The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1914-05-08
ev a VETERAN.


to Gen. Winfield Scott, once to the
allied forces of France, England and
Spain, and twice to the buccaneers of |
the Spanish Main.
know several men today who were |
present at the siege OF 1S47. II 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 u.
Gibson, u. S. A., retired, eightyeeven
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.
It was March 7, 1S47, when the fleet
bearing General Scott and his little
army appeared off Mexico's principal
seaport. The troops landed without
much trouble after the city had been
bombarded, but ii took 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 arro-
CANT to this country and to Europeans.
The crowning insult was President
Miramon's seizure OF $630,0OO 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 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 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had been withdrawn, the unfortunate
Austrian's 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
we're driven to their ships. In liz
the notorious buccaneer kings, Lau-
rent and Van Horn, seized the port
and held 1t ten days. They killed hun
dreds of Mexicans, carried away wom-
en- captive and did an immense
amount of damage.
To this day the nurse girl Of Vera
Cruz, seeking to still the fretful child,
says: "Be quiet or l will give you to
Van Horn"
Reparation for One Insult.
I was much amused by the Ill
informed If well-meaning persons who
cried out that Dictator Huerta had
given sufficient reparation for the in
sult to the flag at Tampico by his
meager and half-hearted apology.
From the files of the navy depart
ment l have dug up a report from
? Commander ]. Blakely Creighton, U
S. NJ, commanding the Oneida, wht
, witnessed Japan's atonement for al
offense against our bluejackets. l
reads:
"Hiogo, Japan. March IA, 1863
p Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary OF th
a United States Navy, Washington
!. d. C.-Sir: l have the honor to CON
4 municate the particulars Of the execu
n ton Of the Japanese official Tati Ear
zutaro. retainer of the Matsdaira b
ID nrH
n to fire on the foreigners at this plac
Y on the fourth ultimo.
"This execution was witnessed b
me at the request of our minister, Gel
IS r. b. Van Valkenburgh. and was
y follows:
| left the legation at about &c
o. m. in company with the officers
tached to the foreign legations al
proceeded to Hiogo, where we wei
met by guard, who escorted us
n the temple where the execution WI
e. to take place.
There was a large number
e, people on each side Of the street lea
Re Ing to the temple, and quite a nui
~ Der Of soldiers drawn up inside al
IL about the temple. We were show
lg into room adjoining the Japane
officials, where we were asked IL
m wished to question the person abo
d. to be executed. to which we answer
es In the negative. They also took I
a names of every official present.
An After waiting about half an no
we we're conducted by the Japane
I'd officials into what appeared TO be
ne principal room of the temple, viii
OF was lighted with candles, and
Up front OF the altar was raised pi
ne form of about foot in height, VIII
extended across the room and VIII
lie was placed on the right OF the alt
nd within a few feet Of where the exc
nd ton was to take place. with the Jap
ISL ese officials on the left.
Ter "In front OF the altar was a gre
cloth and In front OF that a red
ke We we're informed that the execut
.eu would take place on the red cic
les Co..too oureaives upon the mats