Evening star., 1914-05-16
VERA CRUZ IN HANDS
OF ENEMY FOUR TIMES
Mexican Port Knows What It Is to
Be Captured by
Foe.
Pillaged by Buccaneers in Days
When Pirates Ravaged the
Spanish Main.
From the baltimore American.

From the baltimore American.
Vera Cruz knows what it is to be cap
tired. -Four times has the city fallen
before foreign arms. once to Gen. VIM
field Scott of the United States. once to
France and the allies of 1861 and twice to
buccaneers.
Vera Cruz has suffered more than any
other city in Mexico. AS far back as
1888. when 1t was a very small town,
it was captured by the buccaneers whose
force was equal to the entire army of
many a Latin country. Pilage and mur-
der reigned for days. and then the pirates
were driven out. Again in 1712 Laurent
and Van Horn. buccaneer kings. seized
the port and plundered it for ten days.
Hundreds of Mexicans were killed and
outrages of all sorts committed.
From then until we'll along In the nine
teenth century the city had comparative
peace. But at the outbreak of the war
between this country and Mexico 1t was
inevitable that movements of troops
against Mexico City must begin with
Vera Cruz.
American Troops Landed.
So March :, 1917. fleet appeared
bearing Gen Scott and a small army.
troops were landed. They succeeded in
capturing the city after a siege of thar-
teen days, in which there was much bood-
shed From there Scott began his tri-
u1nphant march to the capital. winning
the victories at Cerro Gordo and Puepia
on the way.
were deplorable. With the tnitea StaIes
engaged with internal troubles OF Its own,
Mexico grew arrogant not only TO tne
people and interests of this country. put
to Europeans. President Buchanah az
yocated Intervention in leo9' out liie
Senate did not respond
Mieuela Miramon, an able but un-
scrunuIous soldier. was. the constitu-
tionalist president at this time. 6ehlto
Juarez former minister OF nnance. was
recognized by the United states IN tne
McLean-JuareZ treaty of december -,
1850 but the Senate did not ratfy that
convention, though Juarez was aiioWeu
to Import arms, ammunition anu men
from the United States. as villa ana
Carranza have done
Seized by Spanish Force.
In 1860 Great Britain, France, spain
and Prussia decided upon joint inter-
vention after foreign residents had
suffered all sorts Of iudignities. The
eliminating outrage was when Mira
British consulate.
Juarez, overthrowing Miramon in
1860. entered Mexico City to find him
self held responsible by the foreign
powers not only for wrongs done by
his faction. but also by those he had
conquered. a convention among Great
Britain, Spain and France was signed
in London October 81, 1861 and De-
cember IA, 1851, Vera Cruz was seized
by a Spanish force under Gen. Prm.
A French fleet and troops arrived soon
after for the same purpose.
All Mexican ports We're blockaded and
the customhouses seized, as ts Presi-
dent Wilson'S plan. Great Britain
landed only 100 marines at Vera Cruz
and soon withdrew them. as Spain did
her troops, in March. 1862, after mis-
understandings with France, which re-
mained in possession.
Marched on Capital.
In September, 1862. 10000 French SOL
diers. under Gen. Forey. augmented the
force already in the city. Forey soon
started on a march to Mexico City, cap
turing the capital June :, 1863. The
French troops were withdrawn in 1867.
A remarkable happening of the Mexi-
can war with the United States in 1876