Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-24

Vera Cruz, April Zo.--tsdily yoSleA
day afternoon the city of Vera Cruz
was in undispuited possession of the
American invading force.
Although there was no organized
force used against them and the snip
ers were less in evidence than at any
time during the fighting. eight Amer
leans were killed and some 80 wounded.
While the Mexicans suffered more Sc
verely the number of their casualties
has not been ascertained, but the best
estimates obtained by Captain William
r. Rush of the battleship Florida IN
dictated that in the engagements OF
Tuesday and Wednesday their dead
amounted to about $50. No one knows
how many Mexieans fell wounded, as
a large part of them were taken away
by friends.
Disposition Of Bodies
In the streets about the plaza on
Wednesday afternoon lay Is or ~
bodies. majority of them in citizens
attire. Some of the men evidently hao
been dead since the engagement OF
Tuesday and the tropical heat made
their immediate disposal imperative
One of the first orders given after
the town has been captured was TO
bury the Mexican dead in trench
at the sea end of one of the streets
leading from the plaza.
When the city was taken the order
was given to advance carefully ana
search every building for men bearing
arms. Scores of prisoners were TAX
en-, most of them protesting volubly,
many Historically, that they were not
guilty of any unfriendliness whatso-
ever toward the Americans. Accus-
toned as the Mexicans are, to their
own contending forces, shooting i'm
mediately all prisoners taken, the
captured men could not but believe
that they would receive less drastic
treatment at the hands of the Ameri-
cans.
Accuracy of Bombardment
The most spirited action of Wednes-
day was the taking of the naval acad-
envy. Aside from that fight there was
no definite organization opposition en-
countered by the Americans. hot
fire was poured into the advancing
Americans from the naval college,
which for a time held them back, but
few we'll directed shots from the
cruisers Chester, San Francisco and
Prairie tore gaping holes in the stone
walls and silenced the rifle fire of the
Mexicans inside. Far to the right in
the harbor, the mine ship San Fran
cisco opened with her five-inch guns
and, taking the front of the college,
shot out window by window, planting
the shells with the precision of target
practice.
A squad of soldiers. despite the
Smelling 1t had received Tuesday, con-
tinued to give considerable trouble to
the Americans from the battered Ben
ito Juarez tower. After they had been
silenced and removed from the tower.
it was discovered that the soldiers had
continued fighting for lack of ability
to do anything else. The shells from
the warship Tuesday had torn away
the staircase in the tower and the
men had been compelled to remain in
it.
At 10 o'clock Wednesday morning
the Americans were in undisputed pos
session of the city except the south
west quarter, in which the barracks
are situated and a few outlying dis
tricts. At noon they had taken the
barracks. When the city prison, which
faces the main plaza of the city, was
captured, Lieut.. Commander Buehan-
an of the Florida made an inspection
tour through it. There was great sur
prise among the Mexicans who had
gathered there that the prisoners were
not released. They had been accus-
toned to seeing the victor always re-
lease prisoners and then impress them
into his army.
A Mexican,s Appeal
Coincident with the orders for the
general advance of the Americans. an
aged, white-haired Mexican. carrying
the white flag of truce, came down a
street from the center of the city. He
carried letter to the chief of police.
the only authority he hoped to reach,
and desired Consul Canada to read
it. 1t was an urgent appeal to the
chief of police to call off the snipers
and prevent the bombardment he be-
heved would follow if they continued
their execution. Even before the mes
senger had climbed the stairs into the
consui's office, Captain Rush was in
formed of the contents of the note he
bore and Immediately sounded cease
firing and halt" But it was too late.
The action had been begun all along
the line and it was not considered
wise TO attempt further measures to
stop it.
Blood-b despatched sidewalks, broken
windows and bullet SCARED walls gave
the plaza gruesome aspect Within
the Diligencia hotel there were 40
Americans, most of them women, who
had been there since the commence
ment of hostilities. When the square
was taken they were Immediately no.
tined that they might go to other
places II they SO desired, but that they
probably would incur no further dam
ger by remaining in the hotel.
None of the American women were
IN any manner mistreated by the Mex
leans. few of the women assisted
the Mexicans in caring for their
wounded
In the fighting in the center of the
inner harbor, San Juan De Uloa. an
ancient stone fortress flew the Mex
lean flag throughout the attack. The
commant and 60 armed men and 400
Worhmen In the navy yard peered from