The Harrison times., 1914-05-09
By A VETERAN,

the Spanish Main.
know several men today who were
present at the siege Of l847 1t Is
probable none Of these veterans OF the
first Mexican struggle will see service
this time, although have Just seen
a letter from Brig. Gen, Horatio G.
Gibson, U. s. A., retired, eightyseven
years old, in which the venerable
fighter offers his sword to the stars
and stripes and refers to Major Gen.
Leonard Wood as sponsor for his
physical and mental ability, General
Gibson served through the Mexican,
Civil and several Indian wars,
1t was March 7, 1847, when the fleet
bearing General Scott and his little
army appeared off Mexicos principal
seaport. The troops landed without
much trouble after the city had been
bombarded, but 1t took a sanguinary
siege of thirteen days to capture the
defenses. Trenches were dug and reg
ular operations conducted,
So our troops this time can com
mence their march toward the capital
with much less of a handicap than
General Scott's.
While the troubles Of the United
States which eliminated In the Civil
war were brewing Mexico grew AFRO
CANT to this country and to Europeans.
The crowning insult was President
Miramon's seizure Of $4,000 in specie
from the British consulate, Great
Britain, France, Spain and Prussia de-
cided to move. Meantime the great
Benito Juarez, the General Washing
ton Of Mexico, was conducting a re-
volt In the North, He overthrow Mira
mon, but the foreign troops kept on
their way. On December IA, 1861,
Vera Cruz was seized by a Spanish
force under General Prim, The result
was the elevation Of Macmillan to the
throne and, after the European troops
had been withdrawn, the unfortunate
Austrlaus execution,
The pirates, with force equal to a
respectable army, captured Vera Cruz
in 1888. They burned, slew and
robbed for many days before they
were driven to their ships, In l7l2
the notorious buccaneer kings, Lau-
rent and Van Horn, seized the port
and held It ten days. They killed hun
drods Of Mexicans carried away WON.
en- captive and did an immense
amount Of damage.
To this day the nurse girl Of Vera
Cruz, seeking to still the fretfu child,
says "Be quiet or | viii give you TO
Van Horn"
Reparatlon for One Insult,
| was much amused by tho III
II well'meanIng persons who
cried out that Dictator Huerta had
given sufficient reparaton for tho IN
suit to the flag at Tamplco by his
meager and half.hearted apology,
From the files Of the navy depart.
ment | have dug up report from
Commander J, Blakely Creighton, y,
S. n, commanding the oneida, who
witnessed Japan's atonement for an
ofenso against our bluejackets, It
reads,
"Hogo, Japan, March Il, 1865
Hon, Gideon Wolles, Secretary OF the
United states Navy Washington,
D, C,=SIr' have the honor 70 COM
the particulars Of the eSecu.
ton Of the japanese official Tat zan.
autaro, retainer Of the MatsduJra Bl.
aon, No Komi who ordered his troops
TO fire ON the foreigners at this place
on tho fourth ultim0,
"lhlg execution was witnessed by
me at the request Of our minister Gen.
r. - Van y0lkonburgh, and was as
follows
! loft the legation at about 900 |
p, M, ln company with the officers Ots
Dacho1 20 the foreign legations and
proceeded 10 llIogo, whore wo worg
mot by a guard, who escorted ua 10
tho temple whore tho execution was
10 take place
"Thore wac a large number Of
people on each side Of the street lead
Ing to the temple, and quite num'
Der Of soldiers drawn up inside and
about the temple We were shown
into a room adjoining the Japanese
whore We were asked N We
wished to question tho person about
70 be- executed 70 which We answered
In the negative They also took the
names Of every official present
after waiting about hall an hour
we were conducted By the Japanese
officials into what appeared 70 DO the
principal room Of the temple, which
was lighted with candles, and IN
front Of tho altar was raised a plat
form ot about q foot IN height. which
extended across The room ana which
was placed on the fFht Of the altar
within n few feet Of whore the eEeou
ton was 70 take place, with The Japan
o66 officials on the left
"ln front Of the altar VIVA a gfoon
cloth and In front NJ that d rcd one
We were informed that the execution
would take place on the rod cloth
Seating ourselves upon the mats on