The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-08
FLETCHER GIVES A |. FULL ACCOUNT OF
 TAXING VERA CRUZ
Admirals Story of Occupa, tion Told in Report of
 Operations
REFERS ESPECIALLY
 TO CRUISERS WORK
Report Deais With Seizure of Customs House. Swift Descent of Marines and Jackies Upon Port and
 Bloody Fighting

| tftetut fikhthk l Washington, June Rear Admiral l Fletcher's own story of the occupa- ton of Vera Cruz is told in the first detailed report of the navys opera tions on the east coast Of Mexico. made public today hy the navy de- partment. The report tells of Admiral Fletcher's receipt of the historic cable gram early in the morning of April 21 ordering him to seize the Vera cruz customs house of the swift descent of marines and hluejacl<ets from the American warships upon the port and the bloody fighting that occurred when they met with resistance from the Mexican federal soldiers and ils- regulars.
 The admiral refers particularly 10 the work of the cruisers Prairie. Ches- ter and San Francisco which moored inside the breakwater, covered success sive landings of marines and blue Jackets
 
 quired on the part of the commanding officers says the report, and the re- suits showed in striking manner the efficiency of the ships under their commands The three vessels were un- der charge of Commanders Mofrett. stickney and Harrison.
 Report in Detail l The report in full follows.
 When the cablegram of a. m. April 2i, to seize the custom house was received, the following officers were in my cabin:
 | Capt W. R. Bush. |. $ N, com manding naval brigade
 Capt II. Mel. F. Huse. q. $ N, chief of staff
 Commander II. c. Stiekney, u. $. N., commanding prairie.
 Lieut.. Col w. c. Neville, u. $. NJ. C.. commanding marine regiment sThcy had been called on board to fbe informed of the situation and 10 assure me that the plans previously prepared for the employment of tho naval forces against Vera Cruz we're understood by them and that they were prepared to carry them out The meth | cd of procedure adopted was to land marines from the Prairie, Florida and 1 Utah and the seaman battalion from the Florida. seize the custom house. railway terminal and cable office The seaman battalion of the Utah was held on board awaiting news of the Ypir- anga
 Commander Stcl<ney and Lieuten- ant-Colonel Neville returned to tho 1 Prairie and at Il. m. Commander lStickney went ashore and personally { flied thp American ennStl that Wa would land to take charge of un. custom house, directed him to notify all foreign eonsuls. and to send all l foreigners aboard the Ward liner Mex leo, which was at pier No. 1, and the l Esperanza, then moorcd In the harbor. General Maas, the Mexican malitary lcommandant, was notified by telephone from the consulate that we would land at once to take charge of the custom house and he was urged to offer no resistance but to withdraw in order to avoid useless loss of life and prop erty of the people of Vera Cruz. l At 9:4o a. m. an officer from the 1 Prairie boarded the foreign men of war in the harbor, Carlos tSpanish). land Essex tBrtsh) and notified them of our intended action. l An officer from the Prairie visited tho Fort of San Juan d ulloa. in- formed the commander of the port that We would seize the custom house and that any aggressive move on hts part would be immediately followed by our opening fire with heavy guns on the | fort The commander of the fort said | that he understood the situation, but lif we opened fire he would return it. | He had an armed guard of l60 regular i. troops who had charge of the pris- oners.
 "'rhe Ward liner Mexico with for eigners on board pulled away from pier No and anchored in the outer harbor, Commander Cone of the. Utah, after anctoring his vessel at $40 a. m. came on board. Cone reported his land ing force ready and waiting for any service and returned 10 his ship
 "At 1o:30 d. m. the Prairie reported Am ready and directed Captain Rush to land his brigade and carry out orders. The following signal was sent to the Prairie at 10:50 a. m Land and take pier No. I: be prepared cover landing by necessary guntire.' At II :l5 d. m the Prairie signaled, Battalion has showed off The landing force of the Florida showed off at the sahe time and were joined by the Panama contingent of ma rines from the Utah. This made total force of 7S1 officers and men of whom 502 were marines, all under the com mand of Capt. Williams R. Rush. United States navy captain of the Florida. At II :30 a. m the Prairie signaled, Ba ttalion has landed, no evidence of any resist ance thus far At II :45 a. m signal was received from the consulate. Cable station 10. K and this meant that the cable station was in possession of our forces on shore and that communication with Washington was assured. At II 50 a. m. a signal was received from Captain Rush on shore that headquarters had been es- abolished at the Hotel Terminal and sig nal station set up there. At li:55 a. m. Rush signaled. Telegraph and postoffice occupied and doing business as ever.' This was followed by Firing in town no casualties yet and at 12;21 D. m.. Commenced firing on shore: federals have commenced firing on United States troops, Again at l2:3o D. m. Rush sig naled. One thousand men with machine guns reported in this vicinity; desutorv firing heavy at intervals; hurry rtah's troops I signaled Utah: Send your bat talion ashore. urgent; you may steam in closer At 12:it D. m. Rush reported his first casualties
 Immediately on landing the marine regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Neville advanced up Gallo de Montesinos. sez- Ing cable office and desaching one com pany to seize the power plant north of the Terminal station and to cover approaches from the westward along railroad tracks. The head of the marine column had ad-