The spots along its water
front were selected where the men OF
the sea should land whenever hostill-
ties might start. The straight streets
which might be swept by the deadly
hail of bullets from machine guns
were marked.
Streets Very Crooked.
In a seventeenth century Spanish
city such as this straight streets are
the exception. Many streets are
curved and more have joys every few
blocks, SO that the street appears
to end abruptly until the end is
reached, when 1t is seen to continue
a hundred feet or SO to the right or
left.
The buildings whose commanding
roofs would sweep these streets were
listed. The dozen or more high para
petted stone and plaster towers which
overlooked various parts of the city
were known even to the location OF
stairways. so that no time might be
lost In reaching their commanding tur
rets. The fat roofs were charted like
steps. They were to be occupied In
successive series. all the time advanc
ing over the housetops until the city
was swept and secured.
The developments Of the day
showed that the precautions were
wisely taken. The capture Of Vers
Cruz in the warless war was a nigh
over the housetops. Behind. the roo
parapets and from the high towers
the Mexican snipers fought like de
tenders of q beleaguered medieval
castle. Each city block of the graz
stone city made a separate castle
Had their defense been as determined
and as united as the attack Of the
men from the ships the story of Amer
lean death and bloodshed would have
been far more bitter. American fore
sight knew more about their own cit!
than they did themselves. 1t strucl
straight for the high spots.
Fighting Sobers tackles.
To probably more than half thu
bluejackets and marines the first tw,
days of fighting in Vera Cruz was {
sudden awakening that life In TIT
navy is not all pomp. parade, trave
and play. Many had never seen a fel
low being cold in death, much less
man killed, or been under fire before
1t was a changed body Of young mel
that came back to the ships. Shor
expeditions before had been for dis
play or pleasure. This had been grin
business. in which comrades of tn
other happy shores had died, wher
the blood lust of revenge had rul
high. and in a twinkling they ha
changed from carefree boys to hare
ened men.
In the Plaza d'Cathedral the hos
pital corps gathered up the mangle
remains Of a Mexican defender
three-inch shell had torn away bot
legs. The close fire of a machine gu
had chopped the body as IL witt
knives. Across the plaza to the ear
of an officer to whom war had cease
to be play came the ribald chatter.
Garry the body down the street.!
he directed the hospital orderlies.
1t was lifted on a stretcher. Tn
men with the red cross on thei
sleeves started at a brisk pace. CT
riously the nearest boys stepped fol
ward to look. With a shudder the
drew back. The words froze on thei
lips. 1t was as If some invisible han
of ice had stilled their heart beat.
Along the line moved the huma
wreckage of their bullets. II wa
deaths muffler. One glance suffice(